[Amended 12-2-1974 by Ord. No. 18563; 12-18-1978 by Ord. No. 20053; 5-4-1987 by Ord. No. 1575; 5-1-1995 by Ord. No. 95-189; 5-1-1995 by Ord. No. 95-189A; 12-16-1996 by Ord. No. 97-38; 4-6-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-90]
After the effective date of this chapter, off-street parking spaces shall be provided for every new structure, the enlargement of an existing structure, the development of a new land use or any change in an existing use in its entirety in accordance with the Table of Use and Parking Regulations (see Article V), the Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations and other requirements as contained herein. The parking code stipulated in the Table of Use and Parking Regulations shall correspond to the use and space requirements set forth in the Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations as presented in this article.
Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations
Parking Code
Use
Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces
A1
Dwelling, single, and single including in-law apartment
2
A2
Dwelling, two-family
4
B
Dwelling, multifamily
2 per dwelling unit, except in the BA-1 and BA-2 Districts, in which case it shall be 1 per dwelling unit
C
Lodging house, dormitory, fraternity, sorority, YMCA, YWCA and similar types of group quarters
1 per rental or sleeping unit; any bedroom or group of 2 beds in a single room constitutes a sleeping unit
D
Theater, restaurant, gymnasium, auditorium or similar place of public assembly with seating facilities
1 for each 4 seats of total seating capacity
E
Automotive retail and service establishment and other retail and service establishments utilizing extensive display areas, either indoor or outdoor, which are unusually extensive in relation to customer traffic
1 per 1,000 square feet of gross floor space; in the case of outdoor display areas, 1 for each 1,000 square feet of lot area in such use
F
Hotel, motel or tourist court
1 for each sleeping room and 1 for each 400 square feet of meeting area and restaurant space
G
Other retail, service, finance, insurance or real estate establishment or adult use
1 per each 300 square feet of gross floor space
G-1
Medical office (including doctors, dentists and clinics)
1 per each 200 square feet of gross floor area
H
Wholesale establishment, warehouse or storage establishment
1 per each 1,000 square feet of gross floor space
I
Manufacturing or industrial establishment
1 per each 600 square feet of gross floor space or 0.75 per each employee of the combined employment of the 2 largest successive shifts, whichever is larger
J
Hospital
1 per each 600 square feet of gross floor area
K
Nursing home
1 per bed at design capacity
L
Business, trade or industrial school or college; country club
1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area in classrooms and other teaching stations, plus space for gymnasium or auditorium, whichever has the larger capacity (refer to Code D)
M
Other school
2 per classroom in an elementary and junior high school; 4 per classroom in a senior high school, plus space for auditorium or gymnasium, whichever has the larger capacity (refer to Code D)
N
Community facility (City building, recreation, etc.)
1 per each 400 square feet of gross floor space
O
Public utility
1 for each 400 square feet of gross floor area devoted to office use; 1 for each 800 square feet of gross floor area per other use
P
Transportation terminal establishment; home occupation
1 for each 600 square feet of gross floor area
Q
Mixed use
Sum of various uses computed separately
R
Any use permitted by this chapter not interpreted to be covered by this schedule
Closest similar use as shall be determined by the Building Commissioner
T
Mixed residential and home occupation use
The applicable residential off-street parking requirement plus 1 for each 600 square feet of gross floor area used for home occupation
[Amended 5-1-1995 by Ord. No. 95-189; 6-7-2021 by Order No. 2021-96]
The off-street loading and unloading requirements presented in the Table of Off-Street Loading Regulations shall apply to all existing buildings where the use has been changed to retail service commercial, wholesale, transportation and industrial and community facility use as specified in the Table of Use and Parking Regulations or to any building hereafter erected for such uses.
Table of Off-Street Loading Regulations
Use
Number of Loading Spaces Per Unit
Retail trade, manufacturing and hospital establishment with over 5,000 square feet of gross floor area per use/establishment
1 per 20,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area up to 2 spaces; 1 additional space for each 60,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area over 40,000 square feet; space used for ambulance receiving at a hospital is not to be used to meet these loading requirements
Business services, other services, community facility (school, church, town building, recreation, etc.) or public utility establishment with over 5,000 square feet of gross floor area per use/establishment
1 per 75,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area up to 2 spaces; 1 additional space for each 200,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area over 150,000 square feet
Parking or loading spaces being maintained in any district in connection with any existing use on the effective date of this chapter, or any spaces subsequently provided in accordance with this chapter, shall not be decreased or in any way removed from service to the use originally intended to be served so long as said use remains, unless a number of parking or loading spaces is constructed elsewhere such that the total number of spaces conforms to the requirements of the tables of this article, provided that this regulation shall not require the maintenance of more parking or loading spaces than are required according to the tables.
When the computation of required parking or loading spaces results in the requirement of a fractional space, any fraction of 1/2 or more shall require one space.
Parking required for two or more buildings or uses may be provided in combined facilities on the same or adjacent lots, subject to approval by the Building Commissioner, where it is evident that such facilities will continue to be available for the several buildings or uses.
Required off-street parking or loading spaces which after development are later designated as, and accepted by the City for, off-street parking or loading purposes shall continue to serve the uses or structures to meet these requirements so long as said use or structure remains.
[Amended 5-1-1995 by Ord. No. 95-189; 8-23-2007 by Ord. No. 07-044A; 6-7-2021 by Order No. 2021-96]
A. 
Required off-street parking spaces shall be provided on the same lot as the principal use they are required to serve or, when practical difficulties prevent their establishment upon the same lot, the Board of Appeals may grant a special permit to allow the spaces to be established no further than 300 feet from the premises to which they are appurtenant.
B. 
In no instance may the open space required for a lot be used for the provision of off-street parking spaces.
C. 
Parking shall not be located within the required front yard area except for one-family and two-family dwellings.
The loading spaces required for the uses listed in the Table of Off-Street Loading Regulations shall in all cases be on the same lot as the use they are intended to serve. In no case shall the required loading spaces be part of the area used to satisfy the parking requirements of this chapter.
[Amended 5-19-1980 by Ord. No. 20550; 8-20-1990 by Ord. No. 90-211; 1-4-1993 by Ord. No. 93-112A; 4-6-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-90]
A. 
The Board of Appeals by special permit may allow the substitution of spaces within municipal parking lots in lieu of the parking requirements of this article, provided they are located within 1,000 feet of the building which is intended to be served.
B. 
Any structures on lots recorded prior to January 1, 1980, abutting municipal parking lots located in the area bounded northerly by Essex and Upham Streets, southerly by Grove Street, easterly by the boundary of the BA-1 District between Grove Street and Upham Street and westerly by Myrtle Street are permitted the use of said lots without the requirement of a special permit.
C. 
In conjunction with a proposal that requires site plan review by the Planning Board, the Planning Board may by special permit allow shared or reduced parking requirements for uses having different peak times of parking demand requirements or if a use needs a lesser number of parking spaces than is required. Evidence which supports these shared or reduced parking requirements shall be produced in a report from a traffic engineer engaged by the applicant and approved by the Planning Board as part of site plan review. Where shared parking is to serve uses on separate lots, documentation shall be provided establishing the permanent legal right for such shared use. Factors that the Planning Board may consider include but are not limited to:
[Amended 6-7-2021 by Order No. 2021-96]
(1) 
Proximity to public transportation.
(2) 
Proximity to available public parking with demonstrated availability to support the project.
(3) 
Characteristics of the residential or commercial units that create less parking demand.
(4) 
Provision of a mix of uses on site with offset peak parking demand times.
(5) 
A shared parking agreement with proximate properties with offset parking demand times.
(6) 
Dedication of spaces for car-sharing services (e.g., Zipcar).
(7) 
Employers who provide transit incentives for their employees.
(8) 
Provisions for bicycle parking.
D. 
For any application or project for which site plan review is not otherwise required, the Board of Appeals may grant a special permit to reduce the parking space requirements to 80% of that required in the Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations where conditions unique to the use will reasonably justify such a reduction.
[Added 6-7-2021 by Order No. 2021-96]
[Amended 10-16-1989 by Ord. No. 2111; 5-1-1995 by Ord. No. 95-189; 8-23-2007 by Ord. No. 07-044A; 6-7-2021 by Order No. 2021-96]
All parking and loading areas, either contained within structures or otherwise, including automotive and drive-in establishments of all types, shall be subject to the following where applicable:
A. 
The area shall be effectively screened with suitable planting or fencing on each side which adjoins or faces the side or rear lot line of a lot situated in any "R" district.
B. 
The area and access driveways thereto shall be surfaced with bituminous or cement concrete material and shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of all surface water accumulation in accordance with acceptable engineering practices. The location of spaces shall be suitably marked by painted lines or other appropriate markings. Driveways and contiguous parking areas in residential districts shall be surfaced with pervious material systems that utilize porous pavement, pavers, brick or other materials in accordance with acceptable engineering practices or bituminous or cement concrete.
C. 
A substantial bumper of masonry, steel or heavy timber or a concrete curb or berm curb which is backed shall be placed at the edge of surfaced areas except driveways in order to protect abutting structures, properties and sidewalks and screening materials.
D. 
The layout of the parking area shall allow sufficient space for the storage of plowed snow unless removal by some other means is assured.
E. 
Any fixture used to illuminate any area shall be so arranged as to direct the light away from the street and away from adjoining premises used for residential purposes.
F. 
There shall not be any business operation for vehicle repair for profit or gasoline or oil service facilities or any repair made to any motor vehicles except on a lot occupied by a permitted automotive use. Any gasoline or oil facilities shall be at least 25 feet from any lot line.
G. 
There shall not be any storage of materials or equipment or display of merchandise within a required parking area except as part of approved building operations.
H. 
Parking and loading spaces other than those required for single- and two-family dwellings shall be so arranged as not to permit backing of vehicles onto any street.
I. 
Any portion of any entrance or exit driveway shall not be closer than 50 feet to the curbline of an intersecting street.
J. 
Any two driveways leading to or from a street, to or from a single lot, shall not be within 30 feet of each other at their intersections with the front lot line for an interior lot and 40 feet for a corner lot.
K. 
Each off-street parking space shall not be less than nine feet in width and 18 feet in length for angle parking or 22 feet in length for parallel parking, exclusive of drives, walks and maneuvering space. For sites with five to 19 parking spaces, up to 20% of the spaces may be compact in size, and with 20 or more spaces, up to 30% may be compact. In conjunction with a proposal that requires site plan review by the Planning Board, the Planning Board may by special permit allow for up to 50% of the parking spaces to be compact in size. Compact spaces are a minimum of eight feet in width and 16 feet in length or 20 feet in length for parallel parking, exclusive of drives, walks and maneuvering space. Such compact car spaces shall be located in one or more continuous areas and shall be clearly designated by signs or pavement marking.
L. 
Driveway width regulations are in the following tables:
Driveways for One- and Two-Families
Minimum Width
(feet)
Maximum Width
(feet)
One-way
8
20
Two-way
20
20
Driveways for Multifamily Residential or Mixed Use
Minimum Width
(feet)
Maximum Width
(feet)
One-way
10
24
Two-way
20
24
Driveways for All Other Uses
Minimum Width
(feet)
Maximum Width
(feet)
One-way
10
24
Two-way
24
24
M. 
The minimum aisle widths required for vehicles backing out of parking spaces are as follows:
Angle of Parking
Minimum Aisle Width
(feet)
Parallel
12 one-way/20 two-way
30°
11 one-way
45°
13 one-way
60°
18 one-way
90°
20 one-way and two-way residential or mixed use
24 for one-way and two-way for all other uses
N. 
Each off-street parking space shall have direct access to an aisle or a driveway, except for single- and two-family dwellings, which are allowed to have two parking spaces in tandem.
[Amended 5-7-2007 by Ord. No. 07-132]
The parking of a commercial vehicle with a registered gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds shall be prohibited in any residential district.