Off-street parking space or spaces with proper and safe access from a street shall be provided on each lot, either within a structure or in the open, to serve the uses within the district adequately.
A. 
Sizes of spaces. Parking spaces shall have a stall of at least nine by 18 feet in size.
B. 
Surface. Parking spaces shall have a surface approved by the Borough Engineer and shall have a safe and convenient access in all seasons.
C. 
Screening and landscaping. Off-street parking lots shall be provided with screening and landscaping as required by this chapter.
A. 
No area located within any street line shall be computed in determining off-street parking requirements unless otherwise specifically stipulated as allowable in other sections of the Borough Zoning Ordinance.
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015]
B. 
Spaces may be located parallel or perpendicular to each other.
C. 
Driveway area, including driveways within the required building setbacks, may be used to compute the required spaces only when individual driveways are provided for each dwelling; garages or carports shall not be required in any zoning district unless specified by the individual zoning district.
D. 
All parking compounds serving more than two dwelling units shall have marked parking spaces.
A. 
One or more parking lots may be designed to service a multiple number of commercial uses in an zoning district so long as none of the requirements of this chapter are violated, and provided that all such parking is on the same lot or within 300 feet of walking distance from the subject use. One or more parking lots may be designed to service a multiple number of commercial uses in the C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5, UM, R-4, and R-5 Zoning District when both the use and parking lots are in any of those districts and the parking lots are within 1,500 feet from the principal use, measured along lines of public access which includes walking distance. The aggregate of all available spaces shall be at least equal to the sum required to serve all proposed uses.
[Amended 3-14-2024 by Ord. No. 2435]
B. 
Parking and loading areas for refrigerated trucks or tractor-trailer trucks shall not encroach on required yards.
A. 
Unless fewer minimum parking spaces are permitted by the applicable zoning district, the current parking minimum is one off-street parking space per dwelling unit with one bedroom or less and two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit with two or more bedrooms.
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015; 12-14-2023 by Ord. No. 2432, approved 12-14-2023]
B. 
For nonprofit or publicly sponsored housing providing one bedroom or less and designed for occupancy by the handicapped or persons over the age of 60, the Zoning Hearing Board may, as a special exception, reduce the required parking as low as a minimum of one off-street space per three dwelling units if the Zoning Hearing Board determines that such parking would be sufficient based upon evidence presented by the applicant.
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015]
Unless the applicable zoning districts state the contrary, the following parking space requirements shall be met:
Use
Minimum Number of Spaces
Hotel, motel, boardinghouse or bed-and-breakfast use
1 space for each rental unit
Restaurant or similar establishment
1 space for each 3 seats (minimum of 20 for a fast-food restaurant)
Places of assembly (theater, place of worship, funeral home or membership club)
1 space for every 3 fixed seats, or where the capacity is not determined by the number of fixed seats, 1 space for each 60 square feet of floor area devoted to patron use
Schools, primary or secondary
1 space per 15 students in elementary schools; 1 space per 10 students in other schools or 1 space for each 60 square feet of auditorium space, whichever is greater
Trade school
1 space per student attending class at peak time
Retail store
1 space for each 300 square feet of floor area used for sale or display of merchandise
Professional offices, except medical and dental offices and clinics, banks and similar establishments
1 space for each 250 square feet of floor space where customers or clients are permitted
Medical and dental offices and clinics
6 spaces per doctor or dentist
Hospitals
1 space per 2 beds
Nursing homes
1 space per 2 beds
Personal service establishments
1 space for each 100 square feet of customer service area
Wholesale or industrial establishments
1 space for each 7,500 square feet of floor area
Auto service station or auto repair garage
6 spaces per service bay; in no case shall there be less than 5 spaces
Shopping center
1 space for each 200 square feet of total floor area
Colleges and other similar institutions of higher learning
1 space for each 4 students; 1 space for each 2 employees; and, in addition, a number of spaces equivalent to 10% of the total employee spaces shall be provided to accommodate visitors
Cemetery
1 space for each 40 grave sites, situated throughout the lot
Commercial convenience store
1 space for each pump head, but no less than 5 spaces, plus 1 space for each 200 square feet of area used for the display and sale of merchandise, and 1 space for each 3 seats provided (minimum 10 for each accessory fast-food restaurant)
Neighborhood convenience store
1 space for each 500 square feet of area used for the display and sale of merchandise
As part of any required subdivision or land development review, the Planning Commission may, and as part of any special exception review the Zoning Hearing Board may, require a use to provide off-street parking beyond what is required by this article where such Commission or Board clearly determines that such parking is needed because of the particular circumstances of the use. An example would be where two shifts of employees overlap. The burden of proof in showing such need shall be placed on the Planning Commission or Zoning Hearing Board, as applicable.
All off-street parking areas required for a use, or portion thereof, shall be in place at the time of completion of such use, or portion thereof, except as allowed under § 255-208.
A. 
Intent. The intent of this section is to recognize the following:
(1) 
The importance of providing adequate, well-designed off-street parking areas.
(2) 
The need to limit the amount of paved parking area to preserve open space and limit stormwater runoff.
(3) 
Unique circumstances associated with a land use may justify a reduction in the parking requirements of this article.
B. 
The Zoning Hearing Board may permit a reduction, through a special exception, of the number of parking spaces to be initially developed as required by this article, provided that each of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) 
The applicant shall demonstrate to the Board, using existing and projected employment, customer, resident or other relevant data, that a reduction in the off-street parking spaces to be initially developed as required by this article is warranted.
(2) 
Plans; spaces reserved for future use.
(a) 
The applicant shall submit plans of the parking lots which designate a layout for the total number of parking spaces needed to comply with the parking requirement in this article.
(b) 
The plans shall clearly designate which of these parking spaces are proposed for immediate use and which spaces are proposed to be conditionally reserved for potential future use.
(c) 
The portion of the required parking spaces conditionally reserved for potential future use shall not be within areas for required buffer yards, setbacks or areas which would otherwise be unsuitable for parking spaces due to the physical characteristics of the land or other requirements of this chapter.
(d) 
Areas conditionally reserved for potential future use shall be attractively landscaped and remain in open space. Should areas reserved for future use include paved areas, this paved area shall qualify as attractively landscaped open space.
(3) 
Agreement.
(a) 
The applicant shall enter into an agreement with the Borough requiring the applicant to maintain each conditionally reserved area as attractively landscaped open space and convert some or all of the conditionally reserved area to additional off-street parking if at any time the Board finds, based upon the results of field investigations and recommendations of the Borough Engineer or Zoning Officer, that additional parking is needed.
(b) 
This agreement shall be recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds and shall contain covenants running with the land.
C. 
The Borough Council by a decision at a public meeting may permit at reduction in off-street parking to the Zoning Officer.
[Added 7-11-2024 by Ord. No. 2440]
(1) 
The applicant shall make a written request for a reduction in off-street parking to the Zoning Officer.
(2) 
After the written request is submitted to the Zoning Officer and prior to the applicant presenting the request for a reduction in off-street parking to Council, the applicant shall, at applicant's expense, confirm the identity of all property owners within a 200-foot radius of the lot lines of the property that is the subject of the off-street parking reduction request by use of the records at the Cumberland County Assessment Office, and provide written notice in a form provided by the Zoning Officer to all such property owners describing in detail the request being made, the justification for such request and encouraging the property owners and their tenants where applicable to provide written comments on the proposal to the Zoning Officer at the Borough municipal building address. The applicant's written notice shall be sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid and copies of all notices sent to the property owners must be provided to the Zoning Officer within one day after the notices are mailed to the property owners.
(3) 
After the applicant has provided the Zoning Officer with copies of all letters sent to the property owners as required in Subsection C(2) above, the Zoning Officer shall inform the applicant of the meeting date and time when the request will be considered by Borough Council. The meeting date at which Council would consider the application shall not occur less than 15 days after written notice required by Subsection C(2).
(4) 
The applicant shall demonstrate to Borough Council at the meeting that a reduction in off-street parking spaces is warranted based on the presentation to Council using data as specified in Subsection B(1), above;
(5) 
Upon Borough Council making a decision as noted in Subsection C, above, permitting a reduction of the number of off-street parking spaces, the applicant shall pay a one-time fee to the Borough for each reduced off-street parking space in the amount as established in Chapter 120, which amount shall be subject to modification from time to time by resolution of Borough Council; and
(6) 
Upon payment of the fee in full noted in Subsection C(5), above, the Zoning Officer shall issue a zoning permit noting the approval issued by Borough Council, receipt of payment of the applicable fee, the property location and the number of reduced off-street parking spaces approved for the subject property.
A. 
Two or more uses may provide for required parking in a common parking lot, provided that the total number of spaces in such lot shall not be less than the sum of the spaces required for each use individually, except as provided below, and provided that such parking lot is within 300 feet walking distance of all of the principal uses served by such lot or within 1,500 feet from the principal use, measured along lines of public access which includes walking distance in the C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5, UM, R-4, and R-5 Zoning Districts.
[Amended 3-14-2024 by Ord. No. 2435]
B. 
The applicant may seek to prove that the parking requirement should be reduced under the provisions of § 255-208 because the uses would have their peak parking at different times of the day. An applicant choosing to propose a development utilizing shared parking shall submit a parking demand summary sheet showing the process for calculating the reduction, as outlined in this section.
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015]
(1) 
The minimum number of parking spaces that are to be provided and maintained for each use shall be determined based on standard methods for determining minimum parking supply at a particular development.
(2) 
The gross minimum number of parking spaces shall be multiplied by the "occupancy rate," as found in Table 255-209.B.1, for each use for the weekday night, daytime and evening periods, and weekend night, daytime and evening periods respectively.
(3) 
The gross minimum numbers of parking spaces for each of the purposes referred to for each time period shall be added to produce the aggregate gross minimum numbers of parking spaces for each time period.
(4) 
The greatest of the aggregative gross minimum numbers of parking spaces for each period shall be determined and represent the minimum number of parking spaces to be provided.
Table 255-209.B.1 - Parking Occupancy Rates
Monday through Friday
Saturday and Sunday
Uses
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight
12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight
12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m.
Office, warehouse, industrial
100%
20%
5%
5%
5%
5%
Commercial
90%
80%
5%
100%
70%
5%
Hotel
70%
100%
100%
70%
100%
100%
Restaurant
70%
100%
10%
70%
100%
20%
Movie theater
40%
80%
10%
80%
100%
10%
Entertainment
40%
100%
10%
80%
100%
50%
Conference/ convention
100%
100%
5%
100%
100%
5%
Institutional (non-church)
100%
20%
5%
10%
10%
5%
Institutional (church)
10%
5%
5%
100%
50%
5%
C. 
The applicant for reduced parking under this section shall prove to the Zoning Officer that permanent easements are in effect that guarantee each use the right to use any shared driveways or parking including:
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015]
(1) 
A covenant must be executed and recorded with the Cumberland County Recorder of Deeds guaranteeing that the owner will provide the additional spaces directly or by payment of in-lieu fees, where permitted, if the Planning Commission, upon thorough investigation of the actual use of parking spaces at the building within two years of initial occupancy, recommends to Council that the approved reduction be modified or revoked. Said covenant shall meet the same requirements for covenants set forth in other sections of this document. The Borough must document insufficient parking supply by showing occupancy rates over 98% for at least two consecutive hours on at least three separate days within a single month.
(2) 
Fee of guarantee. The owner shall pay a fee at the time of permit plan approval that will be applied towards the cost of a parking study of actual parking accumulation to be carried out within one to two years of occupancy.
(3) 
Exception. The covenant guaranteeing either additional spaces or payment of in-lieu fees [Subsection C(1) above] and the fee for follow-up parking study [Subsection C(2) above] may be waived when the Borough will certify that previous experience of similar shared parking projects indicates it is unlikely a serious deficiency would result.
D. 
If a privately owned parking facility is to serve two or more separate properties, a legal agreement between the property owners shall be entered into and recorded with the Cumberland County Recorder of Deeds guaranteeing access to, use of, and management of designated spaces. This agreement shall follow a model agreement approved by the Borough's Solicitor.
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015]
A. 
Conflict with other uses. No parking area shall be used for any other use that interferes with its availability for the parking need it is required to serve. This includes storage or display of materials or vehicles.
B. 
Paving, grading and drainage. Except for areas that are landscaped and so maintained, all portions of required parking and off-street loading facilities, including driveways, shall be graded, surfaced with asphalt or concrete and drained in ways necessary to prevent dust, erosion or excessive water flow across streets or adjoining properties. Gravel, structural soil reinforcement systems or another surface other than asphalt may be allowed by the Planning Commission for parking areas that are used primarily for long-term storage or occasional use.
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015]
C. 
Nighttime illumination.
(1) 
Any parking area of 10 or more spaces shall have a minimum illumination of 0.5 candlepower, except for parking areas that are enclosed by a fence and not used during nighttime hours. This requirement may be met by preexisting lighting in the area if additional parking lot lighting is needed, it shall be provided at no cost to the Borough.
(2) 
All lighting fixtures used to illuminate parking areas shall be arranged to prevent glare into public streets and adjoining residences and residential districts.
(3) 
See also the glare control standards in Article XXIII.
D. 
No parking area shall be designed to require or encourage parked vehicles to back into a public street in order to leave a parking space, except for a single-family or two-family dwelling backing onto a street other than an arterial street.
E. 
Every parking area shall be designed so that each motor vehicle may proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring the moving of any other vehicle, except those of a single-family or two-family dwelling.
F. 
No parking area shall be located in a required buffer yard, except for driveways for dwelling units per § 255-202C.
G. 
No parking or other paved area shall be located within 10 feet of a septic system absorption area.
H. 
Defined traffic-ways. All parking areas shall include clearly defined and marked traffic patterns. In any lot with more than 30 off-street parking spaces, raised curbs and landscaped areas shall be used to direct traffic within the lot. Major vehicular routes shall be separated from major pedestrian routes within the lot by raised curbs, sidewalks and landscaped area.
I. 
Handicapped parking.
(1) 
The latest federal standards for handicapped parking developed by the American National Standards Institute are referenced.
(2) 
Number of spaces. Any lot including at least 10 off-street parking spaces shall include a minimum of one handicapped space. A minimum of 3% of all off-street parking spaces required for a use shall be handicapped spaces.
(3) 
Location. Handicapped parking spaces shall be located where they would result in the shortest possible accessible distance to an accessible building entrance.
(4) 
The minimum size shall be 13 by 18 feet for each space.
A. 
Paved area landscaping.
(1) 
Intent. This section is primarily intended to reduce the thermal pollution of surface waters from parking lot runoff.
(2) 
All areas not serving as parking spaces, aisles, access drives or pedestrian walkways shall be covered with an all-season ground cover and be well maintained.
(3) 
Any lot that would include more than 30 parking spaces shall be required to provide landscaped areas within the paved area. This required landscaped area shall be equal to a minimum of 5% of the total paved area.
(4) 
One deciduous tree shall be required for every 4,000 square feet of paved area. This number of trees shall be in addition to any trees required by any other section or by the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1] The tract shall meet the following standards:
(a) 
Types of trees permitted. Required trees shall be selected from the list of approved trees set forth in Appendix C [Attachment 3] [Approved Street Tree Planting List] of Chapter 239 [Trees] of the Code of the Borough of Carlisle, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Borough Zoning Officer or the Planning Commission that another type of tree would shade paved areas, be resistant to disease, road salt and air pollution, and be relatively attractive. If more than 20 trees are required, no more than 50% shall be of any one type.
[Amended 8-9-2012 by Ord. No. 2170, approved 8-9-2012]
(b) 
Quality of trees.
[1] 
Required trees shall be of nursery stock quality, symmetrical growth, free of insect pests and disease, durable under the maintenance contemplated and not susceptible to air pollution.
[2] 
Trees which have died or have become diseased or pest-ridden shall be replaced by the developer.
(c) 
Minimum size. The trunk diameter of each tree or planting, measured at a height of one foot above the finished grade level, shall be a minimum of two inches.
(d) 
Planting and maintenance.
[1] 
Trees shall be planted in conformance with good landscaping practices.
[2] 
Trees shall be properly protected by raised curbs or similar devices from damage from vehicles.
[3] 
Trees shall be properly maintained and shall not be removed without being replaced by another tree that meets the requirements of this section.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 226, Subdivision and Land Development.
(5) 
A substantial proportion of the trees required by this section should be planted within the parking lot within protected islands. These protected islands direct the flow of traffic through the parking lot in a smooth and safe manner to prevent cross-taxiing. Required trees are also encouraged to be planted in highly visible locations, especially at the edge of parking areas abutting arterial streets.
B. 
Paved area screening.
(1) 
Any paved area intended for the parking of five or more vehicles or the movement of vehicles within a lot shall include a suitable barrier as needed to prevent vehicle headlights from shining into any doors or windows of any dwelling or any undeveloped residentially zoned land located within 200 feet of the paved area.
(2) 
Unless specified by the applicable zoning district, the barrier required by this section shall be solid wooden fencing, brick walls or evergreen screening. The height of barrier shall be four feet, unless the Planning Commission determines that a higher or lower barrier is appropriate because of unusual topography or the type of vehicles using the paved area.
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015]
C. 
Additional landscaping. In addition to landscaping required by other provisions of this chapter and any other applicable Borough ordinances, the following landscaping shall be required for any principal use other than single-family dwelling units:
(1) 
For each 2,000 square feet of new or expanded building floor area, one evergreen or deciduous tree shall be planted and maintained.
(2) 
Evergreens planted to comply with Subsection C(1) shall have an initial height when planted of at least three feet and shall be a species that typically has a mature height of over six feet. American Arborvitae shall not be used to meet this requirement.
(3) 
Deciduous trees planted to comply with Subsection C(1) shall have an initial trunk diameter when planted of two inches measured one foot above the finished grade level and shall be a species that typically has a mature height of over 10 feet.
(4) 
To the maximum extent feasible, the landscaping required by this section shall be placed in highly visible locations, such as the front yard of buildings.
(5) 
The Zoning Officer may consider and include healthy and attractive existing landscaping to count towards this requirement if the applicant proves all Borough requirements would be met. For example, if a lot included 10,000 square feet of building area and eight evergreen trees in the front yard, then 6,000 square feet of additional building area could be developed without requiring additional landscaping under this Subsection C.
(6) 
This Subsection C shall not apply within the C-1 Central Business District.
(7) 
As part of the development of any new nonresidential structure, or portion thereof, at least one deciduous tree for each 60 feet of street frontage shall be planted. Plantings may be of irregular intervals. The Zoning Officer may consider existing healthy trees to satisfy this requirement.
(a) 
The trees shall be planted between the street right-of-way and the nearest off-street parking area or building. The location of the trees shall be shown on the land development plan and, where no plan is required, shall be approved by the Borough Engineer.
(b) 
The trees shall have a minimum trunk diameter when planted of two inches measured one foot above the finished grade level and shall meet the shade tree species requirements set forth in Chapter 239 of this Code.
D. 
Fencing. Any fencing shall be on the inside of any plant screening and any paved area setback.
A. 
Intent. Paved area setbacks are required to ensure that parked or moving vehicles within a lot do not obstruct sight distance or interfere with pedestrian traffic.
B. 
Applicability. The paved area setbacks in this section are applicable to all districts where paved area setbacks are not specified. The setback areas required by this section shall be maintained in grass or other appropriate natural ground cover and shall not be covered with paving, except for approved access and driveway entrances and concrete sidewalks of the required widths. The setbacks required by this section shall not apply to driveways serving one or two dwellings on a lot, but shall apply to all other parking areas.
C. 
All paved areas required by this section shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from any right-of-way or lot line unless a larger setback is required within a particular district. Parking areas may be located within a building setback area, provided the paved area setback is met.
A. 
Applicability. The parking requirements of this section shall apply to the following uses, in addition to all other requirements of this article: garden apartments, townhouses, commercial uses, industrial uses and institutional uses.
B. 
Interior circulation. The interior circulation of traffic shall be designed so that no driveway or street providing parking spaces shall be used as a through street. If parking spaces are indicated by lines with angles other than 90°, then traffic lanes shall be restricted to one-way, with suitable markings permitting head-in parking. No driveway or street used for interior circulation shall have traffic lanes less than 10 feet in width. Areas for loading shall be separate from customer parking areas.
C. 
Parking and paved areas. All parking areas shall be paved with an all-weather surface, asphalt, concrete or brick pavers but not gravel; all pedestrian walks shall be paved with an all-weather surface, asphalt, concrete, bricks or brick pavers; curbing shall be provided to separate parking areas, streets and driveways.
D. 
Off-street parking design standards.
(1) 
Parking spaces shall be clearly delineated by painted lines.
(2) 
Stalls shall be provided with bumper guards or wheel stops or curbing, when necessary for safety or protection, to adjacent structures or landscaped areas.
(3) 
Surface drainage shall be coordinated with any existing or proposed drainage system.
(4) 
All vehicular entrances and exits to parking areas shall be clearly designated for all conditions.
(5) 
Short-term visitor parking spaces shall be differentiated from long-term employee spaces by suitable markings.
(6) 
All parking areas shall be provided with landscaping and screening pursuant to the provisions of this article.
A. 
Intent. The intent of this section is to:
(1) 
Prevent residential areas from being harmed by nuisances from smells and noise from noxious commercial vehicles.
(2) 
Maintain a residential character in residential districts.
B. 
Exceptions. No part of this section shall apply to the following:
(1) 
Borough-owned vehicles.
(2) 
Ambulance, fire and rescue vehicles.
(3) 
Buses used primarily for transporting public or private school children.
(4) 
Recreational vehicles.
(5) 
Vehicles owned and operated by the United States Postal Service.
(6) 
Vehicles actually engaged in the construction or repair of streets, curbs or sidewalks or utilities.
(7) 
Vehicles actually engaged in making routine household deliveries or rendering routine household services to a property abutting or that is part of the location where the vehicle is parked.
C. 
Storage of commercial vehicles in residential districts restricted. No commercial vehicle (see definition in Article II) shall be maintained (except emergency repairs), parked, stored or otherwise kept within a lot that is within a residential district between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. any day of the week. This shall not apply to lawful nonconforming uses.
A. 
General requirements. Each use shall provide off-street loading facilities sufficient to accommodate the maximum demand generated by the use, as determined by the Zoning Officer or another applicable review agent for the Borough, which facilities comply with the regulations contained in this section. For the purposes of this section, loading shall include unloading and vice versa.
B. 
Standards for loading facilities. All off-street loading and unloading spaces shall meet the following standards:
(1) 
At least one space shall be of sufficient dimensions, as determined by the Zoning Officer, to easily accommodate the largest vehicle that will be used for loading and unloading.
(2) 
Loading facilities shall have paved surfaces.
(3) 
Areas required for loading and unloading areas shall not also be used to meet off-street parking requirements.
(4) 
An appropriate means of access to a street shall be provided that the maximum width of driveways, measured at the street lot line, shall be 35 feet and that the minimum width shall be 20 feet.
(5) 
No such facilities shall be designed or used in any manner so as to constitute a nuisance, a hazard or unreasonable impediment to traffic.
C. 
Location.
(1) 
No loading facility shall be located between the improvement setback line and the cartway line or within any required paved area setback.
(2) 
No loading facility shall be located more than 300 feet from a building entrance.
[Amended 5-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2222, approved 5-14-2015]
(3) 
Each space shall be located entirely on the lot being serviced and be so located that each space and all maneuvering room is outside of required buffer areas, off-street parking setbacks and street rights-of-way.