Township of Darlington, PA Article XV Off-Street Parking, Loading and Unloading

§ 172-154 General regulations.

A. Off-street parking, loading and unloading facilities shall be provided to lessen congestion in public streets. The facilities required herein shall be available throughout the hours of operation of the particular business or use for which such facilities are provided. As used herein the term "parking space" includes either covered garage space or uncovered parking lot space located off the public right-of-way.

B. Each parking space shall consist of not less than 180 square feet of usable area for each motor vehicle, excluding interior driveways, driveways connecting the garage, or parking space, with a street or alley. Notwithstanding the above, all parking spaces shall be ample in size for the vehicles for which use is intended. The net parking space per vehicle shall be not less than nine feet wide and 18 feet long. Outdoor parking spaces, and the approaches thereto, shall be paved, or covered with a dustless compacted surface. Such outdoor parking space shall be deemed to be part of the open space of the lot on which it is located.

C. A garage or carport may be located wholly or partly inside the walls of the principal building or attached to the outer walls. If separated from the principal building, the garage shall conform to all accessory building requirements. The garage may be constructed under a yard. The space above an underground garage shall be deemed to be part of the open space of the lot on which it is located.

D. Parking spaces may be located on a lot other than that containing the principal use with the approval of the Zoning Hearing Board, provided a written agreement, approved by the Municipal Solicitor and accepted by the municipal governing body, shall be filed with the application for a zoning/building permit.

E. Surfacing. Any off-street parking area shall be graded for proper drainage and shall be provided with a durable and dustless surface, and shall be so arranged as to provide for orderly and safe parking and storage of all vehicles.

F. Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking area required for any commercial activity shall be of the sharp cutoff luminaire type and shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from adjoining premises in any zoning district. Lighting for use by residential property owners shall be aimed downward to illuminate individual driveways or parking spaces.

G. There shall be adequate provision for ingress and egress to all parking and loading spaces. Where a parking or loading area does not abut on a public right-of-way or private alley or easement of access, there shall be provided an access drive not less than 12 feet in width in the case of a dwelling, and not less than 20 feet in width in all other cases, leading to the parking or storage areas or loading or unloading spaces required hereunder.

H. All buildings and structures erected and all uses of land established after the adoption of this article shall be provided with off-street parking spaces as set forth in this article.

I. The provisions of this article, except where there is a change of use, shall not apply to any existing building or structure.

J. Whenever a building or structure constructed before the effective date of this article is changed or enlarged, in floor area, number of employees, number of housing units, seating capacity or otherwise to create a need for an increase in the number of parking spaces, additional parking spaces shall be provided on the basis of the enlargement or change. If a building or structure existing prior to the effective date of this article is enlarged to the extent of 50% or more in floor area or number of housing units, it shall then and thereafter comply with the full parking requirements set forth herein.

K. Off-street parking facilities in existence on the effective date of this article and located on the same lot as the building or use served shall not hereafter be reduced below the requirements for a similar new building or use under the provisions of this article.

§ 172-155 Parking facilities required.

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

A. Residential parking.

(1) All dwelling units shall be provided with a minimum of two off-street parking spaces, including those units in planned residential developments. Parking on public streets in PRDs is prohibited.

(2) For the purpose of this chapter in a residential district an attached or unattached garage on the premises may be considered as a parking space.

B. Commercial parking. The following regulations shall be applied to retail, office and highway services hereafter erected:

(1) Bowling alley: five vehicle spaces for each alley.

(2) Business offices: at least one space per 200 square feet of net leasable area on the ground floor and one space per 300 square feet of net leasable area in the basement areas and on all floors above the first floor.

(3) Commercial recreation: at least one parking space for each two persons who can be accommodated at maximum utilization.

(4) Drive-in restaurants: one space per each 75 square feet of gross floor area, plus one space for each two persons employed on the largest shift. Under no conditions will parking on the public right-of-way be permitted.

(5) Hospitals and sanitariums: at least one parking space for each three beds, plus one space for each two staff persons on the largest shift, plus visitor parking at one space per six beds.

(6) Mortuaries and funeral homes: at least one parking space for every four persons who can be seated at one time. Such spaces shall be in addition to a service area for vehicles such as hearses and ambulances.

(7) Office building: at least one parking space for each 350 square feet of gross floor area.

(8) Offices for professional services, including but not limited to physicians, lawyers, architects, dentists, engineers, realtors, surveyors, insurance agents and similar professionals; and offices incidental to uses permitted in the district: at least one parking space per 600 square feet of usable floor area, with a minimum of four spaces, plus one space for each employee.

(9) Public garages, automobile, and gasoline service stations: at least one parking space for each 200 square feet of floor or ground area, or fraction thereof, devoted to repair or service facilities. This shall be in addition to the space allocated for the normal storage of motor vehicles. In no event shall parking be permitted in the public rights-of-way. In the case of service stations a minimum of six spaces other than those designed for pump island access are required.

(10) Restaurants and cafeteria, including taverns and night clubs: one vehicle space for each 150 square feet of gross floor area, plus one space for each two employees on largest shift.

(11) Retail stores and other places for trade or business: one vehicle space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area.

(12) Self-storage facilities: at least one parking space for every 50 individual storage spaces. Two parking spaces for the manager and one parking space for each additional employee shall also be provided. A minimum of three parking spaces shall be provided.

(13) Specialty retail buildings: at least one parking space for each 400 square feet of gross floor area, or fraction thereof, except when otherwise authorized as a variance consistent with the ratios set forth herein for comparable buildings.

(14) Public or private recreation: at least one parking space for each two persons accommodated at peak use; or at least one parking space for each employee and three parking space for every two acres of land available for use by the public.

(15) Theaters, auditorium, churches, schools, 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.

C. Light industrial or manufacturing parking. Off-street parking shall be provided on the premises in accordance with the following schedule:

(1) Industrial and manufacturing establishments: one vehicle parking space for each two employees on the combined major and next largest shift.

(2) Truck terminals and wholesale warehouses: one parking space for each two employees on the combined major and next largest shift.

(3) Auxiliary office use: Space shall be provided in addition to the above parking requirements at a ratio of one space per each 350 square feet of gross floor area denoted to said use.

(4) Parking prohibited. Parking shall not be permitted on the public rights-of-way.

D. Loading and unloading space. In addition to the off-street parking space required above, any building erected, converted or enlarged in any district for commercial, office building, manufacturing, wholesale, hospital or similar uses shall provide adequate off-street area for loading and unloading of vehicles. The minimum size loading space shall be 65 feet in depth, 12 feet in width, with an overhead clearance of 14 feet. In no case where a building is erected, converted or enlarged for commercial, manufacturing, or business purposes shall the public rights-of-way be used for loading and unloading of materials.