Town of Lincoln, RI Parking and Loading

Accessory parking is recognized as an integral and important part of all types of development, and any use of the land is required to take care of its own parking needs by providing space to park the cars used by occupants, employees and visitors. No land shall be used or occupied and no building or structure shall be erected, altered, used or enlarged unless adequate off-street parking is provided. The following requirements shall be deemed as the minimum number of spaces required for each use:

	Use	Minimum Number of Required Parking Spaces
	Residential	2 spaces for each dwelling unit
	Senior residential communities	1.5 spaces per dwelling unit
	Temporary lodging	1 space for each room or suite, plus 1 space for every 2 employees
	Government and institutional service	1 space for each employee, plus 1 space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area
	Elementary and junior high schools	3 spaces for each classroom
	Private and public high schools	3 spaces for each classroom, plus 1 space for every 10 students of capacity
	Postsecondary school or college	1 space for each 3 students of capacity
	Office uses	1 space for every 300 square feet of gross floor area
	Restaurants and entertainment	1 space for every 4 seats or for every 4 persons of capacity, plus 1 space for each employee
	Retail, sales and service business	1 space for every 200 square feet of gross floor area
	Transportation uses	1 space for each 400 square feet of gross floor area
	Manufacturing and wholesale uses	1 space for every 2 employees
	All other uses	1 space for every 300 square feet of gross floor area

Construction requirements.

(1)

In allocating space for off-street parking facilities, each car space shall have a minimum width of nine feet and a minimum length of 20 feet. In allocating space for off-street parking in a CR-2 Zoning District, car spaces with a width of nine feet and a length of 18 feet, which were in existence as of January 1, 2015, may be maintained, relocated and/or replaced with spaces having a minimum width of nine feet and a minimum length of 18 feet.

[Amended 9-15-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-10]

(2)

There shall be adequate space allocated to permit access to all car spaces, with adequate off-street area for approach, turning and exit. In no case shall the gross lot area per car space be less than 240 square feet. The requirements of this subsection do not apply to detached single- or two-family dwellings.

(3)

The interior of parking areas shall be suitably landscaped. Such landscaping shall be appropriately located to prevent long, uninterrupted rows of parking spaces and to provide for orderly traffic flow in the parking area.

(4)

Parking areas shall be covered with a hard, dust-free surface. Parking areas for more than 20 cars shall have each space marked with painted lines. However, in environmentally sensitive areas, the Zoning Enforcement Officer may allow the use of pervious materials to minimize runoff.

(5)

Lighting fixtures used to illuminate parking areas shall direct the light away from adjoining property and away from adjacent streets. Freestanding light poles shall not exceed 20 feet in height.

(6)

Parking areas for more than 20 cars shall be suitably illuminated. However, parking areas shall not be illuminated from 1/2 hour after closing time to 1/2 hour before opening time, or from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Written authorization is required from the Zoning Enforcement Officer for lighting between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

(7)

Parking areas shall provide for appropriate and adequate drainage of surface water. Parking areas shall not drain onto a public road. The requirement for this subsection does not apply to detached single-family or two-family dwellings.

(8)

Where possible, the parking area should be separated from a street right-of-way by a six-foot landscaped setback.

(9)

The location and extent of the curb cuts shall be determined by the responsible agency. Numerous, unnecessary or excessive curb cuts are prohibited.

Plans for new parking areas of more than 20 cars shall be submitted to the Zoning Enforcement Officer for review. All necessary state or local permits shall be part of the submittal requirements. The Zoning Enforcement Officer may forward these plans to the Planning Board for review.

All parking facilities, provided under this article, must be constructed on the site of the main use. Off-street parking for business or manufacturing use shall not be located in a residential district.

Any parking area shall be kept by the owner in a neat and attractive manner. The owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of the landscaping.

A parking area for more than 20 cars adjacent to or within a residential district shall have an opaque fence maintained between such parking area and the adjoining residential district. Such fence shall be not less than four or more than six feet in height. A compact evergreen screen not less than five feet in height may be used in place of the fence.

No part of an off-street parking area required for any building or use shall be included as part of an off-street parking area similarly required for another building or use. This shall not prohibit the joint use of a parking area if the total of spaces meets or exceeds the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately. Spaces may be shared by two or more uses if the applicants can clearly show that the periods of parking area usage will not be simultaneous with each other.

No recreational vehicles shall be stored for a period in excess of three months unless it is in a condition for safe and effective performance of the function for which it is intended and, where applicable, registered and inspected under state law.

The off-street parking spaces associated with a use as provided for by this article shall be a continuing obligation of the present or future owner of any premises and shall not be reduced, changed, encroached upon or discontinued unless a change in the parking requirements occurs due to a change in use of the premises.

No land shall be used or occupied and structures shall be erected or used for commercial or industrial purposes unless the off-street loading space required herein is provided. Off-street loading spaces shall be provided, subject to the requirements of this section, for any enlargement or alteration to any existing structure or use.

The off-street loading spaces required by this chapter shall be in all cases on the same lot or parcel of land as the use or structure they are intended to serve. In no case shall any required off-street loading space be part of an area used to satisfy the off-street parking requirements of this chapter. To the extent possible, loading areas shall be to the rear of any building.

For each commercial and industrial enterprise of over 2,500 square feet of gross floor area or ground area in which commodities are sold, displayed, serviced, repaired, altered, or fabricated as a principal use of the enterprise, there shall be at least one off-street loading space. For uses with more than 40,000 square feet of gross floor area, there shall be at least two off-street loading spaces. For uses with more than 80,000 square feet of gross floor area, there shall be at least three off-street loading spaces. Thereafter, there shall be at least one off-street loading space for each additional 40,000 square feet of gross floor area. Additional off-street loading spaces shall be required by the Zoning Enforcement Officer when necessary to provide adequate area for off-street loading. Accessory temporary lodging in the Commercial Recreational 2 Zoning District shall require a single off-street loading space appurtenant to the temporary lodging structure.

[Amended 9-15-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-10]

Each off-street loading space shall provide a minimum space of 60 feet in length, 14 feet in width, and 15 feet of vertical clearance.

Detailed plans for off-street loading space provisions shall be required before the issuance of any building permit.