§ 179. Additional parking regulations

Off-street parking facilities shall be subject to the following additional parking regulations:

(a) Use of parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities accessory to residential use and developed in any residential district in accordance with the requirements of this section shall be used solely for the parking of passenger vehicles, recreational vehicles, boats, and similar equipment, owned by occupants of the dwelling structures to which such facilities are accessory or by guests of such occupants. Utility service vehicles are exempt from the requirements of this provision. Under no circumstances shall the parking or storage of commercial vehicles, construction equipment, or the parking of automobiles belonging to employees, owners, tenants, visitors or customers of business or industrial establishments take place in any residential zoning district.

(b) Joint parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities for different buildings, structures or uses, or for mixed uses, may be provided collectively in any zoning district in which separate parking facilities for each constituent use would be permitted; provided, that the total number of spaces so located together shall not be less than the sum of the separate requirements for each use.

(c) Computation. When the determination of the number of off-street parking spaces required by this chapter results in the requirement of a fractional space, only fractions of one-half (½) or less may be disregarded, while a fraction in excess of one-half (½) shall be counted as one (1) parking space.

(d) Size. A required off-street parking space shall be at least nine (9) feet in width and at least twenty (20) feet in length, exclusive of access drives or aisles, ramps, columns or office or work areas. Such space shall have a vertical distance of at least seven (7) feet.

(e) Access. Each required off-street parking space shall open directly upon an aisle or driveway of such width and design as to provide safe and efficient means of vehicular access to such parking space. All off-street parking facilities shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in a manner, which will least, interfere with traffic movement.

(f) In yards. Off-street parking of passenger vehicles shall be located in the front or side yards only, and on a hard surface. Recreational vehicles, boats, and similar equipment, required for uses permitted in residential districts, may only be located in a required side or rear yard. Off-street parking for permitted uses in business or industrial districts may be located in a required rear or side yard, except for the ten (10) feet adjacent to the rear or side lot line adjacent to a residential district, and in the front yard except for the ten (10) feet adjacent to the front lot line.

(g) Design and maintenance. Off-street parking facilities shall observe the following design and maintenance regulations:

(1) Open and enclosed parking spaces. Accessory parking spaces located on the same lot as occupied by the use served may be open to the sky or enclosed by a building. Accessory parking spaces located in a residential district elsewhere than on the same lot occupied by the use served shall be open to the sky except when otherwise allowed.

(2) Surfacing. All open off-street parking areas shall be improved with either a minimum of five (5) inches of portland cement or a compacted macadam or equal base, not less than four (4) inches thick, surfaced with asphaltic concrete or some comparable all-weather, dustless material.

(3) Screening and landscaping. All open automobile parking areas that contain more than four (4) parking spaces shall be effectively screened on each side adjoining or fronting on any property situated in a residential district or any institutional property by a wall, fence or densely planted compact hedge not less than five (5) feet nor more than seven (7) feet in height. Such required screening shall conform with the front yard requirements of the district in which the parking is located. Any business or industrial off-street parking area located in the front yard shall be screened from the street by a ten (10) foot planting area, which will effectively screen the parked cars. The Plan Commission shall approve said landscaping plan, prior to the issuance of a building permit.

(4) Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be directed away from residential properties in such a way as to not create a nuisance.

(5) Signs. Accessory signs are permitted on parking areas.

(6) Repair and service. No motor vehicle repair work of any kind shall be permitted in conjunction with accessory off-street parking facilities provided in a residential district.

(7) Fuel sales. The sale of gasoline, diesel fuel or motor oil in conjunction with accessory off-street parking facilities is not permitted in any residential district.

(8) Floor area exemptions. When two (2) or more uses are located on the same zoning lot, only one (1) exemption in terms of floor area, as set forth in section 183 [182], shall be taken.

(Ord. No. 2004-21, 11-11-2004)