Township of West Lampeter, PA Off-Street Parking and Loading

Number of spaces. Each use that is newly developed, enlarged, significantly changed in type of use or increased in number of establishments shall provide and maintain off-street parking spaces in accordance with the Table of Off-Street Parking Requirements[1] and the regulations of this article.

Editor's Note: The Table of Off-Street Parking Requirements is included at the end of this article.

Uses not listed. Uses not specifically listed in the Table of Off-Street Parking Requirements shall comply with the requirements for the most similar use listed in the table, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Officer that an alternative standard should be used for that use.

Multiple uses. Where a proposed lot contains or includes more than one type of use, the number of parking spaces required shall be the sum of the parking requirements for each separate use.

(4)

Parking landscaping. See §§ 285-65 and 285-66 of this chapter.

§ 285-52 General regulations for off-street parking.

General. Parking spaces and accessways shall be laid out to result in safe and orderly use, and to fully take into account all of the following: vehicular access onto and off the site, vehicular movement within the site, loading areas, pedestrian patterns and any drive-through facilities. No parking area shall cause a safety hazard or impediment to traffic off the lot.

Existing parking.

Any parking spaces serving such preexisting structures or uses at the time of adoption of this chapter shall not in the future be reduced in number below the number required by this chapter.

If a new principal nonresidential building is constructed on a lot, then any existing parking on such lot that serves such building shall be reconfigured to comply with this chapter, including but not limited to requirements for channelization of traffic from adjacent streets, channelization of traffic within the lot, minimum aisle widths, paving and landscaping.

Change in use or expansion. A structure or use in existence at the effective date of this chapter that expands or changes in use an existing principal building shall be required to provide all of the required parking for the entire size and type of the resulting use, except as follows:

If an existing lawful use includes less parking than would be required if the use would be newly developed, then that deficit of parking shall be grandfathered for reuses of an existing building. For example, an existing store might include three parking spaces and would have been required to provide six spaces if it was newly developed. Therefore, there is an existing nonconforming deficit of four spaces. Then, if that store is converted to an office that would need 10 spaces, the office would need to provide a total of six spaces (10 spaces minus the preexisting deficit of four equals six).

If a nonresidential use expands by an aggregate total maximum of 5% in the applicable measurement (such as building floor area) beyond what existed at the time of adoption of this chapter, then no additional parking is required. For example, if an existing building included 3,000 square feet, and a single minor addition of 150 square feet was proposed, then additional parking would not be required. This addition without providing new parking shall only be allowed one time per lot.

Continuing obligation of parking and loading spaces. All required numbers of parking spaces and off-street loading spaces shall be available as long as the use or building which the spaces serve still exist, and such spaces shall not be reduced in number below the minimum required by this chapter. No required parking area or off-street loading spaces shall be used for any other use (such as storage or display of materials) that interferes with the area's availability for parking.

Location of parking.

Required off-street parking spaces shall be on the same lot or abutting lot with the principal use served, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board as a special exception that a method of providing the spaces is guaranteed to be available during all of the years the use is in operation within 300 feet walking distance from the entrance of the principal use being served. Such distance may be increased to 500 feet for employee parking of a nonresidential use. A written and signed lease shall be provided, if applicable.

The Zoning Hearing Board may require that the use be approved for a period of time consistent with the lease of the parking, and that a renewal of the permit shall only be approved if the parking lease is renewed.

Reduction of parking requirements as a special exception.

Purposes: to minimize the amount of land covered by paving, while making sure adequate parking is provided; to recognize that unique circumstances may justify a reduction in parking.

As a special exception, the Zoning Hearing Board may authorize a reduction in the number of off-street parking spaces required to be provided for a use if the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board that a lesser number of spaces would be sufficient.

The applicant shall provide evidence justifying the proposed reduced number of spaces, such as studies of similar developments during their peak hours. The applicant shall also provide relevant data, such as numbers of employers, peak expected number of customers/visitors and similar data.

(b)

Under this section, an applicant may prove that a reduced number of parking spaces is justified because more than one principal use will share the same parking. In such case, the applicant shall prove that the parking has been designed to encourage shared use and that long-term agreements ensure that the parking will continue to be shared. The amount of the reduction in parking should be determined based upon whether the different uses have different hours of peak demand and/or overlapping customers.

In addition, an applicant may prove that parking needs will be reduced or that off-site parking is feasible because the applicant agrees to make a long-term commitment to a shuttle service for residents or employees.

(c)

Reserved area for additional parking. Under this section, the Zoning Hearing Board may require that a portion of the required parking be met through a reservation of an area for future parking. The Board may require the reservation for a certain number of years or an indefinite period corresponding to the years the buildings are in use.

Such reservation shall be in a form acceptable to the Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor that legally binds current and future owners of the land to keep the reserved parking area in open space and then to provide the additional parking if the Township determines it is necessary. A deed restriction is recommended.

[2]

If approved under this Subsection F(2)(c), the applicant shall present a site plan to the Zoning Officer that shows the layout that will be used for the additional parking if the parking is required to be provided in the future. The site plan shall show that the additional parking is integrated with the overall traffic access and pedestrian access for the site and that the additional parking will be able to meet Township requirements.

[3]

The additional parking that is reserved under this subsection shall be required to be kept as landscaped open area until such time as the Zoning Hearing Board decision may authorize the land's release from the restriction or until the Township may require that the land be developed as parking.

[4]

The Zoning Officer shall periodically review the sufficiency of the parking that is provided. If the Zoning Officer in the future determines that the reserved parking is needed to meet actual demand, he/she shall provide written notice to the property owner. The property owner shall then have one year to develop the reserved area into off-street parking in compliance with this chapter.

§ 285-53 Design standards for off-street parking.

General requirements.

Backing onto a street. 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 with its access onto a local street or parking court. Parking spaces may back onto an alley.

Every required parking space 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, unless specifically permitted otherwise.

Parking areas shall not be within a required buffer yard or street right-of-way.

(4)

Separation from street. Except for parking spaces immediately in front of individual dwellings, all areas for off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading and the storage or movement of motor vehicles shall be physically separated from the street by a continuous grass or landscaped planting strip, except for necessary and approved vehicle entrances and exits to the lot.

(5)

Stacking and obstructions. Each lot shall provide adequate area upon the lot to prevent backup of vehicles on a public street while awaiting entry to the lot or while waiting for service at a drive-through facility.

Size and marking of parking spaces.

Each parking space shall be a rectangle with a minimum width of nine feet and a minimum length of 18 feet, except the minimum-sized rectangle shall be eight feet by 22 feet for parallel parking.

For handicapped spaces, see Subsection F below.

All spaces shall be marked to indicate their location, except those of a one- or two-family dwelling.

Aisles.

Each aisle providing for one-way traffic to access parking stalls shall have the following minimum mso-element-frame width:

	Angle of Parking (degrees)	Minimum Aisle Width (feet)
	Parallel or 30	12
	45	14
	60	18
	90	20

Each aisle providing access to stalls for two-way traffic shall be a minimum of 22 feet in width, except a width of 20 feet may be allowed for parking areas with spaces that are parallel or involve an angle of parking of 45° or less.

Accessways and driveways.

Width of driveway/accessway at entrance onto a public street, at the edge of the cartway:*

		1-Way Use	2-Way Use
	Minimum	12 feet *	25 feet *
	Maximum	20 feet *	30 feet *

Unless a different standard is required by PennDOT for an entrance to a state road or the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Officer that a wider width is needed for tractor-trailer trucks.

Drainage. Adequate provisions shall be made to maintain uninterrupted parallel drainage along a public street at the point of driveway entry. The Township may require an applicant to install an appropriate type and size of pipe at a driveway crossing.

Residential driveways: see § 285-70.

[Added 12-10-2007 by Ord. No. 202]

Paving, grading and drainage.

Parking and loading facilities, including driveways, shall be graded and adequately drained to prevent erosion or excessive water flow across streets or adjoining properties.

Except for landscaped areas, all portions of required parking, loading facilities and driveways shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete, paving block or other low-dust materials preapproved by the Township.

However, by special exception, the Zoning Hearing Board may allow parking areas with low or seasonal usage to be maintained in stone, grass or other suitable surfaces. For example, the Board may allow parking spaces to be grass, while major aisles are covered by stone.

(b)

If the design and material are found acceptable by the Township Engineer, portions of parking areas may be covered with a low-dust porous parking surface that is designed to promote groundwater recharge. This might include porous asphalt or pervious concrete placed over open graded gravel and crushed stone. Porous parking surfaces shall not be allowed in areas routinely used by heavy trucks.

(c)

Curbing should not be required in parking areas except where absolutely necessary to control stormwater runoff.

Lighting of parking areas. See "light and glare control" in Article V.[1]

Editor's Note: See § 285-50.

Parking for persons with disabilities/handicapped parking.

Number of spaces. Any lot including four or more off-street parking spaces shall include a minimum of one handicapped space. The following number of handicapped spaces shall be provided, unless a different number of spaces is officially required under the Federal Americans With Disabilities Act:

	Total No. of Parking Spaces on the Lot	Required Minimum No./Percentage of Handicapped Parking Spaces
	4 to 15	1
	16 to 40	2
	41 to 65	3
	66 to 100	4
	101 to 150	5
	151 to 200	6
	201 to 300	7
	301 to 400	8
	401 to 500	9
	501 to 1,000	2% of required number of spaces
	1,001 or more	20 plus 1% of required number of spaces over 1,000

Location. Handicapped parking spaces shall be located where they would result in the shortest reasonable accessible distance to a handicapped-accessible building entrance. Curb cuts shall be provided as needed to provide access from the handicapped spaces.

Minimum size. Each required handicapped parking space shall be eight feet by 18 feet. In addition, each space shall be adjacent to a five feet wide access aisle. Such access aisle may be shared by two handicapped spaces by being placed between them. However, one out of every eight required handicapped parking spaces shall have an adjacent access aisle of eight-foot width instead of five feet.

(4)

Slope. Handicapped parking spaces shall be located in areas of less than 2% slope in any direction.

(5)

Marking. All required handicapped spaces shall be well-marked by clearly visible signs and by pavement markings. Such signs and markings shall be maintained over time. Blue paint is recommended. The amount of the fine for violations shall be noted on signs that are visible to persons parking in the space.

(6)

Paving. Handicapped parking spaces and adjacent areas needed to access them with a wheelchair shall be covered with a smooth surface that is usable with a wheelchair.

Paved area setbacks (including off-street parking setbacks).

Intent. To ensure that parked or moving vehicles within a lot do not obstruct sight distance or interfere with pedestrian traffic, to aid in stormwater management along streets and to prevent vehicles from entering or exiting a lot other than at approved driveways.

Any new or expanded paved area serving a principal nonresidential use shall be separated from a public street by a planting strip. The planting strip shall have a minimum width of 15 feet and be maintained in grass or other attractive vegetative ground cover. At least 10 feet of the planting strip shall be outside of the existing street right-of-way. This fifteen-foot width shall be increased to 20 feet for a lot including 100 to 250 parking spaces and to 25 feet for a lot including more than 250 parking spaces.

The planting strip shall not include heights or locations of plants that would obstruct safe sight distances but may include deciduous trees that motorists can view under the leaf canopy.

(b)

The planting strip may be placed inward from the shoulder of an uncurbed street or inward from the curb of a curbed street. The planting strip may overlap the street right-of-way, provided it does not conflict with PennDOT requirements, and provided that the Township and PennDOT, as applicable, maintain the right to replace planting areas within the right-of-way with future street improvements.

(c)

Township-approved sidewalks, recreation paths and approximately perpendicular driveway crossings may be placed within the planting strip. Mostly vegetative stormwater channels may be placed within the planting strip.

(d)

The following shall be prohibited within the planting strip:

Paving, except as allowed by Subsection H(2)(c) above, and except for street widenings that may occur after the development is completed;

[2]

Fences; and

[3]

Parking, storage or display of vehicles or items for sale or rent.

(e)

Where feasible, where a sidewalk is not installed, this setback should include an unobstructed generally level width running parallel to a street that is suitable for a person to walk.