Chapter 17.46
OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS
Sections:
17.46.030 Required off-street parking.
17.46.040 Required off-street loading.
17.46.050 Off-site parking facilities.
17.46.060 Performance standards.
17.46.070 Development standards.
17.46.080 Special considerations.
17.46.010 Purpose.
It is the purpose of this chapter to provide adequate numbers of off-street parking spaces, vehicular ingress, egress and loading facilities in order to reduce on-street parking, increase traffic safety, maintain smooth traffic flow and reduce the visual impact of parking lots. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).
17.46.020 Applicability.
(1) Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be available prior to occupancy of a site, commencement of commercial/industrial activities, changes in use or major alteration/enlargement of the site, use or structure. All required parking spaces shall be permanently available and maintained for parking purposes only.
(2) For the purposes of these requirements, “major alteration or enlargement” shall mean a change of use or an addition that would increase the number of parking spaces or loading berths required by this chapter by more than 10 percent of the total number required prior to the alteration or enlargement.
(3) Within the central business district (C-B) zone the following shall apply:
(a) All uses shall demonstrate adequate and safe on-street parking areas.
(b) New buildings, buildings increasing to two or more stories, or hotel/motel uses shall be required to meet all the provisions of this chapter.
(c) Existing buildings/uses not listed in subsection (3)(b) of this section shall be exempt from this chapter. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).
17.46.030 Required off-street parking.
(1) The total number of off-street parking spaces required shall be calculated based on the total floor area of the proposed use (unless otherwise specified). The total floor area is defined as the gross floor area minus the following spaces:
(a) Elevator shafts and stairways;
(b) Public restrooms;
(c) Public lobbies, common mall areas, atriums and courtyards provided solely for pedestrian access to the building from the exterior, and/or for aesthetic enhancement or natural lighting purposes; and
(d) Permanently designated corridors.
(2) The following categories shall be used in defining various types of land uses and activities:
(a) Residential: single-family, duplex and multifamily dwelling units.
(b) Community services: churches, schools, funeral homes, convalescent/nursing homes, clubs, lodges, grange halls, museums, art museums, municipal buildings, etc.
(c) General retail: grocery store, pharmacies, hardware, liquor, furniture, department, clothing stores, etc.
(d) General service: mini-marts, gas/service stations, beauty salons, espresso stands, eating and drinking establishments, etc.
(e) Transient services: hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, boarding houses, etc.
(f) Professional office: law, doctor, real estate, accounting, insurance offices, financial institutions, etc.
(g) Industrial facilities: wholesale trade, warehousing, processing and manufacturing plants, big box retail, auto recycling and heavy equipment repair shops, etc.
(3) The required number of parking spaces for each land use/activity category shall be as follows:
|
Category |
Required Spaces |
|---|---|
|
Residential |
2 spaces/unit |
|
Community Services |
1 space/200 square feet |
|
General Retail |
1 space/300 square feet |
|
General Service |
1 space/100 square feet |
|
Transient Services |
1 space/room or group of rooms rented as a single unit |
|
Professional Office |
1 space/250 square feet |
|
Industrial Facilities |
1 space/500 square feet of retail area and 1 space/1,000 square feet of gross floor area |
(a) Off-street parking requirements for uses not specifically defined above shall be determined by the administrator based upon the requirement for similar uses.
(b) In calculating the required number of parking spaces for facilities containing more than one use, the ratio for each use shall be applied to the total square footage for each use and then added together for the required number of parking spaces. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).
17.46.040 Required off-street loading.
Off-street loading shall be provided for all commercial/industrial establishments which are engaged in retailing or wholesaling of merchandise requiring frequent loading or unloading from trucks or other large vehicles.
(1) Loading Space Size. The required space shall be of adequate size to accommodate the maximum size of vehicles loading or unloading at the site.
(2) Loading Space Location. The required loading and related maneuvering space shall be located on the property served and in no case shall be allowed on public right-of-way. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).
17.46.050 Off-site parking facilities.
If the required off-street parking is proposed off-site, the applicant shall provide a written contract with affected landowners stating that required off-street parking will be provided in a manner consistent with the provisions of this chapter. All contracts shall be approved by the city and then recorded with the Kittitas County auditor as a deed restriction encumbering the title(s) of all properties involved. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).
17.46.060 Performance standards.
Parking areas associated with single-family dwellings shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter, except as provided in KMC 17.46.030.
(1) Lighting. Lighting shall illuminate any off-street parking or loading spaces used at night. When provided, lighting shall be directed toward the property only.
(2) Barrier-Free Parking. Accessible parking shall be provided, in accordance with the Washington State Barrier Free Code.
(3) Maintenance. The owner of a required parking area shall maintain the paved surface and any required landscaping, irrigation and drainage facilities in a manner complying with this chapter and the approved site plan. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).
17.46.070 Development standards.
All off-street parking areas shall be constructed in the following manner:
(1) Surfacing. Off-street parking areas shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete or similar pavement.
(2) Parking Space Dimension. Nine feet in width by 18 feet in length.
(3) Minimum Area Per Space. The minimum area requirement for each parking space, together with access and maneuvering areas shall not be less than 360 square feet per parking space or stall.
(4) Storm Water Drainage. All storm water shall be accommodated on-site in a system approved by the city of Kittitas.
(5) Border/Barricades. Each parking space adjacent to buildings, walls, landscaped areas, street rights-of-way and/or sidewalks shall be provided with a concrete curb or bumper at least six inches in height at or within two feet of the front of such space.
(6) Striping. All parking spaces shall be marked by durable painted lines at least four inches wide and extending the length of the stall or by curbs or other means approved by the reviewing official to indicate individual parking stalls. Directional arrows shall be clearly drawn on paved surfaces in order to provide a safe pattern of traffic movement.
(7) Entrances and Exits. All points of ingress and egress to parking areas shall have a minimum separation of 100 feet and are subject to approval by the city engineer.
(8) Backing onto Public Right-of-Way. In all commercial, industrial and multifamily developments, parking areas shall be arranged to avoid any vehicles from backing onto any street or public right-of-way.
(9) Mixed Use. In the case of mixed uses, the requirements of off-street parking shall be the sum of those required for the multiple uses computed separately. Off-street parking provided for one use shall not be considered as providing required parking for any other uses.
(10) Yard Areas/Setbacks. Off-street parking areas shall be located outside of required yard areas, except that, within the commercial and industrial zoning districts, required parking may be permitted within that portion of the front yard area that is more than 10 feet from the front property line when consistent with all other provisions of this title. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).
17.46.080 Special considerations.
Any development that dedicates additional right-of-way for transit facilities, or provides transit facilities on site, may reduce the off-street parking requirements by 10 percent. Local transit improvements may include, but are not limited to, shelters, benches, bus turnouts and similar improvements that directly benefit the users of the development. All improvements, including any dedication of right-of-way, shall be approved by the local transit authority prior to receiving a reduction in parking requirements. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).