Chapter 1141: Off-Street Parking and Loading

Sections

Cross references

  • Landscaping regulations - see P. & Z. 1142.05, 1142.06
  • Nonconforming facilities - see P. & Z. 1145.03(e)
  • Parking areas, loading space defined - see P. & Z. Ch. 1107
  • Park and institutional districts - see P. & Z. Ch. 1123
  • Junk vehicles - see GEN. OFF. 521.11

1141.01   Intent

Off-street parking and loading requirements and regulations are established in order to achieve, among others, the following purposes:

  1. (a) To prevent and relieve congestion on streets;

  2. (b) To promote the safety and convenience of pedestrians by locating parking areas so as to lessen car movements in areas of congestion; and

  3. (c) To promote the general convenience, welfare and prosperity of institutional, residential, retail business and industrial developments which depend upon off-street parking and off-street loading facilities.
    (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.02   Off-street parking facilities; when required

Accessory off-street parking facilities, including access driveways, shall be determined in conformance with the schedule in Section 1141.05 for the various office, institutional, residential, retail business, industrial buildings and uses, and provided in conformance with the other provisions of this chapter as a condition precedent to the occupancy of such building or use.

  1. (a) Central Shopping District.

    1. (1) A change of one permitted use to another permitted use occupying the existing floor area of a building shall not require parking greater than that already provided for or allowed as a lawful non-conforming use for the previous permitted use of such building.

    2. (2) Parking facilities shall be provided for any additional parking requirement resulting from an increase in the number of dwelling units, indoor or outdoor seating capacity, floor area or number of establishments. For purposes of this section “establishment” shall be considered a use or uses occupying a space which is defined by exclusive access and walls separating such use or uses from all other uses.

    3. (3) Parking facilities shall be provided for the entire building whenever a new building is constructed.

  2. (b) All Other Districts.

    1. (1) Parking facilities shall be provided for the entire building or use whenever a building is constructed or a new use established,

    2. (2) Parking facilities shall be provided for the entire building or use whenever the use of an existing building is changed to a use requiring more parking facilities

    3. (3) Parking facilities shall be provided for the entire building or use wherever an existing building is altered so that there is an increase in the number of dwelling units, seating capacity, floor area or number of establishments. For purposes of this section “establishment” shall be considered a use or uses occupying a space which is defined by exclusive access and walls separating such use or uses from all other uses.
      (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.03   Continuation of parking facilities

  1. (a) All off-street parking facilities, or those required as accessory to a use of a proposed or altered building, shall continue unobstructed in operation, shall not be used for automobile service or repair and shall not be reduced below the required size as long as the main use remains, unless an equivalent number of spaces is provided for such use in another approved location in accordance with this Planning and Zoning Code.

  2. (b) In order to insure the continued use for automobile parking purposes of any areas established therefor, the Planning and Zoning Commission may require, before approval of same, evidence in writing that the owner or owners of the land to be included in such automobile parking areas have by covenant agreed to continue the use of such land for off-street parking accessory to the residential, institutional, business or industrial use for which such parking areas are required, such covenant first be reviewed and approved by the Law Director, to be filed among the records of Cuyahoga County, and enforceable by the Municipality.
    (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.04   Standards and definitions

For the purpose of determining accessory off-street parking requirements, definitions and standards shall be as follows:

  1. (a) “Accessory off-street parking space” means an open or enclosed area that is not located in a dedicated right of way and that is accessible from a street or alley for parking of motor vehicles of owners, occupants, employees, customers or tenants of the main building or use. Except for one and two-family dwellings, each space shall be not less than nine feet wide and 180 square feet in area. Unless otherwise permitted to use a drive for parking, such required parking spaces shall be exclusive of all drives, curbs and turning space. The number of spaces shall be determined from an accurate plan of the area and the regulations found in Sections 1141.04, 1141.05 and 1141.06.

  2. (b) “Floor area” means the total area of all the floors measured from the exterior faces of the building. Where building floor area is designated as the standard for determining parking space requirements, floor area shall be the total of all floor areas of the building, excluding stairwells and elevator shafts, mechanical equipment rooms and utility rooms; provided however, that such exclusions shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the total floor area.

  3. (c) “Seat” means the number of seating units installed or indicated, or each twenty- four linear inches of benches, pews or space for loose chairs or similar seating facilities; spacing of rows shall be thirty inches on center.

  4. (d) “Employees” means the maximum number of employees on any two successive shifts.

  5. (e) Required Minimum Parking Spaces. Where the computation results in a fractional unit, one additional off-street parking space shall be provided.

  6. (f) Parking facilities serving any dwelling shall be located on the same lot as the dwelling served.

  7. (g) No vehicle shall be parked so that any portion extends over any lot line or public sidewalk.

  8. (h) No off-street parking space shall be located so that any portion extends over any lot line, public sidewalk or public right of way.
    (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.05   Schedule of required off-street parking spaces

Building or Use Parking Spaces Required
Institutional  
Places of public assembly (including places of worship) One space for each four seats in principal assembly room
Libraries and museums 10 spaces plus l additional space for each 300-sq. ft. of floor area in excess of 2,000 sq. ft.
Primary and secondary schools (private and public) (a) Elementary schools and kindergartens -four for each classroom; one for every four seats in auditoriums or assembly halls; and one for each additional nonteaching employee (b) High schools and middle schools - one for every ten students, or one for each teacher and employee, or one for every four seats in auditoriums, assembly areas or sports fields, whichever is greater
Municipal, Township, County, State and Federal buildings used for administrative functions One space per 200 sq. ft. of office floor area plus one space for each four seats in assembly rooms
Residential  
Detached one- or two-family dwelling Three spaces (at least two enclosed, driveway may count as unenclosed space) per dwelling unit
Attached single-family dwelling Three spaces (at least two enclosed, driveway may count as unenclosed space) per dwelling unit
Multi-family dwelling Two spaces (at least one enclosed) per dwelling unit
Rented rooms in one-or two- family dwelling (attached or detached) One space per room in addition to spaces required for resident family
Retirement Living: attached one- or two-family dwelling Three spaces (at least two enclosed, driveway may count as unenclosed space per dwelling unit
Retirement Living: multi-family One space for each dwelling unit
Retirement Living: retirement living center building One space for each two beds plus one space per professional staff person, plus one space for each two non-professional employees on the largest shift
Office Building  
Medical and dental offices One space for each 100 sq. ft. of floor area.
Other offices One space per 300 sq. ft. of floor area
Hotels One space per guest room or unit plus one space per employee on the largest shift
Veterinary clinic One space per 300 sq. ft. of floor area
Club, lodge or fraternal and service organizations One space for each four seats in the principal assembly rooms, or one space per 50 sq. ft. of floor area in the principal assembly rooms for places of assembly without fixed seats, whichever is greater
Funeral homes One space per 30 sq. ft. of assembly rooms, or one space for each four seats, whichever is greater, but in no case less than twenty spaces
Retail Business  
Retail stores, banks, service establishments (a) Less than 3,000 sq.ft. per unit - 10 spaces per 1,000 sq.ft. of floor area (b) 3,000 - 10,000 sq.ft. per unit - 8 spaces per 1,000 sq.ft. of floor area (c) 10,000 sq.ft. or greater - 7 spaces per 1,000 sq.ft. of floor area
Automobile service station One space per employee plus two spaces per service bay
Eating places, bars, taverns One space per 50 sq. ft. of floor area, including outdoor eating areas, or one space for each two seats, including outdoor eating areas, whichever is greater
Indoor theater, auditorium, arena, stadium and other places of assembly One space for each four seats in the principal assembly rooms, or one space per 50 sq. ft. of floor area in the principal assembly rooms for places of assembly without fixed seats, whichever is greater
Skating rink, swimming pool One space per 50 sq. ft. of area used for skating or swimming
Bowling alley Six spaces per bowling lane
Physical Fitness One space per 100 sq. ft. of floor area where physical fitness programs are permitted
Industrial  
Executive offices, sales offices One space per 300 sq. ft. floor area
Service and storage establishments, laboratories, manufacturing plants and other uses permitted in a limited industrial district One space per employee on the two largest successive shifts
Other Buildings or Uses For a specific building or use not scheduled above, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall apply the unit of measurement of the above schedule deemed to be most similar to the parking required by the proposed building or use. If the Planning and Zoning Commission determines that there is no listed use similar to the proposed use, the Planning and Zoning Commission may refer to the estimates of parking demand based on recommendations of the American Planning Association (APA), the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and/or the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE).

(Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.06   Modifications to schedule

An existing building or use which does not conform to parking requirements as set forth in Section 1141.05 and where land is not available on the same lot or adjoining lot, the Planning and Zoning Commission may modify the location of parking facilities to permit such facilities within 400 feet walking distance of any customer entrance to the building or use. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall permit such facilities only if it determines that the pedestrian route between the parking area and the subject use is safe and does not necessitate unlawful trespassing, and continuous parking is available pursuant to covenants in compliance with Section 1141.03
(Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.07   Separate or combined use of facilities

  1. (a) A building containing one use shall provide the off-street parking spaces as required for the specific use.

  2. (b) A building, or group of buildings, containing two or more uses, operating normally during the same hours, and which have different off-street parking requirements shall provide spaces for not less than the sum of the spaces required for each use.

  3. (c) Institutions (as set forth in the schedule in Section 1141.05) may assume that up to, but not more than fifty percent (50%) of their requirements may be shared in contiguous parking areas which are accessory to business establishments and which normally have different hours of operation. Provided however, where there is a sharing of facilities by different owners, there shall be covenants in compliance with Section 1141.03 covering a period of time as may be required by the Planning and Zoning Commission and provided, further, that should any of the uses be changed or the facilities discontinued, then the required spaces for the use remaining shall be provided elsewhere as a condition precedent to the continued use of such building or buildings.
    (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.08   Pedestrian and motor vehicle safety

To help insure the safety and convenience of motorists, pedestrians and shoppers within off-street parking and loading areas, the Planning Commission may require additional pedestrian and motor vehicle safety features within such parking and loading areas. Safety features which the Planning Commission may require to be installed include, but are not limited to:

  1. (a) Raised pedestrian walkways.

  2. (b) Crosswalks.

  3. (c) Stop signs.

  4. (d) Motor vehicle directional arrows.

  5. (e) Continuous landscaped strips for pedestrian only traffic.
    (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.09   Access drives to parking areas

The following standards shall apply to all off-street parking spaces, except those required for one- and two-family dwellings:

  1. (a) Off-street parking spaces shall have access to a public street or alley in such a manner that any vehicle leaving or entering the parking area into or from a public street or alley shall be traveling in a forward motion.

  2. (b) The location and width of entrance and exit driveways to parking facilities shall be planned to interfere as little as possible with the use of nearby property and with pedestrian and vehicular traffic on the nearest streets.

  3. (c) The centerline of the access driveways shall be at least fifty feet from the right-of- way line of the nearest intersecting street and spaced at not less than 120-foot intervals measured from the centerline of the driveways.

  4. (d) Parking areas of more than ten spaces shall be served by a driveway or driveways with a total of at least one entrance lane and a separate exit lane. Entrances and exits shall be limited to three lanes. The width of such entrances and exits, measured at the setback line, shall conform to the following schedule:

      Width Measured in Feet  
      Minimum Maximum
    One lane 10 12
    Two lanes 20 24
    Three lanes 30 36

    In all cases the radius of the edge of the apron shall be at least fifteen feet so that a car entering from the curb lane shall be perpendicular to the setback line at the driveway without obstructing vehicles in other traffic lanes.
    (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.10   Off-street loading facilities

Off-street loading facilities shall be provided for all non-residential buildings hereafter erected or altered for such uses. The facilities shall be maintained as long as such building is occupied, shall continue unobstructed and not be used for repair or servicing of motor vehicles. Space required and allocated for off-street parking shall not be allocated or used to satisfy the space requirements for off-street loading, and off-street loading spaces shall not be allocated or used to satisfy the space requirements for off-street parking.
(Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.11   Location of loading spaces

All required loading spaces shall be located on the same lot as the use served and arranged so that a public street or sidewalk will not be occupied during the loading or unloading process. Such spaces may be open or enclosed. They shall not be located in any setback or less than fifty feet from a residential district.
(Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.12   Size of loading space

  1. (a) A required off-street loading space shall be at least twelve feet wide by at least twenty-five feet in length for buildings less than 15,000 square feet of gross floor area, and each required loading space for a building of 15,000 square feet or more of floor area shall be not less than twelve feet wide by fifty feet in length. Each space shall have a vertical clearance of at least fourteen feet. The required areas shall be exclusive of aisle and maneuvering space.

  2. (b) Uses for which off-street loading facilities are otherwise required but which are located for buildings of less than 5,000 square feet of floor area shall be provided with a receiving platform or other facilities contiguous to a service drive or other open space on the same lot.
    (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.13   Schedule of loading space requirements

Building or Use Gross Floor Area of Building Required Number of Spaces
Retail, Office and Institutional 5,000 to 10,000 square feet 1
  10,000 to 40,000 square feet 2
  40,000 to 100,000 square feet 3
  each additional 50,000 sq. ft. 1 additional space
Manufacturing and Industrial Up to 40,000 square feet 1
  40,000 to 100,000 square feet 2
  each additional 50,000 sq. ft. 1 additional space

(Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.14   Improvements to parking and loading areas

  1. (a) All parking areas and loading areas and access driveways shall be fully improved with an asphalt, concrete or other hard surface materials approved by the Municipal Engineer. Parking areas shall be graded to provide for drainage so that injury will not be caused to adjacent properties nor will water drain across any private or public sidewalk. Appropriate bumper guards or curbs shall be provided in parking areas for three or more spaces in order to define parking spaces or limits of paved areas and to prevent vehicles from projecting into setbacks.

  2. (b) All off-street parking areas for three or more spaces shall be marked with paint lines, curb stones or in some other manner approved by the Administrator and shall be maintained in a clearly visible condition.

  3. (c) The Planning and Zoning Commission shall require landscape features or a fence between a parking or loading area and a side or rear lot line of a residential district. All perimeter screening including parking lot street frontage shall be a minimum of five feet wide and in accordance with Sections 1142.05 and 1142.06 of this Planning and Zoning Code.

  4. (d) The driveways, parking area pavement, curbs and bumper guards shall be constructed in accord with standards established by the Municipal Engineer.
    (Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.15   Illumination of parking and loading areas

Regulated in Chapter 1150 of this Planning and Zoning Code.
(Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.16   Approval of parking and loading plans

Detailed drawings of off-street parking and loading areas, except for one and two-family dwellings shall be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission for approval. The drawings shall show each space, dimension of driveways, aisles and other features enumerated in this chapter.
(Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)

1141.17   Performance bond required

The Administrator may require a performance bond for any grading, curbing, paving, striping or lighting of parking lots when the work is required under Chapter 1150 or Section 1141.14. The amount of the performance bond shall be determined by the Administrator and be in relationship to the amount of work being performed.
(Ord. 2019-39. Passed 8-13-19.)