§ 8-9. Off-street parking and loading requirements.  


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  • Whenever any ordinance, regulation, or plan, enacted or adopted by the city council is for the purpose of providing off-street automobile parking spaces or of establishing requirements that such spaces be provided within any section or sections of the city, then such plan or requirements shall govern within such sections. Otherwise off-street automobile parking spaces shall be provided as follows, applicable to buildings hereafter erected and uses hereafter established, to such nonconforming uses as may be required to conform to the regulations hereof, and to extensions and enlargements of buildings and uses.

    A.

    Parking table. Except as otherwise provided in this section, off-street parking spaces shall be provided as follows:

    Schedule of Parking Requirements
    Land Use Requirements Additional Requirements
    Residential
    Single-Family Detached Units 4/ unit 2 must be enclosed
    See Section 4-6 5.
    Duplex 2 / unit None
    Townhouse, Condominium, Triplex, Quadruplex or Row 3 / unit None
    Multi-Family 1.5 / 1 bed unit
    2 / 2 bed unit
    2.5 / 3 bed unit
    None
    HUD Code Manufactured Home 2 / unit None
    Boarding or Rooming House, Hotel or Motel / Residence Motel or Inn 1 / residential unit 1 additional space for 200 sq. ft. of Exhibit or Ballroom space, plus 1 space per 100 sq. ft. of Meeting Rooms, plus 1 space per 2.5 seats in Restaurant and Lounge
    Retirement Housing: Ambulatory Independent Residents 1.5 / unit None
    Retirement Housing: Nursing Home Facilities 1 / 2 beds None
    Dormitory 1.5 / 2 occupants for designed occupancy None
    Fraternity, Sorority, or Lodge 1 / 125 sq. ft. None
    Institutional
    Community Center 1 / 4 persons None
    Schools:
     Elementary
     Junior High
     Senior High
     Trade

    1 / 25 students
    1 / 18 students
    1 / 5 students
    1 /4 students
    None
    Public Assembly Hall 1 / 3 seats None
    College or University 1 / 4 day students None
    Church 1 / 3 seats in the sanctuary or auditorium None
    Day Care or Day Nursery 1 / 5 pupils None
    Hospital 1.5 / bed None
    Mortuary or Funeral Home 1 / 4 seats in chapel None
    Recreational
    Theater 1 / 4 seats None
    Bowling Alley 4 / lane None
    Pool Hall, Arcade, Other Indoor Commercial Amusement 1 / 100 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Outdoor Commercial Amusement 1 / 500 sq. ft. of site area exclusive of building None
    Ballpark or Stadium 1 / 4 seats None
    Lodge or Fraternal Organization 1 / 125 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Driving Range 1 / 10 linear ft. of designated tee area None
    Miniature Golf 1 / tee None
    Personal Service Shop 1 / 250 sq. ft. of floor area up to 5000 sq. ft., then 1 / 200 sq. ft. None
    Indoor Retail Store or Shop 1 / 250 sq. ft. of floor area up to 5000 sq. ft., then 1 / 200 sq. ft. None
    Outdoor Retail Sales 1 / 500 sq. ft. of site area, exclusive of building None
    Furniture, Appliance Sales or Repair 1 / 600 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Coin- Operated or Self- Service Laundry or Dry Cleaner 1 / 200 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Shopping Center, Malls and Multi-occupancy uses (3-50 acres) 1 / 250 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Shopping Centers, Mall and Multi-occupancy use (over 50 acres) 1 / 300 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Eating or Drinking
    Establishment (no drive-through service)
    1 / 2.5 seats None
    Eating or Drinking
    Establishment (with drive-through service and all others)
    1 / 150 sq. ft. None
    Bingo Hall 1 / 2 seats None
    Physical Training and Athletic Facility 1 / 250 square feet of floor area None
    Business Services
    Bank and Savings & Loan or Other Similar Institution 1 / 300 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Massage Therapy Establishment 1 / 250 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Medical, Dental Clinic or Office 1 / 150 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Veterinary Clinic 1 / 300 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Other Office or Professional Business 1 / 250 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Automotive & Equipment
    Service Station Minimum of 6 None
    Auto Parts Repair Garage or Shop 1 / 350 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Auto Parts Accessory Sales 1 / 300 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Vehicle or Machinery Sales (indoors) 1 / 500 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Car Wash (full -serve) 3 stacking spaces/ wash bay None
    Car Wash (self-serve or automatic) 3 stacking spaces/ wash bay None
    Brick or Lumber Yard 1 / 3 employees or 1 / 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area (whichever results in more spaces) None
    Manufacturing or Warehousing 1 / 3 employees or 1 / 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area (whichever results in more spaces) None
    Outside Storage 1 / 5,000 sq. ft. of floor area None
    Mini-warehouse 1 / 3,000 sq. ft. of floor area None

     

    1.

    Reduction. In cases where the applicant can provide documentation that parking spaces exceed the amount necessary for the use and that a reasonable alteration of spaces may be provided. Said reduction shall not represent more than 15 percent of the total required spaces and shall require a special exception from the board of adjustment.

    2.

    Mixed use buildings. Where a building or a site contains two or more uses, the off-street parking requirement shall be computed as the sum of the required off-street parking spaces for each individual use with the exception of shopping centers and multi-use purposes.

    3.

    Drive lane widths and parking space sizes. Drive lanes and parking space sizes shall be required as shown in the following illustration. A driveway for access to any nonresidential, single parking space or to a parking lot shall not measure less than that shown in the parking layout illustration. All drive approach widths shall be no less than those indicated in the below graphic. All two-way drive lanes shall be a minimum of 24 feet in width. Parking spaces shall be nine feet wide by 18 feet deep for all 90-degree parking spaces. Angled spaces shall be as shown in the graphic.

    8-9App.A.png

    Drive Lane Widths and Parking Space Sizes

    4.

    On-premise parking required. All required commercial and residential parking spaces shall be located on the premises to which such requirement applies or within an off-street space of which the distance is not more than 300 feet from such premises.

    5.

    Residential parking development standards. The following regulations shall apply to all residentially zoned districts and apply to any required front or side yard being used to park or store vehicles, including boats and trailers.

    a.

    All vehicles which are parked or stored on private property in residential areas are to be on a monolithic concrete paved surface or a surface of contiguous concrete pavers (normally used in paving construction and to be two inches or more in thickness).

    b.

    Pavers are not to exceed one-half inch above the surface of the yard in which they are placed to allow them to be properly mowed and trimmed around.

    c.

    Vehicles are to be completely resting on such surfaces from the point they leave the public streets to the point upon which they are parked or stored.

    d.

    All vehicles which are parked or stored in a required rear yard shall be so placed behind a screening partitions of fencing materials or dense vegetation so as to obscure the vehicle from view from a public street.

    e.

    All vehicles shall be so parked in relation to the street and dwelling at right angles and not to extend over any walkway or be closer than eight inches from the back of the curb so they will not obstruct the pedestrian ways. Notwithstanding the foregoing, vehicles parked on residential lots maintaining a primary vehicle entryway in the side yard of the lot, of a length no greater than ten feet, may impede the pedestrian walkway if the vehicle will not fit entirely within the vehicle entryway.

    f.

    Any vehicle found in violation of this provision must be made operable or moved to an enclosed building within ten days from the notification of such condition existing. All repeat violations which occur at the same ad-dress shall be subject to immediate penalties and/or fines as allowed by law.

    6.

    Nonresidential parking development standards. The off-street parking or loading facilities required for nonresidential uses mentioned in these regulations shall be paved according to any of the following standards:

    a.

    Four inches of reinforced Portland cement concrete over compacted subgrade in all districts;

    b.

    Not less than two inches of hot mixed asphalt over at least six inches of lime treated subgrade in all districts; or

    c.

    Not less than two inches of hot mixed asphalt over six inches of crushed stone, flexible base in "LI" or "HI" zoned districts only.

    d.

    Lots shall be graded and drained in such a manner that run-off shall be properly channeled into a storm drain, watercourse, pond area or other appropriate facility.

    7.

    Maintenance requirements. To insure that all requirements set forth in this section are carried forward, it will be the responsibility of the owner of the parking area to maintain the facility. All off-street parking areas shall be kept free of trash, debris, vehicle repair operation or display and advertising uses. At no time after initial approval of the parking area layout can changes be made in the location and number of provided spaces without approval of the city inspector.

    B.

    Special events and other one-time events. "Special event" means a festival, celebration, performance or other such special event which occurs no more frequently than once per year, and which will or should be reasonably anticipated to attract patrons or visitors in such numbers as to exceed the capacity of the permanent parking spaces required and provided under other provisions of this section for the property upon which the special event is to be held. Events which are conducted more frequently than once per year are not considered "special events" under the provisions of this subsection, and the property upon which these events are conducted must conform to the other provisions of this ordinance concerning parking requirements.

    1.

    The persons or entities conducting any such special event shall submit to the administrative official at least 45 business days prior to said event a plan for the accommodation and parking of vehicles of persons reasonably expected to attend such event. The plan must include, at a minimum, the following information:

    a.

    A description and the address of the premises where the event is to be held;

    b.

    A description and the address of any property, other than the premises described in (a) above, where parking is to be provided for patrons or visitors to the event;

    c.

    The name and address of the owner of the premises upon which parking for the event is to be provided, and a statement describing the terms and conditions of the agreement whereby the owner of such premises has authorized their use for parking;

    d.

    The dates and times that the event is to be held;

    e.

    The measures which will be taken by the persons or entities conducting the special event to ensure safe and orderly traffic flow to and from the event site and any parking area;

    f.

    A plan or diagram of the proposed layout of the parking scheme upon the property to be used for parking for such event.

    2.

    All parking for any such special event shall be provided off street and on an area and surface reasonably anticipated to be dry and safe for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. No public property or rights-of-way may be utilized or included in such parking areas except upon express, prior written permission by the city council.

    3.

    Subject to the above requirements, the surface of such parking areas need not be paved or otherwise surfaced as required by the other provisions of this ordinance for permanent parking areas, but it must be suitable for the type and amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic reasonably anticipated for the special event at issue.

    4.

    Upon submittal of the required parking plan to the city, the administrative official shall review it and shall advise the applicants whether any changes or modifications to said plan will be required. The administrative official has the sole discretion to approve or reject, or require modifications to, any parking plan required hereunder. No vehicles may be parked in any location not otherwise allowed under other subsections of this section, in connection with any special event, unless and until the city council has issued a written approval of the parking plan of the special event.

    5.

    Such written permission may be revoked at any time by the city council if it is found that false or misleading information was contained in the proposed parking plan.

    C.

    Handicapped spaces. All areas of newly designed or newly constructed buildings and facilities required to be accessible under federal and state law shall comply with the standards set forth in the Texas Accessibility Standards of the Architectural Barriers Act, Texas Rev. Civil Stat. Art. Ann. § 9102 (Vernon Supp 2000.)

    1.

    The dimensions of each "H" parking space shall be 12 feet wide and 18 feet long.

    2.

    Each and every "H" parking space required by this section of the parking regulations or by other applicable regulations shall be clearly identified as reserved for the handicapped.

    The number of "H" parking spaces required shall be determined by the following table:

    Total Parking Spaces Provided Number of Accessible Spaces
    1 to 25 1
    25 to 50 2
    51 to 75 3
    76 to 100 4
    101 to 150 5
    151 to 200 6
    201 to 300 7
    301 to 400 8
    401 to 500 9
    501 to 1,000 2% of total
    More than 1,000 20 plus one for each 100 over 1,000

     

    D.

    Single family attached and multi-family parking facilities. Common parking facilities for single family attached and multi-family structures shall meet the following criteria:

    1.

    Each dwelling unit shall have its required parking spaces provided within 100 feet of a principal entrance to a single family attached structure and 150 feet of a principal entrance to a multi-family structure.

    2.

    The parking facility shall be arranged so that a minimum of five feet shall separate any parked car from a solid building wall and 20 feet from a principal entrance.

    3.

    In the DX Land Use Districts, one of the two off-street parking spaces required for each dwelling unit may be assigned to the driveway crossing in the required front and side yards.

    4.

    In any residential district off-street parking provided at the rear of the lot shall be permitted to occupy any paved portion of the rear yard except that a minimum distance of 20 feet shall separate the enclosed off-street parking spaces from an alley at the rear lot line.

    E.

    Parking access requirements. Parking areas which would require the use of public right-of-ways for maneuvering shall not be acceptable for the furnishing of required off-street parking spaces other than for single-family detached and duplex dwelling structures. Parking parallel at the curb on a public street shall not be substituted for off-street requirements.

    F.

    Off-street loading requirements. Provisions for loading and unloading shall be provided on the site according to the following regulations:

    1.

    In the following cases all retail, office and service buildings shall provide and maintain off-street facilities for the loading and unloading of merchandise and goods within the building or on the lot adjacent to a public alley or private service drive to facilitate the movement of traffic on the public streets:

    a.

    When deliveries are made by truck more than once a day between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

    b.

    When the time of loading and unloading materials or goods exceeds ten minutes between those hours.

    2.

    Individual loading space dimensions shall be required as a minimum to be 35 feet in length, 12 feet width with a height clearance of 15 feet.

    3.

    The number of off-street loading spaces shall be placed according to the following table:

    Square Feet
    of Gross Floor
    Area in Structure
    Maximum Required
    Spaces or Berths
    0 to 10,000 None
    10,000 to 50,000 1
    50,000 to 100,000 2
    100,000 to 200,000 3
    Each additional 200,000 1 Additional

     

    _____

    G.

    Additional regulations. Nothing in this section shall require the furnishing of additional parking spaces for buildings existing and used on the date of adoption of this ordinance. However, any enlargement or addition to an existing building shall not be approved unless such building and addition or enlargement shall be brought into full compliance with the provisions of this section.

    When the occupancy of any building is changed to another use, parking shall be provided to meet the requirements for the new use.

    H.

    Reserved.

    I.

    Parking for non-residential facilities located outside the city. In addition to other parking regulations that apply, parking for any non-residential use or facility is permitted only as an accessory use, and is allowed only when immediately adjacent to a non-residential use or facility that is located within the corporate limits of the city. Any non-residential use or facility located outside of the corporate limits of the city that desires to use a parking area within the city must obtain a specific use permit authorizing such parking facility within the city. This requirement may be waived by the city council for such a parking area where the non-residential use or facility is to be developed pursuant to an interlocal agreement that places development controls on the use or facility. The city council may waive the specific requirements set forth in this section when the city council determines that the other conditions and criteria placed on the development are adequate to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.

(Ord. No. 2003-03, § 1, 4-1-03; Ord. No. 2005-04, § 1, 2-15-05; Ord. No. 2009-10, § 3, 7-21-09; Ord. No. 2013-13, § 3, 8-20-13; Ord. No. 2014-17, § 1, 10-21-14; Ord. No. 2011-18, § 3, 8-16-11)