The purpose of this section is to prevent or alleviate the congestion of the public streets and to promote the safety and welfare of the public by establishing minimum requirements for the off-street parking, loading and unloading of motor vehicles in accordance with the use to which property is put.
A. Parking requirements.
(1) General requirements.
(a) Applicability to existing, new and expanded uses.
[1] Except as provided otherwise in this subsection and in Subsection
A(1)(b) below, the provisions of this subsection shall apply to new and existing uses in accordance with the provisions of Part
1, Article
II, and Part
7, Article
XXXVIII, of this chapter, and off-street parking spaces shall be provided as required in this section.
[2] Whenever a use existing on the effective date of this chapter is changed thereafter to a new use, parking facilities shall be provided as required herein for such new use, except that, in any district other than a resort development district, when any such existing use was deficient in required parking spaces on such effective date, such new use may be established with a deficiency in required parking spaces equal in number to not more than such preexisting deficiency. Lawfully existing commercial uses not subject to Subsection
A(1)(a)[3] hereof located in the NC-1, NC-2, CBD, AC, RS, RMC-4 and RS-C Districts changed thereafter to a new lawful commercial use are not subject to these requirements.
[Amended 11-6-2002 by Ord. No. 55-2002]
[3] Whenever the intensity of use of any building, structure or use is increased through the addition of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity or other units of measurement specified herein for required parking facilities, parking facilities as required herein shall be provided for such increase in intensity of use; provided, however, that in any district, no building, structure or use lawfully existing on the effective date of this chapter or any amendment of it establishing parking requirements with respect to such building, structure or use shall be required to provide any additional parking facilities pursuant to this subsection unless and until the aggregate increase in units of measurement shall equal more than 10% of the units of measurement existing upon such effective date, in which event parking facilities as required herein shall be provided for the total aggregate increase.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[4] Nothing in this chapter to the contrary withstanding, no residential building or structure shall be permitted to convert to a condominium or cooperative unless and until there exists one parking space on the premises or adjacent thereto for each proposed condominium or cooperative.
[Added 11-8-1979 by Ord. No. 70-1979; amended 12-6-1979 by Ord. No. 75-1979]
(c) Location of required parking spaces. Parking spaces required by this section shall be located as herein provided:
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[1] Residential uses. All residential parking requirements shall be met on site.
[2] Hotel and casino-hotel uses located in the Resort Commercial District. All or any portion of required patron parking being located in Atlantic City shall be provided either in the RS-C District or in the commercial zones adjacent thereto. All or any portion of required employee parking being located in Atlantic City shall be provided in the RS-C District or in any commercial zone, with the exception of the NC-1 and MC Zones. In no case shall any hotel or casino-hotel use provide less than the number of required parking spaces without prior approval from Planning Board. Nothing herein shall be construed so as to prohibit intercept parking to be located outside of the City of Atlantic City.
[Amended 3-17-1993 by Ord. No. 21-1993; 5-6-2009 by Ord. No. 25-2009]
[3] Other nonresidential uses located in the RS-C District must provide 100% of required parking on-site or in commercial districts.
[Amended 3-17-1993 by Ord. No. 21-1993]
[4] Nonresidential uses except hotel uses located in other commercial districts shall provide 100% of required parking on-site or in commercial districts. Hotel uses shall provide 100% of required patron parking on-site. Hotel employee parking shall be provided pursuant to §
163-70A(1)(c)[2] hereof.
[Amended 3-17-1993 by Ord. No. 21-1993]
(d) Computation of required spaces.
[1] When determination of the number of required parking spaces results in the requirement of a fractional space, any fraction up to and including 1/2 shall be disregarded, and any fraction over 1/2 shall require one parking space.
[2] In stadiums, sports arenas, churches and other places of assembly in which patrons or spectators occupy benches, pews or other similar seating facilities, each 20 inches of such seating facilities shall be counted as one seat for the purpose of determining the requirement for off-street parking facilities under this chapter.
[3] When parking spaces are required on the basis of the number of faculty, staff, students or employees, the maximum number present at any one time shall govern.
(e) Uses not specified. For uses not expressly listed in Subsection
A(3) of this section, parking spaces shall be provided on the same basis as required for the most similar listed use or as determined by the Land Use Administrator pursuant to his authority to interpret the provisions of this chapter.
(f) Collective provision of required spaces. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the collective provision of off-street parking facilities for two or more uses, subject to the following conditions:
[1] A certificate of land use compliance for such collective use shall be issued pursuant to Part
6, Article
XXXVI, of this chapter.
[2] Except as provided in Subsection
A(1)(g) of this section, the total of such off-street parking spaces supplied collectively shall not be less than the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately.
[3] The location requirements of Subsection
A(1)(c) of this section shall be met as to all uses.
[4] The collective parking area shall be consolidated into a single, contiguous lot.
[5] A legal instrument establishing the rights of each use in question to the use of such collective parking area so long as such use shall exist, approved as to form and manner of execution by the Solicitor to the Planning Board and executed by the parties requesting the collective use of the off-street parking spaces, shall be filed with the application for a certificate of land use compliance.
(g) Joint use of required parking spaces.
[1] Subject to Subsection
A(1)(g)[4] hereof, up to 50% of the off-street parking spaces required by this section for a theater, bowling alley, dance hall or an establishment for the sale and consumption on the premises of food, alcoholic beverages or refreshments and up to 100% of such spaces required for a church or school may be supplied by off-street parking spaces provided in connection with banks, business offices, retail stores, personal service shops, household equipment or furniture shops, clothing or shoe repair or service shops, manufacturing uses and similar uses when not normally open, used or operated during the principal operating hours of the aforesaid uses.
[2] Subject to Subsection
A(1)(g)[4] hereof, up to 50% of the off-street parking spaces required by this section for banks, business offices, retail stores, personal service shops, household equipment or furniture shops, clothing or shoe repair or service shops, manufacturing uses and similar uses may be supplied by off-street parking spaces provided in connection with a church, school, theater, bowling alley, dance hall or an establishment for the sale and consumption on the premises of food, alcoholic beverages or refreshments when not normally open, used or operated during the principal operating hours of the aforesaid uses.
[3] Subject to Planning Board approval, hotels and casino-hotels may provide or participate in joint parking facilities with other uses.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[4] No joint use of parking spaces shall be permitted:
[a] Unless a certificate of land use compliance for such joint use is issued pursuant to Part
6, Article
XXXVI, of this chapter.
[c] Unless all of the requirements of Subsection
A(1)(c) of this section are satisfied.
[d] Unless a legal instrument establishing the rights of each use in question to the use of such joint parking area so long as such use shall exist, approved as to form and manner of execution by the Solicitor to the Planning Board and executed by the parties requesting the joint use of the off-street parking spaces, is filed with the application for a certificate of land use compliance.
(h) Commercial planned development of piers. The parking requirements of this section shall not apply to commercial planned developments of piers or to any building or structure constructed or erected on a commercial planned development pier in the Beach District. The parking requirements for commercial planned developments of piers shall be as set forth in §
163-165 of this chapter.
[Added 5-7-1981 by Ord. No. 32-1981]
(2) Design and maintenance. Every parking lot and garage shall be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the standards and requirements herein set forth:
(a) Minimum setbacks.
[1] Parking garages. In all districts, parking garages shall be governed by the setback requirements applicable in the relevant district to principal or accessory buildings, whichever is appropriate, except that parking garages may be located in a required rear yard.
[2] Parking lots.
[a] Setback from streets. In all districts, no part of any parking lot, other than driveways for ingress and egress, shall be located closer to a street than the minimum front yard setback required for a one-story principal building in the relevant district or the face of the principal building on the lot in question facing such street, whichever is greater.
[b] Prohibition in side yards. No part of any parking lot, other than driveways for ingress and egress, shall be located in any required side yard or between a side lot line and the side of any principal building on such lot, unless located to the rear of the rear of such building.
[c] Setback from residential uses. No part of any parking lot in a nonresidential district shall be located within 15 feet of any lot line forming part of a residential district boundary line.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[d] Permitted in rear yards. Except as limited by the foregoing provisions, parking lots may be located in a required rear yard.
(b) Screening and landscaping.
[1] Parking lots adjoining streets.
[a] In any district where a front yard setback is required, the setbacks required by Subsection
A(2)(a) of this section shall be treated as a perimeter landscaped open space unless a setback of at least 10 feet, in addition to the aforesaid required setback, is provided.
[b] In any district where no setback from streets is required by Subsection
A(2)(a) of this section, a perimeter landscaped open space of a width of at least five feet or a durable and well-maintained solid wall, fence, compact evergreen hedge or other screening device of three to four feet in height shall be provided along every street line.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[d] In all districts, shade trees shall be provided at a ratio of one tree for every 10 parking spaces.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[e] Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, no parking and no screening shall be located or designed as to obstruct any sight triangle required by §
163-131 of this chapter.
[2] Parking lots adjoining residential uses. The setback required by Subsection
A(2)(a)[2][c] shall be treated as a perimeter landscaped open space.
[3] Parking garages and lots in the RS-C District. Except for necessary access driveways, no accessory parking garage or lot shall be visible from the Boardwalk or any public street or sidewalk. A perimeter landscaped open space, a width of at least 25 feet, shall be provided along the Boardwalk line. The elevation of the open space shall be equal to the Boardwalk at that location.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
(c) Design standards.
[1] Dimensions, Each required off-street parking space shall have a vertical clearance of at least 6 1/2 feet. The dimension, size and spacing specifications for required off-street parking facilities shall be as set forth in the diagram at the end of this chapter.
[2] Turnaround area. Where more than three parking spaces are served by a single driveway, a turnaround area shall be provided or other provision shall be made to permit cars to exit the parking lot or garage without backing onto any street or sidewalk.
[3] Backup area. Each parking space shall be provided with a sufficient backup area to permit egress in one maneuver consisting of one backward and one forward movement.
[4] Driveway access and circulation aisles. There shall be adequate provision for ingress to and egress from all parking areas and for circulation within parking areas.
[5] Surface. Every off-street parking lot shall be surfaced with an asphaltic or portland cement binder pavement providing an all-weather, durable and dustless surface and shall be graded and drained to dispose of surface water accumulation by means of a positive stormwater drainage system connected to a public sewer system. Individual stalls shall be clearly identified by markings four inches to six inches in width.
[6] Lighting. Fixed lighting shall be so arranged to prevent direct glare of beams onto any public or private property or street.
[7] Car stops and curbs. Suitable car stops shall be provided, located and designed to protect required screening devices and landscaping from damage by vehicles and to provide necessary traffic control in the parking area.
[8] Tree pits. Trees located in paved areas shall be provided with adequate tree pits to permit proper watering and fertilization.
[9] Slope. No area of any parking lot, excluding access ramps, shall have a slope in excess of 5%. No ramp shall have a slope in excess of 8%.
[10] Traffic patterns. All parking garages and lots shall be so located and designed to encourage minimal routing of traffic along public rights-of-way contiguous to blocks which contain primary education facilities or recreation sites designed for children or which have over 50% of their frontage developed with single- or two-family dwellings.
[11] Whenever possible, parking areas shall be located within the interior of structures and away from street frontages, and frontages shall be developed for principal uses permitted in the district.
(d) Special standards for residential parking areas. The following standards shall apply to any accessory parking area located in a residential front yard of an attached dwelling pursuant to §
163-68G of this chapter where such parking is developed after the effective date of this chapter:
[1] Each space shall be accessory to and permanently assigned to a single dwelling unit and be located in the front yard of such unit.
[2] No more than one space shall be located in the front yard of any dwelling unit, and not more than two spaces shall be contiguous with each other.
[3] Areas between parking spaces shall be landscaped in an appropriate manner so as to minimize the visual impact of the automobile's presence.
[4] Every parking space and driveway shall be designed and shall be of sufficient length and width to prevent the parked auto from encroaching onto any street or sidewalk.
[5] The grade of pavement to street shall not exceed 2%.
[6] The width of any single driveway or parking space shall not be less than eight feet nor greater than 10 feet.
[7] Parking in the front yard shall be prohibited where the attached dwelling exceeds 30 feet in width or where the rear yard has frontage on a street or alley.
(3) Required spaces.
(a) Schedule of required spaces. Except as provided in Subsection
A(3)(b) below, off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the schedule of required off-street parking spaces set forth in the schedule at the end of this chapter. In addition to the number of spaces shown on the schedule, each use having employees on the premises shall provide one space for each 1 1/2 employees.
(b) Reductions in parking requirements. In locations within 300 feet of an established public transit route, the parking requirements established in Subsection
A(3)(a) above may, if approved by the Planning Board at the time of site plan/subdivision approval, be reduced as follows:
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[1] For office and similar uses, up to 50%.
[2] For retail and similar uses, up to 85%, except that no such reductions shall be permitted for hotels and hotel/casinos.
B. Loading regulations.
(1) General requirements.
(a) Applicability to existing, new and expanded uses. The applicability of the loading regulations established by this subsection shall be the same as provided with respect to parking regulations in Subsection
A(1)(a) and
(b) of this section.
(b) Location of required loading spaces. Loading spaces shall be located on the same lot as the building or structure to which they are accessory. No loading space shall be located in any required front yard.
(d) Responsibility. The duty to provide and maintain off-street loading and unloading spaces shall be the joint and several responsibilities of the owner, operator and lessee of the use for which off-street loading and unloading spaces are required.
(e) Beach District. In the case of a commercial planned development pier, loading shall be permitted by such means and subject to such limitations and conditions as shall be determined by the Planning Board in its approval of such commercial planned development pier pursuant to §
163-165 of this chapter.
[Added 5-7-1981 by Ord. No. 32-1981]
(2) Design and maintenance. Every loading space shall be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the standards and requirements herein set forth:
(a) Minimum setbacks. Loading spaces shall comply with the setbacks required by Subsection
A(2)(a) of this section, and no loading space shall be so located as to require or permit any vehicle it is designed to accommodate to extend into any front yard or across any lot line while being loaded or unloaded.
(b) Screening.
[1] Sufficient screening shall be provided along all lot lines abutting any residentially zoned or developed property to visually insulate the residential use from all operations, materials and vehicles within any loading space.
[2] Loading areas accessory to commercial or residential uses with a floor area in excess of 100,000 square feet, exclusive of required off-street parking areas, shall be located internally and not be visible from any public street.
[Added 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[3] Loading areas accessory to commercial uses or resort uses shall be located and screened as to be visually insulated from public awareness.
(c) Design standards.
[1] Dimensions. No required loading space shall be less than 12 feet in width or 35 feet in length or have a vertical clearance of less than 10 feet.
[2] Access. Loading spaces shall be designed and arranged to provide access to a street or alley in a manner which will create the least possible interference with traffic movement. Unless approved in the course of site plan/subdivision review pursuant to Part
5, Articles
XIX through
XXV access to and from loading spaces shall be approved by the Land Use Administrator.
[3] Surface. Every loading space shall be surfaced with an asphaltic or portland cement binder pavement providing an all-weather, durable and dustless surface and shall be graded and drained to dispose of surface water accumulation by means of a positive stormwater drainage system connected to a public sewer system. Individual stalls shall be clearly identified by markings four inches to six inches in width.
[4] Lighting. Fixed lighting shall be so arranged to prevent direct glare of beams onto any public or private property or street.
[5] Signs. No signs shall be displayed in any loading area except such signs as may be necessary for the orderly use of the loading space.
(3) Schedule of required spaces. Loading spaces shall be provided in sufficient number and of sufficient size so that no loading and unloading operations infringe upon any street, sidewalk or public property. In no event shall the number of loading spaces provided be less than the number determined in the Schedule of Required Off-Street Loading Spaces
included at the end of this chapter, except that in the case of demonstrated hardship, the Planning Board may grant a variance from loading requirements, provided that an approved plan for delivery truck operations, including but not limited to hours and staging of operation, is attached to such variance.