Source: https://ecode360.com/32586102
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 08:32:01+00:00

Document:
§ 7-327.4 Expansion and change of use.
§ 7-327.5 Location of parking spaces.
§ 7-327.6 Off-street parking requirements.
§ 7-327.7 Accessible off-street parking requirements.
§ 7-327.8 Reduction in off-street parking requirements.
§ 7-327.9 Design standards for off-street parking.
§ 7-327.13 Recreational vehicle storage.
§ 7-327.14 Repairing of motor vehicles.
§ 7-327.15 Unregistered, commercial and junk vehicles.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards for the provision of off-street parking for different land uses, including design standards and screening requirements, in specific zoning districts. This chapter also provides criteria to permit a reduction or waiver of parking requirements in order to encourage alternative transportation modes and the utilization of existing off-street parking spaces.
This chapter applies to each use that is newly developed, enlarged, significantly changed in type or increased in number of establishments. Reductions or waivers of the required off-street parking spaces are only permitted based on specific provisions of this chapter. Any requests for a reduction in off-street parking spaces or other requirements of this chapter require a special exception which much be approved by the Zoning Hearing Board. The off-street parking requirements in this chapter do not apply to uses within the Downtown Center or Commercial Neighborhood Zoning Districts.
Parking spaces and driveways shall be laid out to result in safe and orderly use and to fully take into account all of the following: vehicular access onto and off the site, vehicular movement within the site, loading areas, pedestrian patterns and any drive-through facilities. No parking area shall cause a safety hazard or impediment to traffic off the lot.
Structures and uses lawfully in existence at the effective date of this Code shall not be required to provide additional new parking spaces to meet the requirements of this chapter, except as provided in Subsection D below.
When a property contains or includes more than one type of use, the number of parking spaces required shall be the sum of the parking requirements for each separate use, except as may be allowed under § 7-327.8, Reduction in off-street parking requirements. Where the calculation of required parking spaces does not result in a whole number, the calculation shall be rounded to the closest whole number.
All parking spaces and off-street loading spaces required by this Code shall be available so long as the use or building which the spaces serve still exists, and such existing spaces shall not be reduced in number below the minimum required by this Code. No required parking area or off-street loading spaces shall be used for any other purpose (such as storage or display of materials) that interferes with the area's availability for parking to serve a use, except that an owner of a parking area may allow use of the spaces for parking by another use during specific times of the day and week when they are clearly not needed for the primary user.
A bicycle parking rack shall be designed to allow a bicycle to be locked to the frame and wheel utilizing a standard U-lock or similar device, such as a staple rack, or ring and post design.
Bicycle racks shall be placed in highly visible locations, as conveniently located as the most convenient parking space, to minimize theft and vandalism.
Bicycle parking and automobile parking shall be located so as to protect bicycles from damage.
In cases where bicycle parking racks are not visible from the primary street, signage shall be required to direct cyclists safely to bicycle parking areas.
Bicycle parking areas shall have a four-foot-wide access aisle to ensure safe access to spaces.
Bicycle parking areas shall not result in obstructions to fire exits or handicapped access.
Landscaping requirements for off-street parking shall be regulated by Chapter 7-307, Development Standards.
Any expansion of an existing use will require compliance with the off-street parking requirements of this chapter, including landscaping and screening requirements in Chapter 7-307, unless reduced or waived by a special exception.
Any change of use which results in an increased number of parking spaces will require compliance with the off-street parking requirements of this chapter, including landscaping and screening requirements in Chapter 7-307, unless reduced or waived by a special exception.
Required off-street parking spaces shall be on the same lot or abutting lot with the principal use served, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Officer that a legally guaranteed method of providing the spaces is available using parking spaces within 500 feet of walking distance from the principal use being served.
To meet the requirement that the availability of the parking be guaranteed, an applicant may provide a suitable deed restriction for the life of the use. If a lease is used to meet this requirement, then the applicant shall provide written evidence that such lease will remain in effect for the life of the use in order to maintain the validity of the zoning permit.
Within the RL, RM, and RF Districts, no off-street vehicle parking spaces and no off-street loading spaces shall be located within the required minimum front yard as specified in Chapter 7-307, Development Standards.
The following table contains the minimum off-street parking requirements for residential and nonresidential land uses. Any proposed uses not specifically listed in the Table of Parking Requirements shall comply with the requirements for the most similar use listed in such table, as determined by the Zoning Officer. Off-street parking requirements for employees are based on the number of employees for the largest shift.
Accessible parking spaces shall be located where they would result in the shortest reasonable path to an accessible building entrance. Curb cuts with an appropriate slope shall be constructed as needed to provide access from the accessible parking spaces.
Each required accessible parking space shall be a minimum of eight feet in width by 18 feet in length. In addition, each space shall be adjacent to a five-foot-wide access aisle. Such access aisle may be shared by two accessible spaces by being placed between them.
Accessible parking spaces shall be located in areas of less than 2% slope in any direction.
All required accessible parking spaces shall be well-marked by clearly visible signs and pavement markings. Accessible parking spaces shall be identified by five-foot-high freestanding signs placed at the head of the parking space and facing the space. Such signs shall depict the international symbol of accessibility and indicate whether the space is for a car or a van.
That parking permanently shared with another use or another lot with shared internal access or another lot within 400 feet of the entrance to the use will reduce the total amount of parking needed because the uses have different peak times of parking need or overlapping customers. Reduced parking requirements for joint parking shall only continue in effect as long as such uses or their closely similar successor uses remain in operation and shall be guaranteed by a legally binding agreement. If such agreement becomes legally ineffective, then all parking shall be provided as would otherwise be required by this Chapter 7-327.
All areas for off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading and the storage or movement of motor vehicles shall be physically separated from the street by a raised curb, planting strip, wall or other suitable barrier against unchanneled motor vehicle entrance or exit, except for necessary and approved vehicle entrances and exits to the lot.
not allowed. Where parking spaces of 30°, 45°, 60° parking spaces are provided, the parking lot must be designed for one-way traffic.
Standard space width may be reduced to eight feet six inches for spaces designated for contracted day-long or long-term use within parking garages. Deviation for other spaces requires a special exception.
If a parking area is permitted to not be paved by the City Engineer, then a minimum width of 10 feet per space shall be used.
The requirements for parking space size and aisle widths shall not apply to areas approved as valet parking.
The planting strip is landscaped and has a minimum width of five feet if vehicles overhang on one side and eight feet if vehicles overhang on two sides.
The maximum length of a parking aisle shall be 300 feet.
Unless a different standard is required by PennDOT for an entrance to a state highway.
At least 50 feet shall be provided between the center lines of any two driveways or driveways along one street within one lot. The number of driveways may not exceed two per lot on a street frontage.
If a driveway enters onto a collector or arterial street, then the center line of that driveway or accessway where it enters the collector or arterial street shall be a minimum of 75 feet from the center line of any other street, where that street enters the collector or arterial street at a different point than the driveway.
Where there will be new or intensified access to a state street or other work within the right-of-way of a state street, a state highway occupancy permit shall be obtained, as applicable.
The locations of driveways that are clearly limited and designed for use by only emergency vehicles are not regulated by this chapter.
All driveways shall be constructed without impacting drainage along a public street and shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer.
Parking, loading facilities, driveways and vehicle sales display areas shall be graded and adequately drained to prevent erosion or excessive water flow across streets or adjoining properties.
All drainage shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer. All parking lots shall have curb cuts approved by the City Engineer at all points of ingress and egress.
Except for landscaped areas, all portions of required parking, loading facilities and driveways shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete or decorative paving block or such other material as may be approved by the City Engineer.
The City Engineer may approve a stone parking area if it is used for industrial purposes and is located to the rear of buildings and is served by a paved driveway, or if the parking area is used for recreational park purposes.
All parking lots shall be adequately illuminated for security and safety purposes.
The applicant shall certify that the lighting, as proposed, meets published illumination standards established by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) or other generally acceptable professional organization for the lighting of public spaces. Approved lighting sources shall be provided and maintained in operating condition. See Chapter 7-331, Environmental Performance Standards.
A maximum of two uninhabited recreational vehicles in transportable condition may be stored or parked on a lot outside of an enclosed building. A recreational vehicle shall not block required sight distance or a public sidewalk.
Any recreational vehicle or trailer required to be registered or licensed under state law to be operated that is not registered or licensed shall be kept out of view from any public street or abutting dwelling.
No person shall cause an obstruction to vehicle or pedestrian traffic as a result of working upon a motor vehicle on a street or alley. No motor vehicle shall be worked upon on a residential lot or street or alley in such a manner that generates nuisances, public safety hazards or hazards to the environment. Only minor and emergency servicing of vehicles shall occur on a street or alley, which servicing shall not involve disassembling, spray painting, body work or changing of engines.
Repairs to motor vehicles shall only occur in a residential district if the vehicle is owned or leased by a permanent resident of the dwelling.
Parking of unregistered, commercial and junk vehicles shall be regulated to prevent the character of residential areas from being harmed by nuisances, hazards and visual blight and to prevent the establishment of junkyards in residential districts.
A motor vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight greater than 6,000 pounds and is primarily used for business purposes, including but not limited to making service calls, transporting equipment used in a business or in accomplishing physical work as part of a business (such as hauling material).
A truck with a minimum of three axles that is primarily intended to pull a trailer, as defined below, and not primarily to carry goods itself.
A commercial vehicle with a length of 20 feet or more that is not self-propelled, that is intended to haul materials, vehicles, goods, gases or liquids and that is intended to be pulled by a tractor (as defined above), and that is not a "recreational vehicle."
Within a residential district, no motor vehicle that does not display current registration and safety inspection (or safety inspection and registration that expired less than 90 days prior) and no "junk vehicle" shall be parked or stored in any way that is visible from a public street or an adjacent dwelling. The provision for a safety inspection sticker shall not apply to an antique vehicle that is not required to have such a sticker under state law, provided such vehicle still displays current registration and is operable.
In a nonresidential district, a maximum of one "junk vehicle" shall be parked or stored in such a way that the vehicle is visible from a public street or a dwelling. This section shall not apply to a permitted auto sales use, auto service station, junkyard or auto repair garage, provided that the regulations for that use are met.
See requirements of the state Motor Vehicle Code that require vehicles parked on a public street to display current registration.
See also § 3-131.8 of the Codified Ordinances, prohibiting the parking of tractor-trailers, or other trailers, in residential districts.
Each use receiving or shipping material or merchandise by trucks larger than a pickup truck or standard passenger van shall provide sufficient off-street loading facilities, which meet the requirements of this subsection, to accommodate the maximum demand generated by the use. For the purposes of this section, the words "loading" and "unloading" are used interchangeably.
It is requested that the times of deliveries be limited whenever feasible to hours of nonpeak traffic.
Within the DC Zoning District, the use of on-street loading shall be considered only as a last resort. The City may restrict the location of on-street loading spaces as necessary to avoid increased traffic congestion. Such restrictions may follow an overall loading plan for downtown.
Applicants for new principal commercial and industrial uses, including conversions from previous uses, that do not have their own off-street loading facilities or direct access to an on-street loading space shall submit a statement to the City Engineer describing their proposed method of providing loading and unloading for their use, and hours when most deliveries are expected.
Fire lanes shall be provided where required by state or federal regulations or other local codes. The specific locations of these lanes are subject to review by the City Fire Chief or designee. All buildings shall have adequate access for emergency vehicles.

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