A. 
For the following uses of buildings hereinafter erected or increased from the size existing at the time of the adoption of this chapter, off-street parking facilities which are outside the public right-of-way shall be required as provided herein.
B. 
Parking standards. Off-street parking facilities shall be provided for uses in zones, must not be more than 300 feet in distance from an entrance to said uses, shall accommodate normal parking requirements and shall meet the standards listed below.
C. 
Parking facilities in Central Business Zone; benefit assessment charge and annual maintenance fee. As to all construction or uses, including residential uses, commenced in the Central Business Zone after the effective date of this section, to the extent that the Planning Director determines that the size, configuration or other physical characteristic of the site of the planned use makes it impossible for the user to meet the standards in this section, thereby creating a hardship, the Planning Director may, in the Planning Director's discretion, upon application from the user, allow a reduction in the number of spaces; provided, however, that the user shall pay the City a one-time benefit assessment charge and an annual maintenance fee for each space the user is not able to provide under the standards in this section as provided in the General Fee Ordinance.[1]
[Amended 2-27-1995 by Ord. No. 594; 4-14-1997 by Ord. No. 617; 9-24-2001 by Ord. No. 672; 7-12-2004 by Ord. No. 718; 1-28-2008 by Ord. No. 774; 11-24-2008 by Ord. No. 792]
Type of Use
Parking Standards
(number of spaces)
Residential
Single-family detached and semidetached
2 per dwelling unit, minimum of 9 x 18 feet in size per space
Single-family attached
3 per dwelling unit, minimum of 9 x 18 feet in size per space
Multiple-family units
1 per efficiency unit; 1 1/2 per 1-bedroom unit; 2 for 2- or more-than-2-bedroom units
Multiple-family housing for older persons
1 1/2 per dwelling unit up to 2 bedrooms, 2 per dwelling unit with more than 2 bedrooms
Nonresidential
Airparks, airports and fields requirements. Land uses incidental to air flights are subject to other parking standards contained in this chapter.
Subject to state and federal site
Animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and kennels
1 per employee, plus 1 per business vehicle, plus 1 for each 300 square feet of floor space used for hospital, clinic, office, storage or other purposes
Automobile service stations
2 per bay and 1 per employee shift
Barbershops and beauty shops
1 per employee, plus 2 per each chair
Bowling centers
4 per lane and 1 per employee
Commercial establishments devoted to retail sales, trade, merchandising or similar uses not otherwise specified herein
1 for each 250 square feet of floor area used for retail sales, trade or merchandising, and 1 for each 300 square feet of floor space used for office, storage or other purposes
Convents and monasteries
1 for each 250 square feet of floor space, plus 1 per institutional vehicle
Country clubs, private clubs, social clubs and fraternal organizations
1 per 4 persons of estimated facility capacity, plus 1 per employee and 1 per facility vehicle and piece of mobile equipment
Fire stations, rescue stations and ambulance services
1 per 1 1/2 employees on a major shift, plus 1 per facility vehicle, plus 1 per piece of mobile equipment, plus 1 for visitor's use per 5 employees on the maximum shift
Food stores, supermarkets and roadside stands
1 per 200 square feet of floor area devoted to customer service
Funeral homes and mortuaries
1 for each 100 square feet of floor area devoted to assembly room purposes, plus 1 per 2 employees, plus 1 for each vehicle used in connection with the business
Furniture and appliance stores and repair shops
1 per 500 square feet of floor area, plus 1 for each employee
Government buildings and public buildings
1 for each 250 square feet of floor area or 2 per office, whichever is greater
Home occupations
1 in addition to spaces devoted to use by the residents
Hospitals, nursing, care or retirement homes
1 for every 4 beds or 1 per 600 square feet of floor area, exclusive of basement area not devoted to patients, whichever is greater
Hotels, motels, lodging houses and boarding- (lodging) or rooming houses
1 for each rental room or suite. In addition, if a restaurant in connection with such use is open to the public, the off-street parking facilities for such restaurant shall be those required for a restaurant use.
Indoor shooting ranges
1 per employee and 2 per each shooting and 1 for each 250 square feet of floor area used for accessory retail sales
Manufacturing establishments not otherwise specified herein
1 per 1 1/2 employees on a major shift, plus 1 per company vehicle and piece of mobile equipment
Medical and dental offices and clinics
4 per doctor, plus 1 per employee or 1 for each 200 square feet of office space, whichever is greater
Nightclubs and taverns
1 per 4 seats or 1 per 75 square feet of floor area devoted to customer service, plus 1 per employee, whichever is greater
Offices: business, professional or financial
1 for each 250 square feet of floor area or 2 per office, whichever is greater
Places of worship
1 for each 3 fixed seats, provided that the number of spaces required may be reduced by up to 50% if the place of worship is within 500 feet of any public parking lot or commercial parking lot where sufficient spaces are available, by permission of the owner(s) without charge, during the time of services to make up the additional spaces required
Radio and television studios
1 for each 250 square feet of floor area or 2 per office, whichever is greater
Recreation facilities and centers
1 per 4 persons of estimated facility capacity, plus 1 per employee and 1 per facility vehicle and piece of mobile equipment
Research and development establishments, including laboratories
1 per 1 1/2 employees based on the occupancy load, plus 1 per company vehicle
Restaurants and lunchrooms
1 per 4 seats, plus 1 per 2 employees
Schools
Subject to State Board of Education site requirements
Sport centers or arenas, auditoriums not associated with schools, theaters, private assembly halls and community meeting halls
1 per 3 seats or similar accommodations provided, plus 1 per 2 employees
Swimming pools, commercial
1 per 4 persons of estimated pool maximum capacity, plus 1 per employee
Swimming pools, community
1 per 7 persons of estimated pool maximum capacity, plus 1 per employee
Taxi stations
1 for every 3 taxis using the station
Truck and motor freight terminals
1 per motor vehicle to be serviced by the facility, plus 1 per employee. With the exception of parking spaces for employees, all motor vehicle spaces shall be of a size adequate for the type of vehicle serviced by the terminal.
Utility facilities, including telephone offices and service centers
1 per 1 1/2 employees on a major shift, plus 1 per company vehicle and piece of mobile equipment, plus 1 for visitors use per 25 employees on the maximum shift, or 1 per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Warehouses, heavy equipment storage yards, lumber- and building materials yards and all other industrial uses
1 per 1 1/2 employees on a major shift, plus 1 per company vehicle and piece of mobile equipment, plus 1 for visitor's use per 25 employees on the maximum shift,or 1 per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Wholesale establishments
1 per 2 employees
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. A175, Fees, Art. I, General Fees.
D. 
[2]Parking facilities in Downtown Parking Area; benefit assessment charge and annual maintenance fee. As to all construction or uses, including residential uses, commenced in the Downtown Parking Area after the effective date of this section, to the extent that the Planning Director determines that the size, configuration or other physical characteristic of the site of the planned use makes it impossible for the user to meet the standards in this section, thereby creating a hardship, the Director may, in the Director's discretion, upon application from the user, allow a reduction in the number of spaces; provided, however, that the user shall pay the City a one-time benefit assessment charge of and an annual maintenance fee for each space the user is not able to provide under the standards in this section as provided in the General Fee Ordinance.[3] Additionally, there is hereby granted a reduction in the number of required parking spaces of 25% for all construction or uses, commenced in the Downtown Parking Area after July 1, 2004. The Downtown Parking Area shall be designated on a map adopted by resolution of the Mayor and Common Council.
[Added 7-12-2004 by Ord. No. 718; amended 1-28-2008 by Ord. No. 774; 11-24-2008 by Ord. No. 792]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsections D, E and F were redesignated as Subsections E, F and G to accommodate the addition of a new Subsection D.
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. A175, Fees, Art. I, General Fees.
E. 
All off-street parking and loading facilities required by this article for any use shall be located on and entirely within the same record lot with that use, unless otherwise provided for in this article.
F. 
Requirements for the provision of parking facilities with respect to two or more property uses of the same or different types may be satisfied by the permanent allocation of the requisite number of spaces for each use in a common parking facility, cooperatively established and operated. The number of spaces so designated may not be less than the sum of the individual requirements for each use, except as hereinafter provided, and all design requirements contained in this article must be met. A common parking facility so established must be located so that a major point of pedestrian access to such common facility is within a five-hundred-foot walking distance of the entrance to each use served thereby.
G. 
Required off-street parking spaces may be reduced in area by providing designated parking spaces for bicycles, motorbikes or motorcycles, but in no event shall such a reduction in area be permitted on more than 5% of the total number of required spaces.
A. 
No land shall be used or occupied, no structure shall be designed, erected, attached, used or occupied and no use shall be operated unless the parking and loading facilities herein required are provided in at least the amounts and in accordance with the design standards set forth in this article.
B. 
No automobile off-street parking area shall be reduced in area or encroached upon by buildings, vehicle storage, loading or unloading or any other use where such reduction or encroachment will reduce the area below that required by this article.
C. 
Parking facilities for one use shall not be considered as providing the required parking facilities for any other use, except as provided in this article.
D. 
No parking area or loading space shall be used for the storage, sale, repair, dismantling or servicing of any vehicles, equipment, materials or supplies.
E. 
For the purpose of this article, the number of employees for a use shall be computed on the basis of the maximum number of persons to be employed at any one time, other than at changes of shifts.
F. 
All garage or other space allocated for parking of vehicles within buildings or in basements or open spaces on the roofs of buildings shall be considered part of the required off-street parking facilities and may be included as such in computing the area requirements outlined in this article.
G. 
Off-street parking and loading facilities for commercial or industrial uses that make it necessary for vehicles to back out directly into a public road are prohibited.
H. 
All off-street parking and loading facilities required by this article for any use shall be established in accordance with all design standards and maintained throughout the operation of that use; any additional off-street parking and loading facilities required as a result of an expansion of or a change in any use shall be likewise established and maintained.
I. 
In all residential zones, off-street parking of motor vehicles shall be limited to passenger cars, recreational vehicles and trucks not exceeding a maximum gross weight of 18,000 pounds, which are not truck tractors, trailers or truck-trailer combinations, as defined in the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
J. 
Parking facilities shall be provided for the physically handicapped and aged as specified in Article 41, § 257JK of the Annotated Code of Maryland, entitled "Building code making buildings usable by handicapped persons," or as that section may be hereinafter amended.[1] Such parking facilities may be counted in computing the number of spaces required under this article.
[1]
Editor's Note: See now § 6-102 of Art. 83B of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
Every off-street parking area, except where the public street is the approved drive aisle, for more than five vehicles shall be located at least five feet from any public walkway, 10 feet from any street or curb and five feet from every residential lot line. The edges of the parking area shall be curbed or buffered, and the space between the parking area and street or lot line shall be landscaped and maintained in a sightly condition. Where adjoining a street, such landscaping shall consist of grass and low shrubs or ornamental trees. Where adjoining a residential lot, it shall include a hedge of sufficient type and height, not less than 30 inches, to protect and screen the adjoining property. If an ornamental wall or fence is installed in lieu of such hedge and accomplishes the same purpose, then the five-foot strip may be reduced to three feet. In parking areas containing 12 or more parking spaces, the total area of said parking area shall be a minimum of 10% of landscaped islands. Said landscaped islands shall be planted with a minimum of one two-and-one-half-inch-caliper shade tree for each 350 square feet of such island.
A. 
Any off-street parking area, including any commercial parking lot, for more than five vehicles shall be surfaced or kept treated in such a manner as may be necessary to prevent any dust or nuisance to the neighboring property or the general public and shall be so arranged and marked as to provide for orderly and safe loading or unloading and parking and storage of self-propelled vehicles.
B. 
Adequate lighting shall be provided for all parking facilities used at night. Lighting of off-street parking facilities shall be installed and maintained in a manner not to reflect or cause glare into abutting or facing residential premises nor to cause reflection or glare which adversely affects safe vision of operators of vehicles moving on roads and highways.
A. 
Approval. Designs and plans for areas to be used for automobile off-street parking, including but not limited to the design of aisle widths, stall lengths and widths, turning radii, flow patterns and paving, shall be subject to approval by the Planning Director in accordance with the purposes and requirements set forth in this section and Article XXV of this chapter.
B. 
Objectives of designs and plans. Said designs and plans shall accomplish the following objectives:
(1) 
The protection of the health, safety and welfare of those who use any adjoining land or public road that abuts a parking facility. Such protection shall include but shall not be limited to the reasonable control of noise, glare or reflection from automobiles, automobile perimeter, landscaping, plantings, walls, fences or other natural features or improvements.
(2) 
The safety of pedestrians and motorists within a parking facility.
(3) 
The optimum safe circulation of traffic within the parking facility and the proper location of entrances and exits to public roads so as to reduce or prevent traffic congestion.
(4) 
The provision of appropriate lighting, if the parking is to be used after dark.
C. 
Arrangement and marking. All off-street parking areas shall be arranged and marked so as to provide for orderly and safe loading, unloading, parking and storage of vehicles. All nonparallel parking spaces shall be striped to indicate parking areas. Standard parking spaces less than 10 feet in width shall be double-striped between each space to indicate the car width. Compact parking spaces shall be striped around their entire perimeter. Individual parking spaces shall be clearly defined, and directional arrows and traffic signs shall be provided as necessary for traffic control.
D. 
Size of spaces.
(1) 
Each standard-size parallel parking space shall have minimum dimensions of seven feet by 21 feet. A "parallel parking space" is defined as one in which the long side of the space parallels the travel lane.
(2) 
Each standard-size perpendicular or angled parking space shall be a rectangle having minimum dimensions of nine feet by 18 feet.
(3) 
The size, clearance, area and other dimensional requirements of off-street parking areas and parking places shall be determined by the type of parking arrangement in accordance with the parking chart and table stated below:
E. 
Additionally, all off-street parking and loading areas shall be so graded, drained and paved or surfaced as to prevent damage to abutting properties or public streets and shall be approved by the Planning Department.
[Amended 1-28-2008 by Ord. No. 774]
F. 
Modification by Planning Director. The Planning Director may approve the use of compact parking spaces with minimum dimensions of eight feet by 16 feet due to extraordinary situations or conditions peculiar to a specific parcel of property. Any such compact parking spaces shall not exceed 30% of the total number of spaces. The Director may also approve changes in the dimensions of parking spaces in parking garages consistent with nationally recognized design standards for parking garages. No space in a parking garage shall have less than the minimum dimensions of eight feet by 16 feet.
[Amended 8-10-1998 by Ord. No. 629; 1-28-2008 by Ord. No. 774]
A. 
Off-street loading and unloading spaces with appropriate and safe access from a street or alley shall be provided on each lot where it is deemed necessary by the Zoning Administrator to adequately serve the uses within the proposed structure.
B. 
Where off-street loading spaces are provided cooperatively for two or more uses, all required off-street loading spaces shall be located on the same lot as the use served.
C. 
No loading space or berth shall be located within 40 feet of the nearest point of intersection of the rights-of-way of two streets or roads.
D. 
No loading space or berth shall be located in a required front yard.
E. 
No loading area shall be located so as to interfere with the circulation of vehicles in any off-street parking area.