Borough of Gibbsboro, NJ Design Standards

Each dead storage bay of an off-street parking space may be perpendicular to the aisle, parallel to the aisle or at any angle between 60° and 90°. The following are minimum stall and aisle dimensions:

Perpendicular, 75° to 90°:

[1]

Stall width: 10 feet.

[2]

Stall depth: 20 feet.

[3]

Aisle width: 25 feet.

Angle, 60° to 74°:

[1]

Stall width: 10 feet.

[2]

Stall depth: 20 feet.

[3]

Aisle width: 20 feet.

Parallel:

[1]

Stall width: 20 feet.

[2]

Stall depth: 8 feet.

[3]

Aisle width:

[a]

Single lane: 12 feet.

[b]

Double lane: 20 feet.

No area shall be used for parking if it is not large enough to provide for at least three contiguous stalls, unless approval otherwise is obtained from the body, agency or official having jurisdiction over the plan.

When the parking area is designed for angle parking, the stalls on both sides shall be inclined so as to permit a driver approaching from either end of the aisle to have access to the stall on one side.

Where parking is provided for more than 36 cars, a main access drive shall be provided from points of ingress and egress. No parking shall be permitted on the main access drive, nor shall it serve as an access aisle to adjacent parking spaces.

All parking areas shall be paved and clearly marked and shall include barrier lines, lane lines, directional arrows and stop lines.

Entrance and exit drives shall have a minimum width of 12 feet for those designated for one-way traffic and 20 feet for those carrying two-way traffic.

All access drives shall provide a minimum turning radius of 30 feet.

Location of parking.

Off-street parking spaces for special uses in residential zones shall not be located between the front building line and street line or within five feet of a residential property line, which open space shall be maintained as a buffer or planting strip. On corner lots, this restriction shall also apply to the space between the side street line and the side building line.

Where parking is permitted between the front building line and the street line, whether by ordinance, special use permit or variance, a safety island or raised median separating the public street from the parking area shall be provided in accordance with the following minimum requirements:

The width of the safety island shall be that width between the proposed street curbline to a point five feet inside the property line.

Safety islands shall be raised a minimum of six inches above the adjacent parking area.

Safety islands within the property line shall be topsoiled and seeded or otherwise landscaped, except that they may, in the alternative, be constructed of maintenance-free materials which provide a clear and unmistakable distinction between the parking area and the safety island.

(d)

Notwithstanding the use of maintenance-free materials, there shall be provided at least one deciduous tree, two inches in diameter at breast height every 40 feet or part thereof, on all safety islands. A greater spacing will be allowed between plantings if necessary for traffic safety. The area between trees shall be planted with a minimum of three evergreen-type shrubs.

(e)

Where parking spaces front a safety island, a continuous wheel stop shall be provided three feet from the normal edges of the island. The wheel stop shall be placed as above-stated and the stall depth measured from a point two feet outside the face of the curb of the wheel stop.

Small parking areas. Parking lots having 40 or fewer spaces shall be designed to provide the following minimum design requirements:

A safety island or raised median as herein described.

A five-foot unbroken landscaped dividing strip along all side property lines with residential property from the street line to the rear lot line.

Not more than one two-way access drive or two one-way access drives on any one street unless approval otherwise is obtained from the body, agency or official having jurisdiction over the plan.

All safety islands and landscaped dividing strips shall be planted with at least one deciduous tree with a trunk diameter of two inches at breast height every 40 feet or part thereof and the area between trees planted with a minimum of three evergreen-type shrubs.

All entrance and exit drives shall be curbed on both sides.

Large parking areas. Parking lots which have a capacity for parking more than 40 vehicles shall incorporate the following minimum design standards:

All entrance and exit drives shall be curbed on both sides a minimum distance of 100 feet back from the street curb or to a major collector aisle.

No parking stalls which shall require the use of the entrance and exit drives as access aisles shall be permitted.

All access drives located along one-way streets or divided highways shall be separate one-way drives. Said drives shall be located so that vehicles enter the parking area at the beginning of the property and exit at the far end of the property unless other considerations, such as median openings, dictate otherwise.

All directional (one-way) drives shall be marked by appropriate signs facing all peripheral service roads serving the property, as well as the parking area.

On lots having a frontage of 100 feet or less, driveways, exits and entrances shall be located as far as practical from an intersection. On lots having a frontage in excess of 100 feet, driveways, exits and entrances shall be located as near the middle line as practical. However, on such lots the entrance or exit driveways need not be located more than 500 feet from the intersection. Measurements shall be taken for the purpose of locating the driveways from the curbline of the intersection.

No driveway shall be located less than 10 feet from the side property line or within 30 feet of an existing drive, whichever is greater.

No property having a frontage of less than 100 feet shall have more than one two-way driveway on one street. No property having a frontage of less than 1,000 feet shall have more than two driveways on one street. Any frontage greater than 1,000 feet may have more than two drives on one street; however, the number, location, size and design shall be subject to approval of the body, agency or official having jurisdiction over the plan.

(8)

There shall be provided landscaped safety islands as described aforesaid.

(9)

Any parking area providing space for more than 200 cars shall, in addition, provide concrete sidewalks within the parking area for pedestrian movement. Sidewalks shall be at least four feet wide and shall be located in such a manner as will prevent them from being blocked by overhanging cars. A portion of any landscaped dividing strip may be used for sidewalk construction.

Parking area landscaping. Every parking lot with 75 or more spaces shall be divided as nearly as possible into smaller lots of 36 spaces separated by landscaped dividing strips, except the area for access aisles. The plantings required within the parking area shall be considered exclusive from any other plantings that may be required for screening or foundation planting. The following criteria shall apply for internal landscaped dividing strips:

They shall have a minimum width of eight feet.

They shall be seeded and topsoiled. The use of maintenance-free material other than topsoil may be permitted if the same provides a safe and attractive alternative.

They shall be planted with deciduous trees of two-inch diameter at ground level, having a maximum distance between trunks at ground level of 40 feet. All trees shall be planted in the dormant state.

The area between trees shall be planted with a minimum of three evergreen-type shrubs.

Retaining walls and land banks.

In the event that parking is proposed on a lot or site having an unstable sandy surface and slope of more than 5%, regardless of size, it shall be terraced, utilizing retaining walls or properly reinforced land banks and providing for adequate safety, stability and drainage. At no time should a land bank that is not reinforced or any other earthen material having a greater elevation than the adjacent parking areas have a slope exceeding three feet vertical to five feet horizontal.

When retaining walls or land banks or similar types of earthen material are necessitated adjacent to or within the parking area, they shall be kept in good repair or otherwise maintained so as to keep the parking area free of debris and dirt.

Other considerations. All uses, including existing uses that are changed, expanded or modified as to structure or function, shall be bound by the above requirements. In addition, no unrestricted vehicular access shall be permitted between adjacent properties. Vehicular access, if agreed upon by the owners or possessors of adjacent properties, shall be limited to one opening providing two lanes of traffic and shall be located in such a manner as to offer continuity of a similar access drive on the adjacent property. The opening shall occur at a point having the greatest distance from the street line that would facilitate the joining of properties. Access shall be denied across the remainder of the side lines by construction of a landscaped dividing strip five feet in width on the property being developed. If and when the adjacent property is developed, there shall be a similar dividing strip at least five feet wide. All dividing strips shall be landscaped as provided herein.

Refuse areas. Areas adjacent to or within the parking area designated as refuse, storage and pickup areas shall be properly screened to prevent the unsightly display and the scattering of debris. The following minimum requirements shall apply:

The area shall be surrounded on at least three sides by a solid uniform fence or a wall not less than five feet nor more than eight feet in height and maintained in good condition. The wall of an adjacent building may serve as one side. Said fence shall be exempt from the provisions of any ordinance of this municipality regulating the height of fences and requiring permits therefor.

The opening in said screening wall or fence shall be so designed as to prevent the visual display of refuse from any adjacent parking area or street.

Screening of equipment or machinery.

When the effective operation of a building or structure or equipment within a building or structure necessitates placing machinery, motors, generators or similar devices for cooling, heating or generating purposes outside or on top of any structure, it shall be screened from public view. Said screening may consist of any of the following materials:

Densely planted evergreen shrubs which shall grow to not less than five feet after one growing season.

A solid and uniform fence at least five feet in height on four sides of said equipment.

A masonry wall at least five feet in height on four sides of said equipment.

(d)

Any similar type of solid or uniform screening which will prevent exposure of such equipment to public view.

The above requirements shall not be construed to prevent an opening in any required screening for maintenance purposes. However, any such opening shall be made as inconspicuous as possible so as not to present any unsightly display of said equipment to public view.

Site lighting.

[Added 6-25-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-7]

General requirements.

Sufficient and adequate lighting shall be provided on each site to ensure the security of property and to protect the safety of persons between the hours of sunset and sunrise when the establishment or facility is in use.

Lighting shall be so designed to avoid the creation of hazards to motorists and pedestrians or nuisance to adjoining property owners or residents.

Lighting for commercial developments shall be designed to provide for the automatic reduction of the site lighting to reduce the average illumination to the minimum illumination in Table 1 within one hour after close of business.

(d)

The design of site lighting shall take into account existing or proposed streetlighting.

(e)

Lamp color and fixture design shall be consistent and/or compatible throughout the parcel in question and shall complement building architecture and landscaping.

(f)

Lighting shall be designed to minimize energy and maintenance requirements and shall comply with the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 1992 as it may be amended or superseded.

(g)

Exterior lighting not building-mounted shall be supplied by electricity from underground cabling.

(h)

Lighting directed towards the sky shall be avoided.

Illumination for exterior site lighting. Parking lots, loading areas, driveways, pedestrian paths, sidewalks and bicycle paths shall be adequately lighted for both motorists and pedestrians in accordance with the following table. This provision shall not apply to public recreation areas.

Table 1 Minimum Illumination for Surface Parking and Pathways
Activity Type	Vehicular Traffic (footcandles)	Pedestrian and Bicycle Path (footcandles)
Residential uses	0.5	0.5
Office, industrial and institutional uses	1.0	0.8
Retail uses and intersections of driveways and streets	2.0	1.0

Maximum footcandles. No outdoor parking facility or other site feature shall be illuminated in excess of 25 footcandles, with the following exceptions:

Drive-through pickup windows may be illuminated up to 50 footcandles.

The underside of service canopies may be illuminated up to 100 footcandles, provided that the surface illumination at the edge of the canopy shall not exceed 30 footcandles.

This limitation shall not apply to public recreation areas.

Minimum and maximum footcandle ratios. The ratio of average illumination to minimum illumination, as measured in footcandles (fc), shall not exceed four to one. The maximum illumination provided on any site shall not exceed the minimum illumination by more than a ratio of 30 to one except for § 324-33J(3)(a) and (b) applications.

	Example:	Minimum illumination required = 0.5 fc
		Average to minimum ratio = (4 x 0.5) or 2.0 fc
		Maximum to minimum ratio = (30 x 0.5) or 15.0 fc

Lighting fixture types. The following requirements shall apply to lighting fixtures:

Lamp types. Exterior lighting of parking lots, loading areas and driveways shall utilize high-pressure sodium, metal halide, or mercury vapor lamps.

Pole types. Poles for freestanding fixtures shall generally be fluted and tapered from base to top and in accordance with specifications as promulgated by the Borough Engineer from time to time.

Fixture types. Fixtures shall generally be of an "acorn" style with clear plastic lenses capable of being fitted with house-side shields and in accordance with specifications as promulgated by the Borough Engineer from time to time.

Pole mounting heights. The following requirements shall apply to the height of freestanding pole-mounted lighting fixtures:

Vehicular traffic. Fixtures for the illumination of parking lots, loading areas and driveways shall be a minimum height of 16 feet and a maximum height of 20 feet.

Pedestrian, sidewalk and bicycle paths. Fixtures for the illumination of pedestrian paths, sidewalks and bicycle paths shall be a minimum height of 10 feet and a maximum height of 16 feet.

Pole location. Poles for lighting fixtures shall not be located within parking spaces, loading areas, driveways, or any area paved for motor vehicle, pedestrian or bicycle traffic.

(8)

Streetlighting. Where sites that are the subject of applications for development abut public rights-of-way, any deficiencies in the level of illumination, spacing, or fixture type of streetlighting, as required in Chapter 358, Subdivision of Land, shall be rectified along said street frontage.

Minimum off-street parking spaces are as stipulated in Chapter 400, Zoning.

Miscellaneous.

Nothing in the above requirements shall be construed to prevent the joint use of off-street parking facilities by two or more uses, provided that the total of such spaces shall not be less than the sum of the requirements for various individual uses computed separately.

All required parking facilities shall be located on the same lot or parcel as the structure or use it shall serve. In the case of nonresidential uses, parking facilities may be provided on other lots or parcels, but shall not be greater than 300 feet from the structure or use it shall serve.

No part of off-street parking required by a structure or use shall be included as part of an off-street parking requirement of another use unless substantial proof and assurances are established that the use of this parking will not be simultaneous.

Where special traffic problems exist, the Planning Board may require a special survey of conditions and require the location of entrances and exits to the parking lot to be altered to minimize congestion and hazard.

Sidewalks and bikeways.

[Added 7-24-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-11]

Concrete sidewalks, four-inch thick, Class B, shall be constructed along the entire frontage of all commercial, residential, industrial or park land sites as part of any site plan, use variance or Zoning Board approval.

Concrete sidewalk shall be four feet wide and shall be constructed at an offset from the center line of the right-of-way as determined by the Municipal Engineer or County Engineer.

If concrete sidewalk currently exists on a site, but is in poor deteriorated condition, the sidewalk shall be removed and replaced to the specifications described above.

If the Planning Board or Zoning Board should determine that it is not necessary to construct sidewalks as part of an application, the applicant shall make a contribution to the Borough calculated as follows: length of the frontage of the property times four feet divided by nine square feet per one square yard. The number of square yards calculated, times $65 per square yard, shall be the required value of the contribution.

If the Planning Board or Zoning Board make a determination that concrete sidewalk is not required and a bituminous bikeway would be more appropriate, the applicant shall be required to construct a bituminous path to serve as such.

Bituminous bikeways shall be eight feet wide and shall be constructed along the frontage of the subject property at an offset to be determined by the County Engineer or Municipal Engineer.

Bituminous bikeways shall be bituminous surface course, FABC-1, Mix I-5, two inches thick over dense graded aggregate, four inches thick over a well-compacted subgrade.

(8)

If the Planning Board or Zoning Board should determine that it is not necessary to construct a bike path then the applicant shall make a contribution to the Borough calculated as follows: length of frontage of the property times eight feet divided by nine square feet per square yard. The number of square yards calculated, times $55 per square yard, shall be the required value of the contribution.

Streetscape improvements.

[Added 4-27-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-4]

All site plan applications shall be subject to the provisions set forth in this section. Streetscape improvements shall be constructed along the entire frontage of all commercial, residential, industrial or parkland sites as part of any site plan, use variance or Zoning Board approval.

All streetscape improvements must be constructed within an area that is located between the curbline and 15 feet from the curbline along the entire frontage of the property.

An easement shall be granted to the Borough, by the applicant, to provide the additional area that is necessary, outside of the existing right-of-way limits, to complete the 15 feet improvement area requirement.

The construction of the streetscape improvements shall be the responsibility of the applicant/developer. All future maintenance, repair or replacement activities/costs shall be the responsibility of the property owner.

The streetscape construction shall be in accordance with the design standards listed in § 400-34B(11) of the Borough Code. All streetscape improvements must be shown on the site plan as part of the completeness review portion of the application.

§ 324-34 Off-street loading.

In connection with buildings occupied by industrial, commercial and certain institutional uses, there shall be provided and maintained on the same lot with such buildings off-street loading berths in accordance with the following requirements:

Size and location. Each loading space shall be not less than 12 feet in width and 35 feet in length and have a minimum vertical clearance of 14 feet. Where more than two berths are required, the additional berths shall be 50 feet in length. Loading berths shall not be located within 50 feet of a property or street line.

Development and maintenance of parking and loading areas. Every parcel of land hereafter used as a public or private parking area for five or more cars or loading area, including a commercial parking lot, shall be developed and maintained in accordance with the following requirements:

Screening and landscaping. Off-street parking areas for five or more vehicles and off-street loading areas shall be screened on the side or sides which adjoin residential zones.

Minimum distances and setbacks. No off-street loading area or parking area or part thereof for five or more vehicles shall be closer than 10 feet to any dwelling, school, hospital or other institution for human care located on an adjoining lot or two feet from any lot line.

Surfacing. Any off-street parking area for five or more vehicles or off-street loading area shall be bituminous- or portland-cement-paved. All areas shall be marked so as to provide for the orderly and safe loading, parking and storage of vehicles.

Lighting.

Lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking or loading area shall be arranged so as to reflect the light away from adjoining premises or the adjoining street.

Off-street parking facilities for multifamily structures containing four or more families shall be adequately lighted.

Drainage. Any off-street parking area and off-street loading area shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of all surface water without detriment to surrounding uses.