City of Sunbury, PA Off-Street Parking

Parking spaces shall be provided to lessen congestion in the streets. The parking spaces and areas provided for herein shall be available throughout the hours of operation of the particular use or business for which they are provided.

Parking spaces may be located on a lot other than that containing the principal use when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board, provided that such spaces comply with the following:

(1)

The distance between the principal use and the lot containing the parking spaces shall be no more than 300 feet.

(2)

The parking spaces shall be located on a municipal lot or shall be subject to deed restrictions filed in an office of record, binding the owner of the lot used for parking and his heirs and/or assigns to maintain the required number of spaces throughout the life of the principal use.

All parking spaces shall be ample in size for the vehicles for which use is intended. The net parking space per vehicle shall not be less than nine feet wide when measured at right angles to the edge of the parking area and 20 feet long. Parking spaces, and the approaches thereto, shall be deemed to be a part of the open space of the lot on which they are located.

A garage or carport may be wholly or partly located inside the walls of the principal building or attached to the outer walls. The garage may be constructed under a yard or court, provided that the level of such yard or court shall conform to the general level of the other yards or courts on the lot. The space above an underground garage shall be deemed to be part of the open space of the lot on which it is located.

Any structure or building hereafter erected, converted or enlarged for any of the following uses, or any open area hereafter used for any purpose, shall be provided with not less than minimum parking spaces, as set forth hereinafter, which spaces shall be readily accessible to the uses served thereby. Fractional numbers of parking spaces shall be increased to the next whole number.

(1)

Dwellings: two parking spaces for each dwelling unit.

(a)

Low-income: one parking space for each dwelling unit.

(b)

High rise for elderly: one parking space for each two dwelling units.

(2)

Apartments: the total number of parking or garage spaces shall be not less than 1 1/2 times the number of dwelling units in the building. A garage accessory to the apartment shall provide only for the storage of vehicles of the owner, tenants and employees.

(a)

Low-income: one parking space for each dwelling unit.

(b)

High rise for elderly: one parking space for each two dwelling units.

(3)

Rooming houses, hotels, motels and tourist houses: at least one parking space for each guest room, plus one additional space for every two full-time employees. If a restaurant in connection with the above is open to the public, the off-street parking facilities shall be not less than those required for restaurants, in addition to those required for guest rooms.

(4)

Theaters, auditoriums, churches, stadiums or any other place of public or private assembly: at least one parking space for each four seats provided for public or private assembly.

(5)

Retail stores: at least one parking space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area, exclusive of areas not used for sale or display of merchandise.

(6)

Restaurants and bars: at least one parking space for every four customer seats, plus one additional space for every two full-time employees.

(7)

Office buildings: at least one parking space for each 200 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof.

(8)

Shopping centers: at least two parking spaces shall be provided for each 100 square feet of floor area devoted to selling, display and patron use.

(9)

Industrial and wholesale establishments: at least one parking space for each two employees per shift.

(10)

Major garages or automobile service stations: at least four parking spaces for each service bay.

(11)

Hospitals and sanatoriums: parking space shall be provided for visitors at the rate of at least one parking space for each three accommodations (beds) for patients, plus one parking space for each two full-time employees.

(12)

Open areas used for recreational purposes, such as parks, playgrounds, playfields, miniature golf courses and other uses similar in character: at least one parking space for each 1,500 square feet of area or fraction thereof.

(13)

Dance halls, roller rinks, clubs, lodges and other similar places: at least one parking space for each 100 square feet of floor area.

(14)

Mortuaries, funeral homes and undertaking establishments: at least one parking space for each four seats for public use. Such space shall be in addition to:

(a)

Employee parking needs.

(b)

Service area for mobile equipment such as hearses and ambulances.

(15)

Swimming pools: where a swimming pool is the principal use, at least one parking space for each four persons, based upon the designed capacity of the pool.

(16)

Laundromats: at least one parking space for every two washing machines.

(17)

Public or private schools:

(a)

Public schools: at least one parking space for each 20 students or, if facilities for assembly are provided, at least one parking space for each four seats, whichever is greater.

(b)

Private schools: at least one parking space for each two students.

(18)

Public utilities, including substations and water pumping stations: at least one parking space plus such additional spaces as may be required by this subsection.

No part of the public right-of-way of any street or road shall be used in computing the required area for parking; however, parallel parking may be permitted along the curb or edge of an access drive or private road, in addition to the required width for the circulation of vehicles.

When parking requirements for a use are not addressed by this chapter, the Zoning Hearing Board shall make a determination as to the required parking spaces. No zoning permit shall be issued by the Zoning Officer until this determination has been made.