Chapter 17.09
ACCESS AND PARKING STANDARDS
Sections:
17.09.010 Intent and Applicability.
17.09.020 Block and Lot Access.
17.09.010 Intent and Applicability
A. Intent. The intent of this section is to:
1. Emphasize the importance of site access for a variety of modes of transportation.
2. Preserve streetscapes and street functions by coordinating access along and internal to blocks.
3. Create access and parking standards appropriate to the context of the project, considering street designs and surrounding development patterns.
4. Provide the optimal amount of vehicle parking for individual sites, recognizing that too much and too little parking each have negative impacts.
5. Ensure appropriate site and design features that mitigate the impact of parking on surrounding sites.
6. Support the urban design goals for the surrounding area and limit the visual impact of parking and access on streetscapes and adjacent lots.
7. Promote parking designs that minimize runoff and infiltrate stormwater into the ground.
8. Reduce the need to dedicate areas of individual, adjacent sites to underutilized or redundant surface parking.
B. Applicability. An access and parking plan is required in association with a site plan, according to the application requirements in Chapter 17.03 GMC. Specifically it is required for:
1. A change of use for an existing site or building, but only where the new use would require 120 percent or more parking than exists.
2. An expansion of a building or use of a site by more than 20 percent.
3. All new development of a site.
4. Where additional parking is required for an existing site or building, the landscape and design standards shall only apply to the newly constructed parking, except when more than 50 percent of a parking area is added to, resurfaced or otherwise impacted, then all new parking and access shall comply with this section. (Ord. 2518 § 2 (LDC § 9.01))
17.09.020 Block and Lot Access
A. Driveways and Access. The following requirements coordinate adequate block and lot access based on the context, the street type and other access coordination. Where adequate access to any lot is limited by these standards, shared, common or internal block access strategies shall be used to provide adequate access to all lots.
1. Location and Spacing. Driveway location and spacing shall be limited based on the functional class of streets in Table 9-1. Spacing distance between accesses shall be measured from the perpendicular curb face of the access points, and from the perpendicular curb face of intersecting streets to the closest access point for intersections.
Figure 9-1 Access Spacing
The spacing between curb cuts and intersections is illustrated above. Reference Table 9-1 for specific distances that depend on the street type and use.
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|
Functional Class |
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|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Arterial* |
Collector |
Local |
|
Residential |
100' min. separation** |
75' min. separation** |
No min. separation except as controlled by Frontage Types in Chapter 17.07 GMC |
|
200' + corner |
125' + corner |
75' + corner (not applicable to intersections of local/local streets, although access shall be placed to maximize separation from corner) |
|
|
250' + signalized intersection |
250' + signalized intersection |
250' + signalized intersection |
|
|
Nonresidential |
200' min. separation** |
150' min. separation** |
100' min. separation** |
|
200' + corner |
125' + corner |
75' from lot corner |
|
|
250' + signalized intersection |
250' + signalized intersection |
150' + signalized intersection |
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* Direct access to an arterial street shall be permitted only when the subject property has no other reasonable access to the street system, and only if the City Engineer determines that the proposed access point is safe and is subject to the limits of this table.
** The City Engineer may allow averaging of the separation of access points along any block face provided there are no adverse impacts on the transportation network, and the intent of this section is equally or better served.
2. Width. Driveway widths shall be limited based on the Frontage Types in GMC 17.07.050, Frontage Design. Where application of the width limits or these spacing standards appears to constrain access, different driveway configurations identified in Chapter 17.07 GMC shall be used.
3. Setbacks. Except for where shared or common access is permitted and executed through easements, driveways shall be set back from all lot lines as follows:
a. Residential access to six or fewer dwelling units: three feet.
b. Residential access to more than six dwelling units: six feet.
c. Nonresidential access: 10 feet.
4. Sight Distances. All driveways and parking entrances to public streets or internal access streets shall meet sight distance requirements as measured by GMC 17.04.010(D).
B. Internal Access Streets. Any single block, lot or site greater than five acres shall provide a system of internal access streets that establish access and circulation within the site. Internal access streets:
1. Shall be laid out to organize the site into smaller internal blocks between one and four acres;
2. Shall be designed to mimic public street cross sections in Chapter 17.04 GMC, including sidewalks, landscape amenities, on-street parking and travel lanes;
3. May be treated as public streets for determining the proper location, orientation and design of sites and buildings within the project.
C. Sidewalks.
1. Generally. Development sites shall include direct sidewalk connections and circulation at the same or greater frequency as provided for vehicles. Sidewalks connect public entrances and sites, in the most direct manner possible, with the following:
a. Sidewalks in the public streetscape or along internal access streets;
b. Parking areas, and any walkways or crosswalks within the parking areas;
c. Any civic open space designed for active use;
d. Adjacent sites, where pedestrian connections through public streetscapes or internal access is remote.
2. Sidewalk Width. Internal sidewalks shall meet the following requirements:
|
Location |
Minimum Width |
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|---|---|---|
|
Generally |
5' |
|
|
• |
Along any building facade abutting a parking area; |
8' |
|
• |
Along any parking with vehicle overhangs; OR |
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|
• |
A primary route between the street or parking area and the building entrance. |
|
|
Along any building facade with a primary entrance |
10' |
|
|
Along any internal access street |
Width based on the specifications for the most applicable street cross section in Chapter 17.04 GMC. |
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3. Pedestrian Amenities. Sidewalks and internal circulation shall be separated from moving vehicles to the extent feasible with curbs, landscape buffers, or curbside parking, except for crosswalks in limited locations.
4. Crossings. All driveways and alleys shall generally intersect with sidewalks on the perimeter of the block at the sidewalk grade, and the material and construction of the sidewalk shall continue across the drive. For drive aisles and internal access streets, the vehicle grade may interrupt the sidewalk. Where the pedestrian crossing exceeds 24 feet, crosswalks or other features to identify pedestrian crossings may be required. Design features such as bump outs, raised crossings, medians or other landscape and urban design amenities that emphasize the pedestrian crossing and shorten the distance pedestrians cross dedicated vehicle ways may be considered.
D. Traffic Impacts. Wherever the City Engineer determines that the above requirements will adversely impact the function of the transportation network in the vicinity of the site, either due to traffic impacts of the proposed use, or the design of the access in relation to the streetscape, alternative access standards may be required to better meet the intent of this section. In addition, any specific access management study or plan for a portion of the City may alter the application of these standards and guidelines. (Ord. 2584 § 1; Ord. 2518 § 2 (LDC § 9.02))
17.09.030 Required Parking
A. Vehicle Parking Rates. Table 9-3, Required Parking, provides general minimum requirements for rates of all similar uses. Where the classification of the use is not determinable from the table, the Director shall determine the appropriate classification based on industry guides and the most similar use in terms of scale, function and operation. The follow criteria shall be used in interpreting the table:
1. A rate based on employees shall consider maximum number of employees likely to be on-site at one time.
2. A rate based on square footage shall consider the service area open to the public or patrons, or leasable floor area. Where this number is not easily or readily determined, 85 percent of gross floor area may be used.
3. A rate based on seating shall consider total number of seats based on industry standards for typical layouts of buildings.
4. A rate based on capacity shall be the maximum permitted under public safety and building codes.
5. Where uses or sites have components of different uses (i.e., hotel with a restaurant), each component shall be calculated under most applicable rate.
|
Residential Dwellings |
||
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Detached House; Duplex |
2 per dwelling unit |
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|
Row House, Apartments, etc. |
1.5 per dwelling unit |
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Accessory Dwelling Unit |
1 per dwelling unit |
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Group Living |
0.5 per bed/room; AND 1 per employee |
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Civic/Institutional |
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Generally |
2.5 per 1,000 s.f. |
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Schools |
1 per 1,000 s.f.; AND 1 per classroom OR 1 per 3 seats of any assembly area (whichever is greater) |
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Assembly |
1 per 4 seats |
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Hospital/Institutional Living |
0.5 per room; AND 1 per 2 employees |
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Outdoor Recreation |
1 per 10,000 s.f. passive; 1 per 1,000 s.f. active/programmed; 1 per 5 seats for any venues |
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Commercial |
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General Retail |
1 – 2,000 s.f. |
= 2.5 per 1,000 s.f. |
|
2,001 – 25,000 s.f. |
= 5 per 1,000 s.f. |
|
|
25,001 or more s.f. |
= 4 per 1,000 s.f. |
|
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Convenience Store/Gas Station |
5 per 1,000 s.f. |
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Outdoor Sales |
1 per 1,000 s.f. |
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Service/Office |
3 per 1000 s.f. |
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Barber/Beauty |
2 per seat/service stall |
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Live/Work |
3 per unit |
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Lodging |
1 per room |
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Entertainment Venue/Theater |
1 per 4 seats |
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Mortuary/Funeral Home |
1 per 3 seats |
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Fitness/Exercise Studio |
1 per 3 persons occupancy |
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Medical/Dental Office/Clinic |
5 per 1,000 s.f. |
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Athletic Club/Sports Complex |
2.5 per 1,000 s.f.; AND 1 per 5 seats for any venue |
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Bowling Alley |
2.5 per lane; AND 2 per 1,000 s.f. for ancillary entertainment areas |
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Restaurant, General |
1 per 3 seats |
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Bar/Tavern |
5 per 1,000 s.f. |
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Veterinary Clinic/Hospital |
1.5 per 1,000 s.f. |
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Bank |
3 per 1,000 s.f. |
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Industrial |
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Generally |
2 per 1,000 s.f for any customer service area; AND 0.75 per employee |
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B. Maximum Parking. No use shall provide greater than 20 percent more than the minimum required parking without documented evidence of actual parking demand based on studies of similar uses in similar contexts. In addition, any parking permitted over 20 percent shall require mitigating potential impacts of more parking through one or more of the following strategies:
1. Provide shared parking for other uses on the block or adjacent blocks according to subsection (D) of this section.
2. Design all parking areas over the minimum as dual purpose space, such as plazas, playgrounds, or event areas for regular use of the space during nonpeak times (see civic space design standards).
3. Use alternative surface areas designed to infiltrate stormwater.
4. Provide additional buffers and site open spaces to screen parking and provide more active usable outdoor spaces for people in relation to the streetscape, of at least a 10 percent increase in the open space or buffers and at least a 20 percent increase in the amount of landscape material required for the parking.
C. Parking Reductions. The parking required by Table 9-3 may be reduced depending on context, and according to the following strategies:
1. Downtown. In the C-1 district, any use under 2,000 square feet is exempt from any on-site parking. All other uses in the C-1 district may reduce the required on-site parking by 40 percent, in addition to all other applicable credits and shared parking reductions.
2. On-Street Parking Credit. All on-street parking within 600 feet of any lot frontage shall count towards the parking requirement at a rate of one space for every three on-street spaces.
3. Bicycle Parking Credit. All on-site bicycle parking designed and located according to subsection (E) of this section may reduce the required vehicle parking at a rate of one space for every four bicycle parking spaces up to a maximum of 15 percent of the required vehicle parking.
4. Public Parking Credit. Any site within 600 feet of a public parking area may reduce the required vehicle parking at a rate of one space for every two public parking spaces.
5. Deferral of Parking Space Requirements. A portion of the required parking may remain unimproved until it is necessary to adequately serve parking demand. The Planning Commission or Governing Body, whichever is charged with granting final approval, shall determine that the initial occupancy of the premises will be adequately served by the lesser number of spaces and a site plan shall indicate the location, pattern and circulation to and from the deferred parking spaces. Any approved deferral shall specifically indicate what event will trigger the construction of the deferred parking. The area reserved for future parking shall be brought to finished grade and shall be landscaped, and it shall not be used for any permanent purpose or structure unless a revised site plan and parking plan is approved.
D. Shared Parking. Required parking may be reduced for any site containing multiple uses or for adjacent sites with different uses according to Table 9-4: Shared Parking. Any shared parking arrangement shall require an agreement among all landowners participating in the agreement to ensure access, joint use, maintenance, and other operational issues. A reduction program that differs from Table 9-4 may also be approved in association with the agreement upon preparation of the joint parking study for the sites and uses.
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|
Percentage of Required Parking by Time Period |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
Weekday |
Weekend |
All |
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|
Use |
6 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
5 p.m. to 1 a.m. |
6 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
5 p.m. to 1 a.m. |
1 a.m. to 6 a.m. |
|
Employment |
100% |
10% |
5% |
5% |
5% |
|
Retail or Service |
75% |
75% |
100% |
90% |
5% |
|
Restaurant |
50% |
100% |
75% |
100% |
25% |
|
Entertainment and Recreation |
30% |
100% |
75% |
100% |
5% |
|
Church |
5% |
25% |
100% |
50% |
5% |
|
School |
100% |
10% |
10% |
10% |
5% |
|
Dwellings |
25% |
90% |
50% |
90% |
100% |
|
Lodging |
50% |
90% |
75% |
100% |
100% |
E. Bicycle Parking. All nonresidential or multifamily uses within 1,000 feet of a designated bicycle route or trail shall provide bicycle parking spaces according to Table 9-5: Bicycle Parking.
|
Activity |
Required Spaces |
|---|---|
|
Primary or secondary school |
25% of the number of students; AND 10% of the number of employees |
|
Retail or office uses |
10% of the required vehicle spaces |
|
Other institutional or entertainment uses |
5% of the required vehicle spaces |
|
Industrial uses |
3% of the number of employees |
|
Residential |
1 per dwelling unit |
(Ord. 2518 § 2 (LDC § 9.03))
17.09.040 Parking Lot Design
A. General Standards.
1. All minimum required parking shall be reserved and used for that purpose except for what may be permitted through a Conditional Use Permit or Temporary Use Permit.
2. All required parking shall be on-site except as specifically provided in Credits or Shared Parking sections. Additionally, the Planning Commission may allow for a portion of required parking to be located off-site through a site plan review, provided it is within 300 feet of the subject site, it is in a comparable zoning district, and an agreement demonstrating rights and control of the off-site property is provided.
3. All on-site parking lots shall provide a sufficient amount of barrier free accessible spaces, meeting the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines for quantity, design and location.
4. All parking and access areas shall be designed to adequately address drainage and runoff, including curb, gutters and inlets, or any other drainage strategy approved by the City Engineer to support best management practices to minimize runoff and encourage infiltration of stormwater.
5. All parking and access lighting shall meet the standards in GMC 17.08.050.
6. All parking areas and driveways shall be surfaced with a permanent bituminous or Portland cement concrete pavement meeting the standards and specifications of the City of Gardner, except that the City Engineer may approve alternate surfaces that demonstrate superior stormwater management performance and sufficient durability and long-term maintenance.
B. Location. On-site parking shall be designed and located in a manner that mitigates negative impacts on streetscapes and adjacent property. Table 9-6 provides general location, size and landscape requirements. These requirements may be modified by specific Street Type standards in Chapter 17.04 GMC or Building Type and Frontage Type standards applicable to specific zoning districts in Chapter 17.07 GMC.
|
Spaces per Block |
Front |
Side |
Rear |
|---|---|---|---|
|
200 or more |
*Must be broken into smaller parking blocks |
*Must be broken into smaller parking blocks |
10% Internal Landscape Islands; AND 12' Perimeter Buffer |
|
150 – 199 |
*Must be broken into smaller parking blocks |
10% Internal Landscape Islands; AND 12' Perimeter Buffer |
8% Internal Landscape Islands; AND 10' Perimeter Buffer |
|
100 – 149 |
8% Internal Landscape Island; 10' Perimeter Buffer; AND 15' Front Setback Buffer |
8% Internal Landscape Islands; AND 10' Perimeter Buffer |
5% Internal Landscape Islands; AND 8' Perimeter Buffer |
|
50 – 99 |
8% Internal Landscape Islands; 10' Perimeter Buffer; AND 15' Front Setback Buffer |
5% Internal Landscape Islands; AND 8' Perimeter Buffer |
8' Perimeter Buffer |
|
20 – 49 |
5% Internal Landscape Islands; AND 8' Perimeter Buffer |
5% Internal Landscape Islands; OR 8' Perimeter Buffer |
No requirement other than 6' setback |
|
Under 20 |
5% Internal Landscape Islands; OR 8' Perimeter Buffer |
No requirement other than 6' setback |
No requirement other than 6' setback |
* Where individual sites require or provide parking requirements larger than the maximum size, parking lots shall be broken into “parking blocks” meeting the size, location, and landscape requirements of this table. These “parking blocks” shall be arranged around internal access streets meeting the standards of GMC 17.09.020(B).
Independent of any landscape buffer required by Table 9-6, the following parking front setbacks apply to specific districts:
|
|
Front Setback |
|---|---|
|
Residential |
25', except parking permitted in driveways of detached houses, duplexes or row houses shall not count as a parking lot |
|
C-O and CO-A |
25' |
|
C-1 |
Behind the front building line if single bay; behind the building or at least 30' back for all others |
C. Landscape and Buffers. Landscape areas required by Table 9-6 shall be arranged to achieve the following results:
1. Parking pods of no more than 40 spaces without Landscape Islands either through end caps or center strips.
2. No Landscape Island shall be less than eight feet in any dimension and no smaller than 150 square feet.
3. The maximum distance in any direction between landscape areas and surrounding parking block edges or buffers shall be 180 feet.
4. All buffers and islands shall have the proper allocation of landscape materials required by Chapter 17.08 GMC, and be arranged to provide shade, infiltrate runoff, soften large expanses of pavement and screen parking from adjacent streets and property.
5. Any parking otherwise permitted within 15 feet of any right-of-way or district shall be screened with a continuous hedge, or decorative wall or fence compatible with the design of buildings, or a combination of both. The hedge, wall, or fence shall provide a continuous screen between two and one-half and four feet high, except at access points or pedestrian entrances.
6. Any nonresidential parking permitted within 30 feet of a lot zoned R-2 or a lesser district, or any parking area greater than 10 spaces adjacent to property zoned or used for residential purposes, shall be screened with a combination of a landscape buffer and:
a. A six-foot-high solid fence if located behind the front building line; or
b. A two-and-one-half-foot to four-foot decorative wall, if located in front of the front building line.
D. Specifications. Parking areas shall be designed to meet the dimension specifications in Table 9-8: Parking Dimensions.
|
Parking Angle Width |
Width Parallel to Aisle |
Depth to Wall |
Depth to Interlock |
Aisle Width* |
Module** |
Bumper Overhang |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wall to Wall |
Interlock to Interlock |
||||||
|
45°/9.0' |
12.7' |
19.5' |
16.5' |
12' |
51' |
45' |
2.3' |
|
45°/9.5' |
13.4' |
19.5' |
16.5' |
11' |
50' |
44' |
2.3' |
|
60°/9.0' |
10.4' |
20.5' |
18.5' |
16' |
57' |
53' |
2.3' |
|
60°/9.5' |
11.0' |
20.5' |
18.5' |
15' |
56' |
52' |
2.3' |
|
75°/9.0' |
9.3' |
20.0' |
19.0' |
23' |
63' |
61' |
2.5' |
|
75°/9.5' |
9.8' |
20.0' |
19.0' |
22' |
62' |
60' |
2.5' |
|
90°/9.0'*** |
9.0' |
18.5' |
18.5' |
26' |
63' |
63' |
2.5' |
|
90°/9.5'*** |
9.5' |
18.5' |
18.5' |
25' |
62' |
62' |
2.5' |
* Measured between ends of stall lines.
** Rounded to the nearest foot.
*** For back-in parking, aisle width may be reduced 4'.
(Ord. 2518 § 2 (LDC § 9.04))