Chapter 17.78
OFF-STREET PARKING
Sections:
17.78.020 Off-street parking and loading spaces required.
17.78.040 Central business district.
17.78.050 Existing parking facilities.
17.78.060 Location of required parking.
17.78.070 Computation of required spaces.
17.78.090 Parking lot standards.
17.78.100 Special event parking lots.
17.78.110 Handicapped parking.
17.78.120 Parking space dimensions.
17.78.130 Compact car allowance.
17.78.140 Recreational equipment parking.
17.78.170 Required off-street parking.
17.78.010 Purpose.
The provisions of this chapter are intended to assure adequate off-street parking is provided for all land uses to avoid or reduce traffic congestion on public streets, increase traffic safety and reduce the visual impact of parking lots in the community. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.020 Off-street parking and loading spaces required.
Whenever a structure is erected, or altered, there shall be provided on the same lot, adjacent lot, or group of lots accessible off-street parking. No off-street parking or loading spaces shall be constructed, located, relocated or modified without the issuance of a building permit. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.030 General provisions.
A. The off-street parking and loading facilities required by this chapter shall be established prior to the occupancy of any new or enlarged structure;
B. Required off-street parking spaces shall provide vehicle parking only for residents, customers, patrons, and employees and shall not be used for the storage of equipment or materials, or for the sale, repair or servicing of any vehicle;
C. Any area once designated for required off-street parking shall not be used for any other purpose unless and until equal facilities are provided elsewhere and a site plan has been approved to reflect the change, or the primary use of the property is changed to a use requiring less off-street parking;
D. The storage and parking of vehicles in front yard areas of single-family properties shall be limited to that area formed and bounded by parallel lines extending from the outer dimension of a garage, carport, or parking slab to the right-of-way. All primary parking areas and driveways in front yards shall be composed of an improved hard surface; grasscrete is permitted, except in the R-1S district driveways may be of an all-weather surface provided the first 10 feet from the right-of-way is composed of an improved hard surface. On lots with 100 feet of frontage or more, these primary parking areas may be circular drives;
E. An additional secondary parking area of not more than 20 feet in width between the nearest side property line and the driveway may be used for additional parking, provided the first 10 feet from the right-of-way is composed of an improved hard surface and the remainder of the secondary parking area is composed of an all-weather surface;
F. In the R-2 and R-3 residential districts off-street parking spaces for multiple-family dwellings shall not be located in the front yard, except that a single two-lane drive may extend through the required front yard provided no portion of the drive is within 10 feet of a dwelling unit entry nor five feet from any portion of a residential structure. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.040 Central business district.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply in the central business district as defined in GMC 17.45.020 as related to parking spaces required; provided, that all other requirements of this chapter apply to any parking lot provided by a developer/property owner. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.050 Existing parking facilities.
The following shall apply to existing parking facilities:
A. Whenever a preexisting building or structure, that is nonconforming with respect to this chapter, is remodeled, enlarged, altered, reconstructed or changed in any way by 50 percent or more of its assessed value, the requirements of this chapter shall apply. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.060 Location of required parking.
Off-street parking facilities shall be located according to the following:
A. For single-family and two-family dwellings, parking facilities shall be located on the same lot or building site as the buildings they are required to serve;
B. For uses other than those specified above, parking facilities shall not be located more than 300 feet from the buildings they are required to serve; and
C. Off-site parking greater than 300 feet but less than 500 feet from the building may be authorized by special permit as provided in Chapter 17.86 GMC. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.070 Computation of required spaces.
The following rules shall apply to the determination of the number of required off-street parking spaces:
A. Fraction. If the number of off-street parking spaces required in GMC 17.78.170 contains a fraction, such number shall be changed to the next higher whole number;
B. Mixed Uses. When different uses occupy a single structure or lot, the total required parking spaces shall be the sum of the requirements of the individual uses;
C. Shared Uses. Owners of two or more uses, structures, or parcels of land within 300 feet of each other may share the same parking or loading area when the hours of operation do not overlap. The owners of two or more uses, structures, or parcels within 300 feet of each other may also share facilities concurrently; however, the total parking requirements shall be the sum of the requirements for each individual use. Whenever shared parking is allowed under this section, the parking lot shall be signed so as to reasonably notify the public of the availability of use, and spaces shall not be assigned, allocated or reserved between uses; and
D. Tandem Parking. Parking spaces in tandem, having a single means of ingress and egress, shall not be counted as two off-street parking spaces for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of this chapter; except that each tandem space for single-family and two-family (duplex) dwellings shall be counted as a required parking space. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.080 Site plan required.
The submittal and approval of a site plan by the public works department is required prior to the construction of any parking lot. The site plan shall show the proposed development, locations, size, shape and design of the parking spaces, curb cuts, lighting, method of on-site drainage, adjacent streets, circulation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, signage, finished grade, landscaping, irrigation and other features of the proposed parking lot. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.090 Parking lot standards.
All parking lots and spaces required pursuant to this chapter and those properties consisting solely of parking development shall be designed and approved to meet the following standards:
A. New parking lots resulting in 11 or fewer new parking spaces not previously in use prior to construction (qualify as minor project as defined by GMC 17.75.030).
1. Surfacing. All parking must be surfaced with gravel on a stable substrate;
2. Lighting. Any parking lot lighting shall be so arranged as to not constitute a nuisance or hazard to passing traffic, or encroach on adjoining residential properties; and
3. Maintenance. All parking lots shall be regularly maintained and kept free of weeds and litter. Maintenance shall include the repair of traffic control devices, signs, light standards, fences, surfacing materials, curbs, landscaping, and drainage facilities.
B. New parking lots resulting in 12 or more new parking spaces not previously in use prior to construction (qualify as major project as defined by GMC 17.75.030).
1. Property Located in C-1 or C-2 Zones and Multiple Dwellings.
a. Surfacing.
i. Parking lots designated for customer/client parking, all spaces required pursuant to GMC 17.78.170, and all parking areas located between the right-of-way line and the face of buildings shall be surfaced with asphalt, Portland cement concrete or grasscrete. Those areas out of direct public view utilized for employee parking, and service vehicle parking and storage, that are located behind the front yard setback or front of the building, are exempt from the hard surfacing requirements.
ii. All parking not requiring hard surfacing as provided in subsection (A)(1) of this section must be surfaced with gravel on a stable substrate.
iii. No parking lot or driveway consisting of gravel shall abut a public street right-of-way. All driveways shall be surfaced as provided in subsection (A)(1) of this section for a distance of five feet on each side of driveway openings to a point 10 feet from the right-of-way line;
b. Grading and Drainage. All parking lot drainage shall be contained on site. Drainage facilities shall be designed according to accepted engineering standards;
c. Border Barricades. All parking areas designed for customer/client paring and all parking areas located between a right-of-way line and a building face shall have curbing installed around perimeter areas and around all landscape elements;
d. Markings. Parking stalls shall be delineated by paint or other markings as approved by the public works department;
e. Landscaping. All parking lots shall conform to the landscape provisions of Chapter 17.75 GMC;
f. Lighting. Parking lot lighting shall be so arranged as to not constitute a nuisance or hazard to passing traffic, or encroach on adjoining residential properties; and
g. Maintenance. All parking lots shall be regularly maintained and kept free of weeds and litter. Maintenance shall include the repair of traffic control devices, signs, light standards, fences, surfacing materials, curbs, landscaping, and drainage facilities.
2. Property Located in M-1 Zone.
a. Surfacing. All driveways shall be surfaced for a distance of five feet on each side of driveway openings to a point 10 feet from the right-of-way line with asphalt, Portland cement concrete or grasscrete. All parking must be surfaced with gravel on a stable substrate;
b. Grading and Drainage. All parking lot drainage shall be contained on site. Drainage facilities shall be designed according to accepted engineering standards;
c. Lighting. Parking lot lighting shall be so arranged as to not constitute a nuisance or hazard to passing traffic, or encroach on adjoining residential properties; and
d. Maintenance. All parking lots shall be regularly maintained and kept free of weeds and litter. Maintenance shall include the repair of traffic control devices, signs, light standards, fences, surfacing materials, curbs, landscaping, and drainage facilities. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.100 Special event parking lots.
Special event parking lots used on an infrequent basis such as those associated with seasonal play fields shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.110 Handicapped parking.
Handicapped parking shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 19.27 RCW. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.120 Parking space dimensions.
Parking stall dimensions are provided in Table 78-1.
|
Angle of Parking |
Stall Width |
Curb Length per Car |
Stall Depth |
Minimum Driveway Width |
Lot Width (1 row + 1 driveway) |
Sq. Ft. |
Lot Width (2 rows + 1 driveway) |
Sq. Ft. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Along Curb 0 degrees |
8 |
23' |
8' |
12' |
20' |
460 |
28' |
644 |
|
30 degrees |
9 |
18' |
17'4" |
11' |
28'4" |
511 |
45'8" |
824 |
|
45 degrees |
9 |
12'7" |
19'8" |
13' |
32'8" |
420 |
52'6" |
668 |
|
60 degrees |
9 |
10'4" |
21' |
18' |
39' |
406 |
60' |
624 |
|
90 degrees |
9 |
9' |
19' |
24' |
43' |
387 |
62' |
558 |
(Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.130 Compact car allowance.
Any parking area required by this chapter may provide parking spaces designed for compact cars, the minimum dimensions of which shall be seven and one-half feet in width and 15 feet in length, provided such provision does not exceed 25 percent of the total number of parking spaces required by this chapter, and further provided such compact car parking spaces are identified by above-grade signs. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.140 Recreational equipment parking.
Boats, motor homes, camp trailers, travel trailers, fifth wheels, pickup campers, utility trailers, and snowmobiles as defined herein may be stored in all yard areas within the R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts, and only within the side and rear yards in the R-1S district. All storage areas shall be surfaced with all-weather materials such as asphalt, brick, stone, concrete, grasscrete or gravel. Additionally, the storage and parking of said items in residential districts shall, at all times, comply with the parking conditions in GMC 17.78.030(D). Bona fide guests of the occupants of the premises may temporarily park on driveways for periods not to exceed 10 days in any 60-day period. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.150 Uses not specified.
Off-street parking requirements for uses not specifically listed herein shall be determined by the public works director or his/her duly authorized agent based upon the requirement for similar uses. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.160 Off-street loading.
Off-street loading and unloading spaces shall be required for any use requiring frequent loading or unloading from trucks or other large vehicles:
A. Loading Space Size. The required loading space shall be of adequate size to accommodate the maximum number and size of vehicles simultaneously loading or unloading at the structure. Each off-street loading space shall have the minimum dimensions of 12 feet in width and 25 feet in length. On-site maneuvering space of not less than 52 feet in length shall be provided adjacent to the loading dock. This maneuvering space shall not include any area designated for off-street parking;
B. Loading Space Location. Required off-street loading and related maneuvering space shall be located only on the property served by the load facility. No part of any vehicle using the loading space will be allowed to project into the right-of-way of any public or private road; and
C. Off-Street Loading – Schools. A driveway designed for continuous forward flow of passenger vehicles for the purpose of loading and unloading children shall be located on the site of any public or private school. (Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).
17.78.170 Required off-street parking.
The number of off-street parking spaces for various land uses will be as follows:
|
USE |
REQUIRED PARKING |
|---|---|
|
1. Amusement and Recreation |
|
|
Auditoriums, exhibit halls, stadiums, and sports arenas |
One space for four fixed seats based upon maximum seating capacity or at least one space for every 10 lineal feet of bench seating, or places with no fixed seating, one space for every 100 square feet of floor area |
|
Bowling alleys |
Four spaces for each lane |
|
Game rooms, card rooms, pool halls |
One space for each playing table, or one space for every three machines |
|
Gymnasiums, exercise facilities |
One space for each 200 square feet of floor area |
|
Horse racing tracks, speedways |
One space for each four bandstand seats based upon maximum seating capacity or at least one space for every 10 lineal feet of bench seating |
|
Movie theaters |
One space for each four seats |
|
Roller/ice-skating rinks |
One space for each 200 square feet of skating surface area |
|
Swimming pools |
One space for each 200 square feet of water surface area |
|
2. Community Services |
|
|
Churches, synagogues, temples and funeral homes |
One space for each four seats based upon maximum seating capacity or at least one space for every 10 lineal feet of bench seating |
|
Convalescent homes, nursing homes, congregate care facilities |
One space for each three beds plus one space for each two employees |
|
Fire and police stations |
One space for each 300 square feet of floor area |
|
Hospital |
One space for every five patients plus one additional space for each staff doctor and one space for each three employees |
|
Library |
One space for each 250 square feet of floor area |
|
Museums, art galleries |
One space for each 250 square feet of floor area |
|
Juvenile detention centers |
One and one-half spaces for each bed |
|
3. Educational Facilities |
|
|
Elementary schools |
One and one-half spaces for each classroom or teaching station |
|
Middle schools |
Two spaces for each teaching station |
|
High schools |
One space for each employee plus one space for each eight students |
|
School auditoriums |
See requirements for auditoriums under Amusement and Recreation |
|
Day care centers |
One parking space for each employee and one space per six children |
|
Vocational schools, beauty schools |
One parking space for each 300 square feet of floor area |
|
4. Manufacturing Industries |
|
|
All uses |
One space for each 400 square feet of gross floor area or one space for each employee per shift |
|
5. Residential |
|
|
All residential units |
Two spaces per unit |
|
Congregate care facilities |
One space for every three beds and one space for every two employees |
|
6. Retail Trade and Services |
|
|
General retail uses |
One space for each 300 square feet of floor area |
|
Beauty and barber shop |
One space for each 150 square feet of floor area |
|
Financial institutions |
One space for each 300 square feet of floor area |
|
Furniture and appliances |
One space for each 600 square feet of floor area |
|
Office buildings, medical offices |
One space for each 300 square feet on the ground floor; One space for each 500 square feet of floor space above or below the first floor |
|
Motels and hotels |
One space for each lodging room and one space for two employees |
|
Restaurants |
One space for 100 square feet of floor |
|
7. Transportation |
|
|
Bus and train stations |
One space for each 400 square feet of floor area |
(Ord. 2011-29 § 5 (Att. B)).