Chapter 18.74 OFF-STREET PARKING AND

Chapter 18.74
OFF-STREET PARKING AND
LOADING STANDARDS

Sections:

18.74.010 Purpose and intent.

18.74.020 Application of requirements.

18.74.030 Off-street parking requirements.

18.74.040 Location of parking spaces.

18.74.050 Parking lot design, surfacing and marking requirements.

18.74.060 Illumination.

18.74.070 Parking requirements for mixed-use occupancies.

18.74.080 Joint-use parking requirements.

18.74.090 Parking for unspecified uses.

18.74.100 Required off-street loading.

18.74.110 Landscaping requirements for parking areas.

18.74.010 Purpose and intent.

The purpose of the off-street parking and loading section is to provide the public with an adequate number of parking spaces, vehicular ingress and egress from a building or parking area to a public street and access for emergency vehicles. The intent is to control parking, internal circulation and access out onto a public street and to provide an aesthetically pleasing parking facility, all in the interest of public safety and general welfare. (Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.020 Application of requirements.

Any change to a building, or any change in use of a building or site to such an extent that a certificate of occupancy is necessary, shall require compliance with the provisions contained herein. All required parking areas shall be made permanently available to the customers of the use on the site and maintained for parking purposes only. No building permit shall be issued until plans showing provision for the required off-street parking have been submitted and approved. Every lot or parcel of land or portion thereof used as a public or private parking area shall be developed and maintained in accordance with this section. (Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.030 Off-street parking requirements.

Use Classification	Number of Parking Spaces Required
A. Hotels, motels, rooming/ boarding houses, clubs and lodges with overnight accommodations:	One space per unit/room, plus parking as required for restaurants, conference and convention facilities and retail shops
B. Dormitories:	One space per planned resident
C. Group homes (community residential facility, community treatment facility and transitional community facility):	One space per staff person, plus one space per five residents plus one space per vehicle operated by the home or facility
D. Family day care homes and mini-day care centers:	None required other than for single-family dwellings
E. Day care centers:	One space per staff person, plus one pick-up and drop-off space, plus one space per 10 children
F. Nursing homes and convalescent centers:	One space per four beds
G. Hospitals:	One space per two beds
H. Junior high schools and elementary schools:	Two spaces per teaching station
I. High schools:	Five spaces per teaching station
J. Colleges, universities, business and trade schools:	One space per four seats in classroom, plus one space per classroom
K. Specialized schools/studios (e.g., dance, martial arts, gymnastics, etc.):	One space per 100 gross square feet
L. Professional offices:	One space per 350 gross square feet, minimum of five spaces
M. Medical and dental offices:	One space per 170 gross square feet
N. Banks and other services:	One space per 325 gross square feet, minimum of five spaces
O. Barber or beauty shops/schools:	One space per 75 gross square feet
P. Launderettes or self-service laundries:	One space per four washing machines
Q. Libraries, art galleries and museums:	One space per 250 gross square feet
R. Auditoriums, theaters, stadiums, churches, funeral homes, bingo parlors (fixed seating):	One space for every four seats or one space for every eight feet of bench or pew
S. Clubs, lodges, dance halls, bingo parlors and other assemblies (without fixed seating):	One space for 75 gross square feet
T. Tennis, racquetball, handball and similar courts and clubs:	Two spaces per court, plus one space per 40 gross square feet of assembly area
U. Bowling alleys:	Five spaces per lane
V. Skating rinks:	One space per 150 gross square feet
W. Drive-in and take-out restaurants (no seating):	One space per 50 gross square feet, minimum of six spaces
X. Full-service restaurants and taverns and lounges:	One space per 100 gross square feet, minimum of six spaces
Y. Car washes and other short turn-around auto services (e.g. tune-up, lube, tire mounting):	One space for each employee, plus three spaces for each service bay (if flow through bays are used, spaces may be stacked at the entrance). Space inside the service bay shall be considered a parking space.
Z. Auto repair garages:	One space per 200 gross square feet, minimum of three spaces
AA. Motor vehicle or large machinery, retail:	One space per 1,000 gross square feet of building, plus one space per 1,500 gross square feet of outside display and sales lot
BB. Manufactured home and recreation vehicle, retail:	One space per 3,000 gross square feet of lot area
CC. Furniture or large appliance, retail:	One space per 500 gross square feet
DD. Other retail, commercial:	One space per 200 gross square feet, minimum of three spaces
EE. Self-service storage facilities:	One space for the manager, one space for each employee and one space for every 300 storage units. Driveway aisles shall be a minimum of 20 feet where access to storage units is only on one side of the aisle, and 24 feet where access to storage is on both sides of the aisle
FF. Wholesale commercial and warehouses:	One space per 2,000 gross square feet. Storage areas in excess of 1,000 square feet in retail commercial stores and offices can be calculated separately as warehouse, as long as no more than 50 percent of the total floor area is considered warehouse
GG. Industrial:	One space per 400 gross square feet. Storage areas in excess of 1,000 square feet in industrial buildings can be calculated separately as warehouse
HH. Aircraft hangars and repair facilities:	One space per 700 gross square feet, plus one space per 350 gross square feet of office space
II. Auto wrecking yards:	15 spaces for sites up to 10 acres, 25 spaces for sites over 10 acres

(Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.040 Location of parking spaces.

Off-street parking spaces shall be located as specified herein. Where distance is specified, such distance shall be the walking distance measured from the nearest point of the building which it serves:

A. Off-street parking facilities required under DPMC 18.74.030 shall be located on the same site as the use or building for which the parking is required. Parking facilities may only be separated from the use or building by an alley, or as provided in DPMC 18.74.080(F), but in no case shall the parking be separated from the use or building by an arterial.

B. All parking spaces and/or stalls and aisles shall be designed according to Parking Design Standards Figure 1, “Minimum One-Way Parking Depths,” and/or Parking Design Standards Figure 2, “Minimum Two-Way Parking Depths.” Parking stalls shall be designed so there is no vehicle overhang into adjoining property, public rights-of-way, landscaped and/or drainage areas.

C. Parking spaces designed at any angle other than those shown are permitted, provided the width of stalls and aisles is proportionately adjusted based upon the angle proposed.

D. Parking shall be so designed that automobiles shall not back out into public streets.

E. Handicap parking shall be installed in accordance with the “Regulations for Barrier-Free Facilities” as adopted by the Washington State Building Code Advisory Council and as administered by the building department (see Parking Design Standards Figure 3).

F. Bicycle racks and/or storage shall be provided whenever 50 or more parking spaces are required. There shall be two racks required for 50 to 74 parking spaces and one rack for every additional 25 parking spaces required.

G. The parking plan shall be submitted to the planning commission for review and approval prior to the issuance of any building or land use permits. (Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.050 Parking lot design, surfacing and marking requirements.

A. All off-street parking and commercial or industrial storage areas within any business, commercial, cemetery, mixed use, industrial, or public/quasi-public zoning classification shall be graded and a paved surface installed before a certificate of occupancy for the building is issued. All paving shall be done in a manner consistent with methods set forth by engineering standards and this code, except for the exemptions listed below, which shall be graded and hard-surfaced:

1. Parking and storage areas routinely used by cleated and other heavy equipment as approved by the planning commission.

2. The planning commission may waive portions of these requirements upon recommendation by the Spokane County air pollution control authority when it can be demonstrated that the proposed surface, such as grass pavers or other technology, will not adversely affect air quality, water quality or the integrity of the parking areas.

B. General Requirements. The paving and hard surfacing shall be completed from the parking area to the nearest public street or right-of-way and provide for proper storm drainage, and allow for parking stalls and installation of other traffic control devices as set forth by this code. All traffic control devices, such as parking stripes designating car stalls, directional arrows or signs, curbs and other traffic control devices, shall be installed and completed as required by this section and as shown on the approved plans. Paint or markers shall be used to delineate parking stalls and directional arrows on paved or hard-surfaced areas. Paved pedestrian sidewalks shall be provided on the exterior of the parking lot and between any parking lot and road right-of-way. The paved sidewalks shall be curbed or raised six inches above the lot surface, excluding those areas used for driveways and curb cuts necessary for meeting handicap requirements, and shall be provided with a minimum of 60 inches in width. The parking lot surfacing and drainage facilities shall be inspected and approved prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Off-street parking stalls shall comply with minimum standards for off-street parking, Parking Design Standards, Figures 1, 2, and 4, contained at the end of this chapter. (Ord. 974 § 1, 2018; Ord. 722 § 137, 1998; Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.060 Illumination.

Any lights provided to illuminate any parking area shall be constructed, shielded and used so as to not illuminate or create glare visible from adjacent properties or public rights-of-way. Lighting resembling or conflicting with traffic signals or emergency vehicles or otherwise creating safety hazards for pedestrian or vehicular traffic is prohibited. (Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.070 Parking requirements for mixed-use occupancies.

In the case of mixed-use occupancies in a building or on a lot, the total requirement for off-street parking shall be the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately. Off-street parking facilities for a particular use shall not be considered as providing required parking facilities for any other use except as hereinafter specified for joint use. (Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.080 Joint-use parking requirements.

A. The owner(s) of a group of uses or buildings may jointly provide for the collective use of off-street parking and loading spaces, subject to the planning department’s approval of the plans therefor. Such plans shall include the identification of the limits of the property involved; the outline of all structures; the identification of all other areas not involved in the off-street parking, loading or access thereto (e.g., pedestrian areas, landscaping, refuse storage areas); the actual layout of all off-street parking and loading spaces, as well as access thereto; identification of those spaces to be used collectively if other than all spaces on the property; and an agreement signed by all owners of the subject property binding them to continued collective use of off-street parking and loading spaces.

B. For shopping centers, the planning department may establish a total parking requirement based upon the mixture of uses contained within the center. If the department finds that the uses within the center have substantially dissimilar peak demands for off-street parking, the department may establish the center’s parking requirements at a level reduced up to 25 percent of the normal parking requirement.

C. Up to 50 percent of parking facilities required by this section for a use considered to be primarily a daytime use may be provided by the parking facilities of a use considered to be primarily a nighttime use or vice versa; provided, that the reciprocal parking area shall be subject to the conditions set forth in subsections F, G and H of this section.

D. Up to 100 percent of the Sunday and/or nighttime parking facilities required by this section for a church or auditorium incidental to a public or parochial school may be supplied by parking facilities required for the school use; provided, that the reciprocal parking area shall be subject to the conditions set forth in subsections F, G and H of this section.

E. For purposed of this subsection, the following uses are typical daytime uses: business offices, barber and beauty shops, manufacturing or wholesale buildings. The following uses are typical nighttime and/or Sunday uses: auditoriums, incidental to a public or parochial school, churches, dance halls, theaters and taverns.

F. The building or use for which application is made for authority to utilize the existing off-street parking facilities provided by another building or use shall be located within 150 feet of the parking facilities.

G. The applicant shall demonstrate that there is no substantial conflict in the principal operating hours of the buildings or uses for which the joint use of the parking facility is proposed.

H. Parties jointly using off-street parking facilities, as provided herein, shall execute a legal easement regarding their joint use agreement. The agreement shall be subject to review by the planning department and recorded in the county auditor’s office. The agreement shall run with the land and not be terminable without authorization being given by the planning department, based upon changed conditions. (Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.090 Parking for unspecified uses.

When the parking requirements for a use are not specifically defined herein, the parking requirements for such use shall be determined by the planning department, and such determination shall be based upon the requirements for the most comparable use specified herein or other requirements based on the best available information concerning the proposed use. (Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.100 Required off-street loading.

A. It is the intent of this section to require all future commercial, business, institutional or industrial development to provide off-street loading facilities in order to guarantee full utilization of existing rights-of-way to accommodate present and future traffic demands. Off-street loading facilities are intended to provide adequate space to accommodate outside deliveries from large vehicles which cannot be functionally served by normal parking stalls. Off-street loading facilities must be located in such a manner that service vehicles do not block or intrude into public rights-of-way or block driveways or parking area circulation.

B. Location and Design.

1. All off-street loading spaces shall be designed to minimize impacts on adjacent properties.

2. In all cases, loading facilities shall be located on the same lot as the structure they are designed to serve. Required front or flanking street side yards cannot be used for loading. Off-street loading spaces shall not be included in an area used to satisfy off-street parking requirements.

3. Loading spaces shall be designed and located so vehicles using these spaces do not project into any public right-of-way or otherwise extend beyond property lines.

4. Loading spaces shall be designed and built so no vehicles are required to back to or from an adjacent street, except for minor access for heavy trucking in the light industrial (L-I) or business park (BP) zones on local access streets.

C. When a proposed structure is intended to be used concurrently for different purposes, final determination of required loading spaces shall be made by the planning director, provided the loading requirement for the combined uses shall not be less than the total requirement for each separate use, except as provided in DPMC 18.74.080.

D. Off-street loading spaces shall measure 15 feet wide, 60 feet long and 15 feet high, except if this section requires only one off-street loading space, it may measure 12 feet wide, 30 feet long and 14 feet, 6 inches high.

E. The minimum number of off-street loading spaces for each structure shall be required according to the follow tables:

1. Industrial, manufacturing, wholesale, warehouse, and similar uses:

Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.)	Required Loading Spaces
less than 10,000	0
10,000 to 40,000	1
40,000 to 60,000	2
60,000 to 100,000	3
over 100,000	3 plus 1 for each additional 50,000 sq.ft. or part thereof

2. Offices, hotel/motel, restaurants:

Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.)	Required Loading Spaces
less than 10,000	0
10,000 to 60,000	1
60,001 to 100,000	2
over 100,000	3 plus 1 for each additional 50,000 sq.ft. or part thereof

3. Hospitals, convalescent centers, nursing homes, and similar institutions:

Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.)	Required Loading Spaces
less than 10,000	0
10,000 to 40,000	1
40,001 to 100,000	2
over 100,000	2 plus 1 for each additional 50,000 sq.ft. or part thereof

4. Department stores, retail and other commercial uses:

Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.)	Required Loading Spaces
less than 10,000	0
10,000 to 40,000	1
40,000 to 60,000	2
60,000 to 100,000	3
over 100,000	3 plus 1 for each additional 50,000 sq.ft. or part thereof

(Ord. 722 § 138, 1998; Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

18.74.110 Landscaping requirements for parking areas.

A. Purpose. The purposes of the landscaping provisions are:

1. To break up the visual effect created by large expanses of barren asphalt;

2. To encourage the preservation of mature trees which may presently grow throughout the city; and

3. To ensure the preservation of land values by creating an environmental quality which complements the objectives of the respective land uses.

B. Landscaping Plans. No building permit shall be issued where landscaping is required until a landscaping and irrigation plan has been submitted and approved by the planning commission.

C. Landscaping on Street Frontage. Unless otherwise stated herein, a parking area or outdoor display area fronting on a street right-of-way shall provide a landscaped planting area of at least three feet in width along the entire street frontage except for driveways; provided, that the plantings shall not obstruct the sight distance required at street intersections or driveway approaches. Landscaping shall consist of canopy type deciduous trees or spreading evergreen trees, planted in wells or strips, with a mix of living evergreen and deciduous ground covers and low shrubs.

D. Additional Plantings. Additional plantings may be placed in a street right-of-way behind the sidewalk line if the property owner provides the city with a written release of liability for damages which may be incurred to the planting area from any public use of the right-of-way.

E. Amount and Location. At least 10 percent of the parking area shall be devoted to landscaping (exclusive of landscaping required by subsection D above within the public right-of-way); provided, that:

1. No landscaping area shall be less than 32 square feet in area;

2. No parking stall shall be located more than 60 feet from a landscaped area. The planning commission may approve landscaping plans involving alternatives to this specification for individual properties if it finds the alternative would be more effective in meeting the purposes of this section;

3. All landscaping must be located between parking stalls, at the end of parking columns, or between stalls and the property line. No landscaping which occurs between the parking lot and a building or recreation area shall be considered as satisfaction of these requirements; and

4. All required landscaping shall meet the “clear view triangle” requirements pursuant to Chapter 18.94 DPMC.

F. Site Exception. Parking lots containing less than 20 spaces need provide only perimeter screening to satisfy the 10 percent area requirement.

G. Materials Used. Planting areas shall include liberal landscaping using combinations such as trees, ornamental shrubs, gravel, river rock, driftwood, rockeries, or lawn.

H. Internal Property Lines. When a parking area abuts residentially zoned property along any interior property line, a minimum six-foot high screening device, or a minimum five-foot wide planting area shall be installed along the property line.

I. Maintenance of Landscaped Areas. All required landscaping shall have automatic sprinkler systems and be maintained in a healthy growing condition. Dead or dying plantings shall be removed and replaced, or repaired.

J. Protective Curbing. All landscaped areas shall be protected from vehicle damage by a six-inch high protective curbing.

K. Timing of Installation. All required landscaping shall be installed prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy with provisions that the planning commission may authorize up to a 120-day delay when planting season conflicts would produce high probability of plant loss. Bonding or other adequate security may be required of an applicant to ensure that the landscaping requirements herein are met. (Ord. 722 § 139, 1998; Ord. 623 § 1, 1992)

Parking Design Standards

Figure 1

Minimum One-Way Parking Design

Minimum Parking Space Dimensions = 8.5 Feet by 18.0 Feet