Chapter 18.280
OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS
Sections:
18.280.030 General requirements.
18.280.040 Required amount of off-street parking.
18.280.050 Parking design standards.
18.280.060 Multifamily and townhouse parking lots and circulation.
18.280.070 Parking requirements of manufactured home subdivisions and communities.
Prior legislation: Ords. 2006-17, 2011-07 and 2018-10.
18.280.010 Purpose.
It is the purpose of this chapter to require the provision of adequate parking areas within close proximity to each use so that convenient access is provided to businesses and residences. A further purpose of this chapter is to provide flexibility to businesses and property owners to vary from the minimum standards to fit the parking needs of individual uses, reduce the cost of providing parking that is infrequently used, and promote greater intensity of land use. [Ord. 2022-10 § 9 (Exh. I), 2022.]
18.280.020 Applicability.
(1) Off-street parking shall be provided consistent with this chapter in the following situations:
(a) For all new development;
(b) Expansions of the square footage of an existing structure by 20 percent; provided, that parking requirements shall be determined based on the use expansion area only;
(c) When construction valuation exceeds 80 percent of the existing site and building valuation;
(d) Concurrent with construction of any parking lot, whether required or not; or
(e) When there is a change in use, which increases the required number of parking spaces by more than 10 percent.
(2) Every use for which a building is erected, structurally altered, or there is a change in use that will require the receipt or distribution of materials or merchandise by truck or similar vehicle shall provide off-street loading spaces as required by LCMC 18.280.080. [Ord. 2022-10 § 9 (Exh. I), 2022.]
18.280.030 General requirements.
(1) Development of parking lots is subject to site plan review approval under Chapter 18.215 LCMC or is reviewed as part of the site plan review application for a primary use.
(2) Deviations from the standards of this chapter require variance review under Chapter 18.260 LCMC. When the number of parking spaces is proposed to be reduced more than 15 percent or exceeds the maximum standard, a parking analysis from a traffic engineer that justifies the deviation is also required.
(a) The maximum number of parking spaces permitted shall be 150 percent of the minimum number of spaces in the downtown commercial, downtown overlay, and mixed-use zoning districts and 200 percent in all other commercial and public districts.
(3) In the event several uses share off-street parking, the total requirements for off-street parking shall be the sum of the requirements of the several uses computed separately unless the uses are approved for joint parking as specified in subsection (4) of this section.
(4) Joint parking and/or loading facilities serving two or more uses, structures, or parcels of land may be approved to satisfy the requirements of both facilities, provided the owners or operators of the uses, structures, or parcels show that their operations and parking needs do not overlap in point of time. Joint parking facilities may have less off-street parking than the sum of the individual minimum requirements for each use. The review authority may reduce the total parking requirement to a number representative of the greatest demand likely to occur at any one time. If the uses, structures, or parcels are under separate ownership, the right to joint use of the parking space must be evidenced by a deed, lease, contract, or other appropriate written document to establish the joint use. Joint parking facilities must meet the location requirements of LCMC 18.280.050.
(5) Parking lots shall be landscaped in accordance with LCMC 18.245.060.
(6) Use of Parking Facilities. Required parking spaces shall be available for the parking of operable passenger automobiles of residents, customers, patrons and employees only, and shall not be used for the storage of more than one vehicle or light truck used in conducting the business or use or for storage of materials. Parking lots and outdoor storage of vehicles or recreational vehicles shall not be a primary use for any property located within the LDR-7.5 or MDR-16 zoning district.
(7) Restrictions. Any vehicle that is the subject of this section that is parked off street shall be parked on code-approved areas or within garages. Failure to comply with this section shall constitute a nuisance.
(a) Passenger vehicles and light trucks may park in any approved parking area, including the street, or garage so long as they do not pose an impediment to pedestrians or other vehicular traffic. Vehicles that pose an impediment to pedestrian or vehicular traffic shall be deemed a nuisance.
(b) Motor homes, recreational vehicles, boats and utility trailers shall not be parked on the street for more than two weeks during any calendar year in any zoning district.
(c) Motor homes, recreational vehicles, boats and utility trailers shall not be parked in residential driveways for more than two weeks per year. If parked on residential lots for more than two weeks per year, they are not to be parked between the front lot line and the primary facade of the dwelling. Car-top boats and canoes are exempt from this requirement. [Ord. 2022-10 § 9 (Exh. I), 2022.]
18.280.040 Required amount of off-street parking.
(1) Off-street parking shall be provided in compliance with Table 18.280.040 or as reduced subject to subsection (4) of this section. The calculation of the minimum parking space requirements shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number.
|
Land Use |
Minimum Number of Parking Spaces Required1 |
|---|---|
|
Residential |
|
|
Single-Family Detached Homes and Manufactured Homes |
2 spaces per dwelling unit |
|
Multifamily, Attached Single-Family, and Manufactured Home Subdivisions and Communities |
2 spaces per unit plus 1 space for every 5 units for guest parking |
|
Cottage Housing |
2 spaces per dwelling unit plus 1 guest space per unit |
|
Senior Adult Housing – Attached |
0.61 per dwelling unit |
|
Congregate Care Facility |
0.30 per dwelling unit |
|
Assisted Living/In-Patient Rehabilitation Facility |
0.40 per dwelling unit |
|
Continuous Care Retirement Community |
1.09 per dwelling unit |
|
Industrial |
|
|
General Light Industrial |
0.65 |
|
Industrial Park |
1.20 |
|
Warehouse |
0.39 |
|
Lodging |
|
|
Hotel |
1.18 per rooms |
|
Motel |
0.72 per room |
|
Recreation |
|
|
Public Park |
5 spaces per acre |
|
Movie Theater |
0.19 per seat |
|
Golf Course |
8.5 per hole |
|
Athletic Club |
3.05 |
|
Institutional |
|
|
Elementary and Middle School/Junior High School |
0.13 per student plus 1 space for each employee |
|
High School |
0.30 per student plus 1 space for each employee |
|
Private School (K-12) |
0.35 per student, plus 1 space for each employee |
|
School District Office |
2.36 |
|
Church/Synagogue/Mosque |
9.44 |
|
Day Care Center |
2.45 |
|
Library |
2.35 |
|
Medical |
|
|
Nursing Home |
0.72 |
|
Medical/Dental Office Building or Clinic |
3.89 |
|
Animal Hospital/Veterinary Clinic |
3.33 |
|
Office |
|
|
General Office |
2.56 |
|
Government Office Building |
2.99 |
|
United States Post Office (Employees) |
2.01 per employee |
|
Retail |
|
|
Small Retail (Less Than or Equal to 10,000 Square Feet)2 |
1.95 |
|
Large Retail (Greater Than 10,000 Square Feet)3 |
2.30 |
|
Building Materials and Lumber Store |
0.57 |
|
Hardware/Paint Store |
0.54 |
|
Shopping Center |
2.91 per 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area |
|
Supermarket |
2.93 |
|
Convenience Market With or Without Fuel Service |
1 per 350 square feet of gross floor area |
|
Discount Price Club |
1.00 |
|
Wholesale Market |
2.41 |
|
Pharmacy |
2.23 |
|
Furniture Store |
0.48 |
|
Services |
|
|
Bank |
3.72 |
|
Copy, Print, and Express Ship Store |
3.01 |
|
Sit Down Restaurant/Drinking Establishments |
10.52 |
|
Carry-Out Restaurant Without Seating (i.e., Bakery, Coffee Shop, Donut Shop, Pizza Pickup) |
10.00 |
|
Fast-Food Restaurant With/Without Drive-Through Window |
9.91 |
|
Quick Lubrication Vehicle Shop |
1 space per employee plus 2 spaces for each service bay |
|
Automobile Service Center/Mechanic |
1 per 300 square feet of floor area plus 1 per service bay |
1 Unless otherwise specified, the units are parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
2 Small retail includes the following uses from the ITE Parking Generation Manual (5th Edition): variety store (December), freestanding discount store (December), automobile parts sale, discount club, apparel store, and food retail.
3 Large retail includes the following uses from the ITE Parking Generation Manual (5th Edition): freestanding discount superstore, sporting goods superstore, home improvement superstore, electronics superstore, and discount home furnishing superstore.
(2) Where parking space requirements result in fractional calculation, they shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number.
(3) For uses not listed in Table 18.280.040, the review authority shall determine the required number of parking spaces by selecting the use with the most similar parking demand requirements.
(4) Parking Reductions and Credits.
(a) General Requirements.
(i) To promote greater flexibility in meeting the parking requirements of land uses, the city may reduce the parking requirements of individual uses under the provisions of this section.
(ii) Parking reductions and credits in this section apply cumulatively and may count for up to 15 percent of a proposed use’s off-street parking requirements.
(iii) The provisions of this section apply to nonresidential uses only. Residential uses are not eligible to reduce the required amount of off-street parking.
(b) Downtown Special Credit Area. On-street parking or off-street public parking lots within 300 feet of a proposed use within La Center’s downtown overlay district may fulfill up to 10 percent of the minimum off-street parking requirements specified in Table 18.280.040.
(c) Bicycle Parking Incentive. Bicycle parking meeting the requirements of this section may count for up to five percent of off-street parking requirements.
(i) For each three bicycle parking spaces provided or for each bicycle locker provided, a proposed use may reduce its vehicular parking requirement by one stall.
(ii) Bicycle parking provided for credit must be made of durable materials and shall be securely anchored to the ground or building structure or must be a lockable enclosure. [Ord. 2023-11 § 14 (Exh. I), 2023; Ord. 2022-10 § 9 (Exh. I), 2022.]
18.280.050 Parking design standards.
(1) Size of Parking Spaces.
(a) Each standard off-street parking space shall have an area of not less than 180 square feet, exclusive of drives and aisles, and a width of not less than nine feet.
(b) Compact parking spaces are permitted and may count for up to 20 percent of the required number of spaces. Compact stalls shall have a minimum area of not less than 120 square feet and a width of not less than eight feet wide and shall be clearly identified with a sign and/or painted marking as required by city standards. Where feasible, all compact parking spaces shall be located in one or more contiguous areas and/or adjacent to ingress/egress points within parking facilities. Location of compact car parking spaces shall not create traffic congestion or impede traffic flows.
(c) Parking Dimensions for Residential Uses. Off-street parking spaces for residential uses in driveways serving single-family, duplex, or attached single-family uses must be at least 20 feet long.
(2) Driveway aisles within off-street parking lots shall comply with the following widths:
|
Parking Space Angle |
1-Way Aisle (feet) |
2-Way Aisle (feet) |
|---|---|---|
|
0 Degrees (parallel) |
20 |
22 |
|
30 Degrees |
20 |
22 |
|
45 Degrees |
20 |
22 |
|
60 Degrees |
20 |
22 |
|
75 Degrees |
20 |
24 |
|
90 Degrees |
24 |
24 |
(3) Uses subject to this chapter shall provide designated disabled parking spaces as required by applicable state and federal requirements.
(4) Location.
(a) Off-street parking facilities for commercial and industrial uses shall be located on site to the extent feasible or no further than 300 feet from the site, measured from the nearest point of the parking facility to the nearest point of the site that the facility is required to serve. Off-street parking required for single-family residential uses and uses in the C-3 district shall not be provided off site.
(b) Driveway access to arterials and collectors shall comply with the engineering standards.
(5) Materials, Design, and Lighting.
(a) Off-street parking facilities shall be surfaced with a durable and dustless surface, shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of surface water in accordance with Chapter 18.320 LCMC and the city’s engineering standards, and shall be maintained in good condition, free of weeds, dust, trash, and debris.
(b) Lighting used to illuminate off-street parking facilities shall be arranged so as to reflect light away from any adjoining residential area(s) and shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 18.282 LCMC, Outdoor Lighting.
(6) Parking spaces along the outer boundaries of a parking area shall be contained by a curb or wheel stop. Curbs or wheel stops may extend as far as two feet into the required stall dimensions or be otherwise placed to prevent a motor vehicle from extending into required landscaping or over an adjacent property line or a street.
(7) Driveways to off-street parking areas shall be designed and constructed to facilitate the flow of traffic, to provide maximum safety of traffic access and egress, and to provide maximum safety of pedestrians and vehicular traffic on the site. The number of driveways shall be limited to the minimum that will allow the property to accommodate and service the traffic to be anticipated. Driveways shall provide minimum sight distances required by the engineering standards. [Ord. 2022-10 § 9 (Exh. I), 2022.]
18.280.060 Multifamily and townhouse parking lots and circulation.
(1) Parking lots and garages located between buildings and streets are not permitted, except for townhouse structures that contain garages. A majority of the streetscape shall contain buildings, landscaping, or yard areas. Parking areas shall be placed behind or to the side and not forward of the front facade of multifamily and townhouse buildings without garages. A maximum of 30 percent of the front lot line shall be parking areas placed forward of the front building facade. When garages are provided, no more than 40 percent of the front of each townhouse dwelling unit shall be devoted to garage door space.
(2) Guest parking spaces are to be evenly dispersed throughout the development with no more than four spaces being located in any one specific area. The final location of these parking spaces shall be required to receive final approval from the review authority. [Ord. 2022-10 § 9 (Exh. I), 2022.]
18.280.070 Parking requirements of manufactured home subdivisions and communities.
(1) Off-street parking for manufactured homes shall be provided within a garage or carport.
(2) Visitor parking spaces shall be signed or designated as such. These spaces shall be within 100 feet of the lots to be served. Visitor parking may be provided on streets designed to accommodate parking and two standard lanes of traffic.
(3) All on-site parking shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the parking design standards in LCMC 18.280.050. [Ord. 2023-11 § 15 (Exh. I), 2023; Ord. 2022-10 § 9 (Exh. I), 2022.]
18.280.080 Loading.
(1) Commercial, industrial and public utility uses shall provide truck loading or unloading berths in accordance with Table 18.280.080(1):
|
Square Feet of Floor Area |
Number of Berths Required |
|---|---|
|
Less than 5,000 |
0 |
|
5,000 – 30,000 |
1 |
|
30,000 – 100,000 |
2 |
|
100,000 and over |
3 |
(2) Restaurants, office buildings, hotels, motels, hospitals and institutions, schools and colleges, public buildings, recreation or entertainment facilities, and any similar uses shall provide off-street truck loading or unloading berths in accordance with Table 18.280.080(2):
|
Square Feet of Floor Area |
Number of Berths Required |
|---|---|
|
Less than 30,000 |
0 |
|
30,000 – 100,000 |
1 |
|
100,000 and over |
2 |
(3) A loading berth shall contain space 12 feet wide and 35 feet long and have a height clearance of 14 feet. Where the vehicles generally used for loading and unloading exceed these dimensions, the required length of these berths shall be increased.
(4) Existing loading spaces shall not be eliminated, if elimination would result in less space than is required to satisfy the requirements of this section.
(5) Off-street parking areas used to fulfill the requirement of this title shall not be used for loading and unloading operations except during periods of the day when not required to take care of parking needs.
(6) Loading docks shall be located on the side or rear of the building. [Ord. 2022-10 § 9 (Exh. I), 2022.]