Chapter 18.52
PARKING AND LOADING REGULATIONS

Sections:

18.52.010    Purpose.

18.52.020    Applicability.

18.52.030    Off-street parking space and access standards.

18.52.040    Minimum number of off-street parking spaces required.

18.52.045    Reduction of required off-street parking spaces.

18.52.050    Location of parking areas.

18.52.060    Reduction for mixed or joint use of parking spaces.

18.52.070    Parking lot design standards.

18.52.080    Minimum number of off-street loading spaces required.

18.52.090    Preexisting parking lots.

18.52.010 Purpose.

The provision of off-street parking and loading spaces in accordance with the needs and requirements of particular property uses is a necessary public policy in the interest of traffic safety, minimizing congestion and providing harmonious development. (Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995)

18.52.020 Applicability.

Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided for all new development, or change of occupancy of existing development which increases the intensity of use. For developments phased in timing, parking and loading requirements may also be phased in accordance with the requirements applying for each particular time phase of development. (Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995)

18.52.030 Off-street parking space and access standards.

Parking areas shall be designed in accordance with Table 18.52-2 and Figure 18.52-2. Required parking shall be maintained and shall not be encroached upon by refuse containers, signs or other structures, nor used for the parking of equipment or outdoor storage of goods for sale or storage. Required parking spaces shall be provided with vehicular access to a public street or alley. (Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1193 § 1 (Exh. E), 1996; Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995)

18.52.040 Minimum number of off-street parking spaces required.

The minimum number of required off-street parking spaces for each type of permitted use shall be as indicated at Table 18.52-1. For uses not specifically listed, the off-street parking requirements shall be those of the most similar use as determined by the community development director. When the application of these parking requirements results in a fractional space requirement, the fractional space requirement shall be construed to mean one fewer space.

Whenever a building is enlarged or altered, or whenever the use of a building or property is changed, off-street parking shall be provided for such expansion or change of use. The number of off-street parking spaces required shall be determined for the square footage of the expansion and/or the parking required for the new use. However, no additional off-street parking space need be provided when the number of parking spaces required for such expansion, enlargement or change in use is less than 10 percent of the parking spaces specified in the zoning code. Nothing in this provision shall be construed to require off-street parking spaces for the portion and/or use of such building existing at the time of passage of the zoning code.

Table 18.52-1 

Off-Street Parking Space Requirements 

Use

Required Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces1, 2

Automobile service/repair

Three per bay

Auditorium, stadium, assembly hall

One space per five fixed seats in largest assembly room or area

Automobile sales new/used

One per 500 square feet of gross floor area

Auto parts store

Three and one-third spaces for each 1,250 square feet of gross floor area

Bank, financial institution

One space for each 500 square feet of gross floor area plus one per employee

Barber or beauty shop

One space for each operator or chair

Basketball, volleyball court

Nine spaces per court

Bed and breakfast inn

Two spaces plus one space per guest room

Billiard hall/amusement arcade

One space for each 250 feet of gross floor area

Boarding, rooming house

Two spaces plus one space for each guest room

Bowling alley

Three spaces for each alley plus one space for each employee

Church or place of worship

One space per five fixed seats in largest assembly room or area; or one space per maximum fire code occupancy of the largest assembly room for churches without fixed seating divided by five

Clothing store

One per 500 square feet of gross floor area

Community center – Multi-use

One per five seats maximum occupancy

Convenience store

One space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area

Dance hall or school, bingo hall, electronic game rooms, and assembly halls without fixed seats

One space for each employee plus one space per 75 square feet of gross floor area

Drug store

First 5,000 square feet = 13 spaces, plus one per additional 1,500 square feet

Elderly housing (apartment/ unassisted)

0.25 per unit

Funeral home, mortuary

One space for each five seats in largest assembly room

Furniture/ appliance store

One per 600 square feet of gross floor area

Gasoline service station

Two spaces per gasoline pump at the pump plus three spaces per service bay

Gasoline station with mini-market

Two spaces per gasoline pump plus one per 250 square feet of gross floor area

Golf course

Six spaces per hole and one per employee

Golf driving range

One space per tee or 15 feet of driving line, whichever is greater

Hardware store

Three spaces per 1,250 square feet of gross floor area

Health club, spa

One space for each 150 feet of gross floor area

Hospital

One per two beds

Hotel, motel

One space for each guest room plus one space for each two employees on largest shift, plus spaces required for restaurants or assembly rooms, when applicable

Industrial, manufacturing

Two spaces for each three employees on largest shift, or one space for each 625 feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater

Laundry, self service

One space for each two washer-dryer combinations

Library

One per employee and one per 625 square feet of gross floor area

Lodge, club

One space for each 100 square feet of gross floor area in largest assembly room

Lumber yard, building material center

One space per 275 square feet of indoor sales area plus one space per 625 square feet of warehouse/storage

Marina

One space per two slips

Miniature golf course

Two spaces per hole

Multiple-family residential

One and one-half per dwelling unit

Museum, art gallery

One space per 625 square feet of gross floor area

Office, general or professional

One space for each 500 square feet of gross floor area

Office, medical or dental

Five spaces per practitioner

Office park

One space per 500 square feet of gross floor area

Personal service establishment

One space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area

Photographic studio

One space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area

Post office

One per 500 square feet of gross floor area, plus one space per each two employees

Residence

See Chapter 18.14 WMC, Table 18.14-2

Restaurant, fast food

One space per 100 square feet of gross floor area plus six stacking spaces for each drive-through lane

Restaurant, lounge

One space for each 125 square feet of gross floor area, plus one additional space for every four outside seats

Residential care facility/assisted living

One per three beds plus one per day shift employee

Retail business enclosed

One space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area

Retail business unenclosed

One space for each 625 square feet of open sales/display area, plus one space per employee

Self service storage facility

Two spaces for resident manager’s office, when applicable

School – Elementary/ middle/junior high school

One space per employee, teacher, staff and one space per 15 students

School – Senior high

One space per employee, teacher and staff member and one per 10 students

School – Technical college, trade school, business school

One space per every two employees and staff members and one per every full-time student or every three part-time students, whichever is greater

School – University, college, seminary

One per every two employees and staff members and either one per every three full-time students residing on campus or one for every three part-time students, whichever is greater

Single-family residential

Two per dwelling unit

Sports club, health, spa, karate club

One space per 260 square feet of gross floor area plus one space per employee

Shopping center

One space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area

Skating rink (roller/ice skating)

One space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area

Special uses

Adequate number of spaces as determined by the community development director

Stadium, sports arena

One space per four seats or one for each eight feet of bench, plus one space per two employees

Swimming club

One space per 95 square feet of gross floor area in largest assembly room

Theater, cinema, auditorium

One space for each three seats

Tennis, racquetball, handball, courts/club

Three spaces per court or lane, one space per 325 square feet of gross floor area of related uses, and one space per employee

Veterinarian, animal hospital

Three spaces per practitioner

Warehousing, storage

One per 1,250 square feet of gross floor area

Wholesale merchandise

One space for each 1,250 square feet of gross floor area

1The maximum number of impervious parking spaces shall be 125 percent of the minimum requirement. Exceeding this maximum requires a parking demand study demonstrating additional need.

2Parking spaces provided above the required minimum may be compact sized spaces.

(Ord. 1849 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 1821 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1793 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016; Ord. 1640 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1613 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008; Ord. 1496 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1193 § 1 (Exh. E), 1996; Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995)

18.52.045 Reduction of required off-street parking spaces.

The community development director may reduce the minimum off-street vehicle parking spaces required in Table 18.52-1 up to 20 percent if the following is provided:

(1) For every five bicycle parking spaces provided or for each bicycle locker (two-bicycle capacity), the minimum motor vehicle parking requirement may be reduced by one space up to seven percent of total required vehicle parking spaces.

(2) Sites where at least 20 parking spaces are required and where at least one street lot line abuts a designated arterial roadway, transit supportive plazas may be substituted for up to five percent of required vehicle parking.

(a) The plaza must be adjacent to the arterial street. If there is a bus stop along the site’s frontage, the plaza must be adjacent to the bus stop.

(b) The plaza must be at least 300 square feet in area and be shaped so that a 10-foot by 10-foot square will fit entirely within the plaza.

(c) The plaza must be open to the public, contain a bench or other sitting area, contain a shelter or other weather protection covering at least 20 square feet, and shall have at least 10 percent and no more than 25 percent landscaping. (Ord. 1640 § 1, 2009)

18.52.050 Location of parking areas.

Off-street parking facilities required shall be located on the same site as the principal building or use. However, as much as 25 percent of the required number of parking spaces may be located within 300 feet of the principal building or use, provided proof of ownership or lease for exclusive use of such premises is provided to the community development director. Such distance shall be measured between the nearest point of the parking facility and the nearest point of the principal building or use. If this option of utilizing nearby parking is exercised, then the parking area may not be discontinued or otherwise converted to another use unless the building or use otherwise meets the minimum required number of off-street parking spaces. Parking spaces shall not be located in a required front yard, required buffer or landscaping. (Ord. 1613 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008; Ord. 1496 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1193 § 1 (Exh. E), 1996; Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995)

18.52.060 Reduction for mixed or joint use of parking spaces.

The community development director may authorize a reduction in the total number of required off-street parking spaces for two or more uses jointly providing parking facilities when their respective hours of need of maximum parking do not normally overlap; provided, that the developer submits sufficient data to demonstrate that the hours of maximum demand for parking at the respective uses do not normally overlap. (Ord. 1613 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008; Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1193 § 1 (Exh. E), 1996; Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995)

18.52.070 Parking lot design standards.

All parking lots containing six or more spaces shall meet the following requirements:

(1) The lot shall be graded to ensure proper drainage, pursuant to the Washougal Engineering Standards for Public Works Construction, surfaced with concrete, asphalt, or permeable pavement, and maintained in good condition free of obstructions.

(2) All lighting facilities shall be so arranged to prevent the direct illumination of adjacent residential properties or public streets.

(3) Signs essential to the proper functioning of the parking lot or area shall be installed. Such signs shall not be illuminated, shall not exceed four feet in area, nor nine feet in height.

(4) A site plan shall be submitted for review and approval pursuant to Chapter 18.88 WMC.

(5) Any parking area exceeding 10 spaces in any district shall provide a minimum of 15 percent of the total parking area as landscaping. Landscaped areas may contain bioretention facilities. (Ord. 1821 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1193 § 1 (Exh. E), 1996; Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995)

18.52.080 Minimum number of off-street loading spaces required.

On the same lot with every building, structure or part thereof, erected or occupied for manufacturing storage, warehouse, truck freight terminal, department store, wholesale store, market, hotel, hospital, mortuary, dry cleaning plant, retail business or other uses similarly involving the distribution of vehicles, materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained adequate space for the standing, loading and unloading of such materials to avoid undue interference with public use of streets and alleys.

Unless otherwise approved by the community development director, loading spaces shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide, 40 feet long, with 14 feet of height clearance.

One off-street loading space shall be provided for the first 20,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof. One additional space shall be required for each additional 50,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof. (Ord. 1613 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008; Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1193 § 1 (Exh. E), 1996; Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995)

18.52.090 Preexisting parking lots.

When a new business or development is proposed to occupy an existing building or site, the required parking provisions of this section may be modified by the hearing examiner or director to the degree necessary to accommodate the new development while still assuring the provisions of safe and adequate parking. (Ord. 1821 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1496 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1437 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997)

 

Table 18.52-2

Angle

Type

Stall Width

Stall Depth

Aisle Width

Curb Length

A

 

B

C

D

E

0°

Compact

8

8

12

22

Standard

9

9

12

22

45°

Compact

8

18

14

11

Standard

9

18

13

13

60°

Compact

8

20

19

9

Standard

9

22

18

10

70°

Compact

8

21

20

9

Standard

9

21

19

10

90°

Compact

8

15

24

8

Standard

9

18

24

9

Figure 18.52-2

(Ord. 1821 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1793 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016; Ord. 1758 § 1 (Exh. A), 2014)