Borough of Crafton, PA Off-Street Parking and Loading

Each off-street parking space shall have an area of not less than 162 square feet, exclusive of access drives or aisles, and shall have minimum dimensions of nine feet in width and 18 feet in length. Handicapped parking spaces shall have an area of not less than 266 square feet, exclusive of access drives or aisles, and shall have minimum dimensions of 14 feet in width and 19 feet in length. Van accessible spaces shall be at least 17 feet in width.

Single-lane driveways which provide access to parking areas shall be a minimum of 12 feet wide; two-lane driveways shall be a minimum of 24 feet wide. One-way aisles accessing parking spaces shall be a minimum of 18 feet wide. Two-way aisles between parking spaces shall be a minimum of 24 feet wide.

Parking spaces shall be aligned at no less than 60º. If parking spaces are aligned at less than 90º, the aisles accessing the parking spaces shall be restricted to one-way traffic and the parking spaces shall be designed for head-in parking only.

The maximum permissible slope of any parking area, including all aisles and driveways, shall be 7%. If parking spaces are provided in areas which exceed 5% slope, all parking spaces shall be parallel to the contour lines of the area.

Alternate design. The Borough Council may approve alternate parking design standards for special situations such as dead car storage areas, attendant parking facilities, long-term parking facilities, small car requirements, etc. The Borough Council shall have reasonable assurance that the special situation will be continuous and permanent and that the proposed standards are adequate.

Handicapped parking. Handicapped parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Borough's Construction Code (Chapter 90) and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

Parking area traffic control. All parking areas which are laid out in more than two rows of parking stalls shall have traffic control structures erected thereon in locations where deemed necessary by the Borough Council for the safe and efficient flow of internal vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Such structures shall consist of curbs, sidewalks or parking aisle separators, extending not less than six inches above the finished surface of the lot, or planted and landscaped areas, or other equivalent devices as may be approved by the Borough Council. Any such planted area shall be protected by poured concrete curbing to prevent vehicle encroachment thereon.

Access. Access to parking areas shall be provided in accordance with the following requirements:

Where an existing lot does not adjoin a public or private street, alley or easement of access, an access drive shall be provided leading to the parking area.

Access to off-street parking areas shall be limited to defined driveway locations, and in no case shall there be unrestricted access along the length of a street. In any zoning district, other than a residential district, the street frontage shall be curbed to restrict access to the lot, except where access drives are proposed.

The number of access drives from a single lot or development to any public street shall not exceed two for every 400 feet of street frontage.

Access drives entering state highways are subject to a highway occupancy permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Access drives entering county roads are subject to approval by the Allegheny County Department of Public Works. Access to Borough streets shall comply with Chapter 193 (Streets and Sidewalks) of the Crafton Borough Code, shall be graded to conform to existing topography and shall be designed so that drainage will not adversely impact the street or adjacent properties.

(5)

Each parking space shall have access directly to an aisle. Interior circulation of traffic shall be designed so that no aisle providing access to parking spaces shall be used as a through street. Interior traffic circulation shall be designed to ensure safety and access by emergency vehicles.

Safety requirements. Borough Council, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission and Borough Engineer, shall consider whether safety requirements are warranted to reduce traffic hazards which endanger public safety. The developer shall be responsible for construction of any required islands, acceleration, deceleration or turning lanes and shall bear the cost of installing any required traffic control devices, signs or pavement markings on public streets within and adjacent to the boundaries of the development site.

Marking. In parking areas which contain five or more spaces, all parking spaces shall be clearly delineated by painted lines or markers. Parking spaces shall be provided with bumper guards or wheel stops, where necessary, for safety or protection to adjacent structures, walkways, roadways or landscaped areas. All vehicular entrances and exits to parking areas shall be clearly marked for all conditions. Short-term visitor parking spaces shall be differentiated from long-term employee parking spaces by suitable markings. Handicapped parking shall be appropriately marked.

Parking areas serving residential dwellings.

Parking requirements for all single-family, two-family and townhouse dwellings shall be met by providing the required spaces in an enclosed garage or on a private driveway or a parking pad on the lot surfaced in accordance with § 225-104M. Parking for garden apartments shall be provided in a paved, striped and curbed off-street parking area.

Parking pads and driveways serving single-family, two-family and townhouse dwellings may be paved to the property line when a driveway leading to the parking pad exists along the property line. All other parking pads shall not be paved closer to the property line than three feet.

Driveways serving residential dwellings shall have a minimum width of eight feet and a maximum width of 20 feet and shall not exceed 15% slope.

Garages in joint ownership, having party walls along common property lines, shall be permitted, provided each space served by a paved driveway is in separate ownership or an easement or other agreement for a shared driveway is recorded with the deed.

Parking areas serving uses other than residential dwellings. Parking requirements for all uses other than residential dwellings shall be met by providing a paved, striped and curbed off-street parking area designed in accordance with the requirements of this article.

Location of parking areas. Required parking spaces shall be located on the same lot with the principal use, unless approved by Borough Council upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, provided the off-site parking area meets the following standards:

For multiple-family dwellings, in a community parking area or community garage within 300 feet of the structure;

For places of assembly, in a garage or parking area within 500 feet of the structure;

For other nonresidential uses, in a garage or parking area within 300 feet of the structure, provided that certification is made to the Borough that the required number of spaces are available for the structure during the normal hours of its use.

Setback of parking areas. No parking area containing more than five parking spaces shall be located closer than 10 feet to any adjacent property line. Parking shall not be permitted in the required front yard in any S Conservancy or R Residential Zoning District. Parking shall be permitted in the required front yard in any C Zoning District, provided the parking shall be located at least five feet from the public street right-of-way line.

Screening and landscaping.

Parking areas containing more than five parking spaces shall be effectively screened by Buffer Area C, as defined by § 225-121 of this chapter, along any property line which adjoins any dwelling in an R-1 or R-2 Zoning District.

In addition, a planting strip at least five-feet-wide shall be provided between the edge of the right-of-way and any parking area authorized in any yard which fronts on a street. Planting strips between the right-of-way and the parking area shall be suitably landscaped and maintained in grass, ground cover or other landscaping material not in excess of three feet in height, which shall not obstruct visibility for traffic entering or leaving the lot or traveling on the public street.

In parking areas containing more than 20 spaces, at least 5% of the interior parking area shall be landscaped with plantings and one tree for each 10 parking spaces shall be installed.

Surfacing. All parking areas and access drives shall have a paved surface as required by this subsection and shall be graded with positive drainage to dispose of surface water in a manner that shall not affect adjacent properties.

In S and R Districts: All driveways and parking areas accessory to single-family and two-family dwellings shall be paved with asphalt, concrete, brick, interlocking stone or equivalent material.

In S and R Districts, all driveways and parking areas accessory to multifamily dwellings and other authorized nonresidential uses shall have an eight-inch base with an asphalt or concrete top of two-inch minimum or a design of higher strength.

In C, P and I Districts, all driveways and parking areas accessory to all authorized uses shall have an eight-inch base with an asphalt or concrete top of two-inch minimum, or a design of higher strength.

Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be designed to reflect the light away from the adjacent premises and away from any streets or highways. The lighting system proposed to illuminate parking areas accessory to multifamily or nonresidential uses shall furnish an average minimum of 1.0 footcandle distributed throughout the site during hours of operation.

§ 225-105 Off-street parking requirements.

Any new use or change of use in any zoning district shall comply with the following minimum requirements for the provision of off-street parking spaces.

Calculation of requirements. When the calculation of required parking spaces results in a requirement of a fractional parking space, any fraction shall be counted as one parking space.

Multiple uses on a lot. Where more than one use exists on a lot, parking requirements for each use shall be provided.

Exemptions. For any existing building in the C-2 Zoning District with a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or more which proposes an addition, expansion, alteration or change of use, the following exemptions to the requirement to provide the off-street parking in accordance with § 225-105D shall apply:

For any existing building with a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or more which provides adequate off-street parking for the existing building as required by § 225-105D, the requirement to provide additional off-street parking for any proposed addition, expansion or alteration of the existing structure for the same use may be exempted totally by Borough Council, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, provided that the following conditions are met:

The proposed addition, expansion or alteration of the existing building does not increase the gross floor area of the building by more than 50%.

The applicant submits a traffic analysis as defined by this chapter, prepared by a professional traffic engineer which documents that public parking within 300 feet of the site is available during the customary hours of operation of the existing use.

For any existing building with a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or more which does not provide enough off-street parking to conform to the requirements of § 225-105D for the existing building, the requirement to provide additional off-street parking for any proposed addition, expansion or alteration of the existing structure for the same use may be exempted in part by Borough Council, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, provided the following conditions are met:

The proposed addition, expansion or alteration of the existing building does not increase the gross floor area of the building by more than 50%.

The applicant submits a traffic analysis, as defined by this chapter, prepared by a professional traffic engineer registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which documents that public parking within 300 feet of the site is available during the customary hours of operation of the existing use.

(c)

The amount of the exemption shall be within the discretion of Borough Council, upon recommendation by the Planning Commission, and shall be determined based on:

[1]

The size of the proposed addition, expansion or alteration.

[2]

The number of proposed parking spaces required.

[3]

The number of required parking spaces which are deficient for the existing building.

[4]

The amount of open space available on the lot.

[5]

The number of public parking spaces available within a reasonable distance.

For any existing building with a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or more which does not provide enough off-street parking to conform to the requirements of § 225-105D for the existing use of the building and which proposes a change of use which requires an equal or greater number of parking spaces than the existing number of spaces, the requirement to provide additional off-street parking for the change of use may be exempted in part by Borough Council, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, provided the following conditions are met:

The proposed change of use does not increase the number of off-street parking spaces required for the new use by more than 50% of the off-street parking spaces available for the existing use.

(c)

The amount of the exemption shall be within the discretion of Borough Council, upon recommendation by the Planning Commission, and shall be determined based on:

[1]

The difference in the number of off-street parking spaces required for the existing use and the new use.

[2]

The number of required parking spaces which are deficient for the existing use.

[3]

The amount of open space available on the lot.

[4]

The number of public parking spaces available within a reasonable distance.

The following table of parking requirements specifies the number of spaces required for various categories of uses in any zoning district:

[Amended 9-11-2018 by Ord. No. 1647; 2-25-2019 by Ord. No. 1655]

Use	Parking Spaces Required
Dwelling, single-family or two-family	Two spaces for each dwelling unit
Dwelling, townhouse or garden apartment	Two spaces for each dwelling unit plus 0.5 space per dwelling unit for visitors
Dwelling, high-rise or mid-rise apartment	One and one-half spaces for each dwelling unit
Dwelling, conversion apartment	Two spaces for each dwelling unit
Dwelling operated as part of an educational, religious or philanthropic institution	One space for each resident plus one space for each employee on peak shift
Personal care boarding home, assisted living facility	One space for each three residents plus one space for each employee on peak shift
Apartment in a commercial building	One space for each dwelling unit in addition to the spaces for the commercial uses
Adult-oriented businesses	One space for each 30 square feet of net floor area plus one space for each employee, including performers
Banks and financial institutions	One space per 300 square feet of net floor area plus one space for each employee on peak shift plus five off-street waiting spaces for each drive-in window
Bowling alleys	Five spaces for each alley
Medical offices, clinics	One space for each staff plus three spaces for each examining or treatment room or other patient service position
Commercial amusement enterprise not listed elsewhere	Two spaces for each player position at a game machine or game table
Community club	One space for each 300 square feet of floor area devoted to offices and one space for each 100 square feet of floor area devoted to meeting or social rooms
Catering business, excluding rental hall	One space for each 250 square feet of sales and display area accessible to the public plus one space for each two seats at a table or counter plus one space for each employee on peak shift
Churches	One space for each four seats or 80 lineal inches of pew, or if there are no pews or seats, one per 15 square feet of floor area used for assembly
Community service institution	One space for each employee on peak shift plus one space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area
Day-care center	One space for each teacher and/or employee on peak shift plus one space for each six students
Eating and drinking establishments, other than fast food establishments, including catering halls and bars or taverns	One space for each 75 square feet of net floor area plus one space for each employee on peak working shift
Fast food establishments	One space per 50 square feet of net floor area plus one space per employee on peak shift
Farmers market	Five spaces for each vendor's stall
Firehouse	One space for each 300 square feet of floor area devoted to office plus one space for each 100 square feet of floor area used as a meeting room or social hall, excluding any area devoted to kitchen facilities
Funeral homes	25 spaces for the first parlor plus 10 spaces for each additional parlor
Golf courses	Eight spaces for each hole plus one space for each employee
Home occupation	As determined by the Zoning Hearing Board in granting the use by special exception
Hospitals and nursing homes	One space per three beds and one space for each employee on peak shift
Hotel/motel	One space per employee on peak shift plus one space per sleeping unit
Retail stores	One space for each 250 square feet of floor area used for retail trade
Convenience store	One space for each employee on peak shift plus one space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area in addition to the standing lanes for the gasoline pumps, if any
Shopping center	One space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area
Greenhouses, nurseries	One space for each employee on peak shift plus one space for each 300 square feet of indoor display and sales area and one space for each 500 square feet of outdoor display and sales area
Offices, business and professional, excluding medical offices	One space for every 300 square feet of gross floor area
Personal services	One space for each 250 square feet of net floor area
Business services	One space for each 250 square feet of net floor area plus one space for each employee on peak shift
Public buildings not otherwise specified	One space for each 150 square feet of gross floor area devoted to office use plus one space for each 100 square feet of floor area devoted to public visitation or assembly
Public utility buildings	One space per employee on peak shift plus one space for each service vehicle stored on lot
Radio or TV broadcast station	One space for each employee plus one space for each studio
Schools, elementary and junior high	One space for each employee or faculty member or one space for each four seats in an auditorium or gymnasium, whichever is greater
Schools, nursery	One space for each teacher and/or employee on peak shift plus one space for each six students
Schools, secondary	One space for each employee or faculty member plus one space for each 10 students
Schools, post secondary	One space for each employee or faculty member plus one space for each three students
Automobile service stations, all classes	Four spaces for each bay plus one space for each employee on peak shift plus one space for each business vehicle
Private or public parking garage, shared parking garage	No additional parking is required beyond the number of spaces provided in the garage
Indoor recreational facilities	One space for each two persons authorized by the Borough Building Code to occupy the premises at maximum permitted occupancy
Swimming pools, public or commercial	One space for each fifty 50 square feet of surface water area
Tennis, racquetball and handball courts	One space per employee plus four spaces for each court
Theater, auditorium or gymnasium	One space per four seats
Team playing fields, indoor or outdoor	10 spaces for each playing field used for team competition or practice plus one space for each four seats in bleachers or other fixed spectator seating
Vehicle sales	One space for each employee on peak shift plus three spaces for each repair bay plus one space for each 500 square feet of showroom floor area
Veterinary clinic	One space for each doctor and each employee plus four spaces for each examining and treatment room
Self-storage	Two spaces for manager's quarters plus one space for each 10 storage units equally distributed throughout the storage area plus one space for each 25 storage units located near the manager's quarters to be used by prospective clients
Warehousing, wholesaling and distribution, motor freight terminal	One space per employee on peak shift or one space per 2,500 square feet of floor area of building, whichever is greater, plus a minimum of five visitor spaces
Manufacturing	One space per employee on peak shift or one space per 1,500 square feet of floor area of building, whichever is greater, plus one visitor space per 25 employees
Research and development	One space for each 300 square feet of floor area devoted to offices plus one space for each 1,000 square feet devoted to laboratories or pilot manufacturing
Any use not specifically listed	One space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area of building or one space for each three persons authorized to occupy the building or site at maximum permitted occupancy, whichever is greater
Tattoo parlor and body piercing establishment, adult-oriented	One space for each 250 square feet of floor area used for retail use
Tattoo parlor and body piercing establishment, not adult-oriented	One space for each 250 square feet of floor area used for retail use
Microbrewery	One space per employee on peak shift or one space per 1,500 square feet of floor area of building, whichever is greater, plus one visitor space per 25 employees
Macrobrewery	One space per employee on peak shift or one space per 1,500 square feet of floor area of building, whichever is greater, plus one visitor space per 25 employees

§ 225-106 Off-street loading.

Applicability. In any zoning district, all structures and uses which require the receipt or distribution of materials or products by trucks or similar vehicles shall provide accessory Off-Street loading spaces as required by this chapter. When an existing structure is expanded, accessory off-street loading spaces shall be provided in accordance with the following regulations for the area of such expansion. Off-street loading requirements may be modified or waived during the site plan or conditional use review where the applicant can show that existing site constraints limit the application of these standards.

Off-street loading design.

Size. Each loading berth shall be at least 65 feet in length and 12 feet in width with an overhead clearance of 14 feet. The area used for loading berths shall not be used to satisfy parking area requirements and shall not block any driveway used for circulation through the site.

Access. Loading berths shall be designed to provide sufficient turnaround area so that vehicles are not required to back onto public streets, and the design shall be subject to review and approval by the Borough Engineer. Loading berths shall have direct access to a driveway and shall be maintained free from obstruction. Under no circumstances shall vehicles waiting to load or unload be parked on or block access to a public right-of-way.

Location. All loading berths shall be located on the same lot with the principal use they are intended to serve. No loading berth shall be located in a required front yard. Loading berths shall be located at least 30 feet from the nearest point of intersection of any two streets.

Screening. Loading berths shall be screened by a six-foot hedge, wall or opaque fence on all sides which face residential use or an S Conservancy or R Residential Zoning District classification.

(5)

Surfacing. All loading berths shall have a paved, concrete or bituminous surface, graded with positive drainage to dispose of surface water.

(6)

Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate loading berths shall be designed to reflect away from any adjacent residential use or zoning classification and away from any street or highway.

Off-street loading requirements.

In all zoning districts, every use which requires the receipt or distribution by tractor-trailer of material or merchandise shall provide off-street loading berths in accordance with the following requirements:

Use required berth (based on gross floor area):

Use	Required Berths (based on gross floor area)
Manufacturing	One berth for every 10,000 square feet
Wholesale, other uses	One berth for every 8,000 square feet
Business and professional offices	One berth for every 10,000 square feet, not exceeding a total of two required stalls
Food stores and other retail stores	One berth for every 5,000 square feet up to a maximum of two stalls and then one berth for every 20,000 square feet or fraction thereof

Uses for which off-street loading facilities are required by this section, but which are located in buildings that have a floor area that is less than the minimum for which off-street loading facilities are required, shall provide adequate receiving facilities, accessible by motor vehicle, from any adjacent alley, service drive or open space on the same lot, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.