Township of Willingboro, NJ Article XVI Off-Street Parking, Loading and Unloading Regulations

§ 370-75 General parking requirements.

A. Off-street parking space shall be provided as further specified in this chapter and shall be furnished with necessary passageways and driveways. All such space shall be deemed to be required space on the lot on which it is situated and shall not be encroached upon or reduced in any manner. All parking areas, passageways, and driveways shall be constructed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, providing proper surfacing, marking and drainage, as appropriate, all subject to the approval of the Township Engineer.

B. None of the off-street facilities that are required in this chapter shall be required for any existing building or use, unless the building or use shall be enlarged, in which case the provisions of this chapter shall apply only to the enlarged portion of the building or use.

C. A site plan shall be filed with the zoning permit application where off-street parking facilities are required or permitted under the provisions of this chapter in connection with the use or uses for which application is being made. A guarantee in either bond or escrow must be posted with the Township to cover costs of improvements to off-street parking as estimated by the Township Engineer.

D. Parking areas shall be located in any yard space for nonresidential or administrative offices but shall not be located closer than 25 feet to any street line in a B-1 or B-2 Zone or 15 feet in any B-3 or A-1 Zone. Parking areas may abut side and rear yard lines except where the intended commercial or administrative offices abut residential zones or uses. In such instances, no parking shall be permitted within 10 feet of any property line. In any zone where a parking area of four or more spaces is created within or adjacent to or across the street from a residential zone, buffering shall be provided between the parking area and the property line so related to the residential area, in accordance with the standards of Article XV of this chapter.

E. The collective provision of off-street parking areas by two or more buildings or uses located on adjacent lots is permitted, provided that the total of such facilities shall not be less than the sum required of the various buildings or uses computed separately, and further provided that the land upon which the collective facilities are located is owned or leased by one or more of the collective users. This provision only applies to commercial zones.

F. Outdoor parking.

(1) No vehicle other than passenger automobiles shall be parked out of doors on the street except for service or delivery purposes in any residential zone, and not more than one commercial vehicle of not more than three-quarters-ton manufacturer's rated capacity may be parked in the driveway on each lot in a residential zone. No display vehicles, trailers of any type, trailer devices, cappers, towed vehicles, boats or boat trailers may be parked on any street located in a residential district except where actively engaged in loading or unloading operations. In the I-1 Zone District, trailers or trailer devices may remain for a period not exceeding 72 hours if the same are actively engaged in loading or unloading operations, or may be parked at any time, with the prior written permission of the owner of the property on which the trailer or trailer device shall be parked. No commercial vehicle of more than three-quarters of a ton manufacturer's rated capacity may be parked out of doors overnight in any zone except in the I-1 Zone.

(2) In the B-1, B-2 and B-3 Zones, vehicles, trailers of any type, trailer devices, campers, towed vehicles, boats or boat trailers displaying advertisements shall not be located in any parking lot therein for the purpose of advertising, except for the purpose of loading or unloading or being serviced on the premises of a motor vehicle service station. [See also § 370-83C(3).]

[Added 2-24-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-3]

G. No more than two driveways each of not less than 20 feet nor more than 30 feet in all shall be used as a means of ingress and egress for each nonresidential use, except where deviation in the number of or width of such driveway may be deemed necessary by the Planning Board because of traffic safety conditions. No driveway shall be located closer than 50 feet to the intersection of any two streets or within 10 feet of any side lot line, provided that sufficient distance will always remain for all required radii for the driveway. The distance from the driveway to the intersection shall be measured by extending the curbline of the intersecting street until it intersects the curbline, extended if necessary, of the driveway in question. In addition, there shall be a minimum distance of 20 feet between two driveways located on one frontage.

H. All parking areas and appurtenant passageways and driveways serving commercial uses shall be illuminated adequately during the hours between sunset and sunrise when the use is in operation. Whenever outdoor night illuminations are used on any property, adequate shielding shall be provided to exclude such illumination from surrounding residential properties.

I. Off-street parking areas located in commercial zones and which provide parking for 20 or more vehicles shall be provided with shade trees of a type approved by the Township Engineer and located as shown on the approved site plan.

J. In any residential district, a trailer or a boat may be parked in a side yard of the premises adjacent to the residential structure itself, if and when the following conditions are met:

(1) The full width of the side yard, together with any existing drainage swale, could be maintained after an eight-foot-wide concrete paved area would be constructed.

(2) The trailer or boat were parked only on the eight-foot-wide concrete paved area.

(3) The eight-foot-wide concrete paved area referred to above is screened from any adjacent residential structure by a living fence, which shall have a minimum height of four feet.

(4) The paved area shall not extend beyond the front or rear of the residential structure on which it is located, including any approved structural additions to that side of the structure.

(5) The paved area shall not be permitted on the open side of any corner lot.

(6) The eight-foot-wide concrete paved area may not be constructed or installed without obtaining a permit therefor as otherwise provided herein.

(7) The eight-foot-wide concrete paved area shall be installed on the garage side of the residential structure only.

§ 370-76 Required off-street parking spaces.

A. Residential uses.

(1) Single-family detached dwellings.

(a) Location. Parking space or driveways may only be located in accordance with the provisions of this section, except for the storage of boats and boat trailers or camping or travel trailers as provided in §§ 370-13E and 370-75J. Parking space and driveways shall not extend into an area measured from four feet to the nearest sideline of the property. If a sidewalk or other walkway is installed along the side of the parking space or driveway, the sidewalk or other walkway shall not extend into the four-foot side area.

(b) Width. The maximum width for a parking space or driveway shall be 22 feet.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

(c) Access to street. No driveway shall have access to a street closer than 50 feet to a corner intersection of two streets. The access shall only be through the front and/or side yards, but not through the rear yard of the property. No more than two points of access shall be permitted on a property.

(d) Construction standards. All parking areas and driveways shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the Willingboro Township Driveway Code, which is hereby adopted and incorporated as if fully set forth herein.[2] As required by N.J.S.A. 40:49-5.2, three copies of the code shall be on file in the office of the Township Clerk.

[2] Editor's Note: The Driveway Code is on file in the Construction Office.

(e) Parking on sidewalks and walkways prohibited. No person shall park or allow or cause to be parked any motor vehicle on the sidewalk or other walkway which is installed along the side of the parking space or driveway.

(f) Widening of concrete aprons. The concrete apron adjacent to the street must be installed and/or widened to correspond to the width and location of the expanded driveway area at that location.

(g) Circular driveways. In the event of two points of access to a street, the driveway shall be constructed to provide a minimum inside turning radius of 20 feet. That portion of the driveway leading from the garage area of the residence to the closest street may have a maximum width of 18 feet, but the remaining portion of the driveway constituting the circular aspect and second street access may have a maximum width of 12 feet.

(h) Approval required. Any person desiring to install or construct a driveway or parking space located other than where originally located upon first construction shall apply to the Township Planning Board for site plan approval, upon payment of a fee as provided in § 150-7 of the Code of the Township of Willingboro. Any site plan approval by the Township Planning Board and permit issued thereon by the Department of Inspections shall be valid for a term of 60 consecutive days, excluding the period from December 1 to the following March 31, and such other days when there is frost in the subgrade or when the air temperature is 40° or less.

(2) Townhouse developments.

(a) Number. One and one-half parking spaces are required for each dwelling unit. If garages are included as part of this requirement, each garage space shall count as 1/2 parking space.

(b) Other requirements. Driveways and off-street parking space shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the provisions of Subsection A(1) of this section.

(3) Planned unit residential developments.

(a) Number. Two parking spaces are required for each dwelling unit. If garages are included as part of this requirement, the first garage space shall count as 1/2 parking space, and the second garage space shall count as a full space. Where garages are provided, the remaining required parking spaces may be provided in off-street lots, in driveway areas between a garage and a sidewalk or curb, if no sidewalk is to be constructed, or as parallel on-street parking. Wherever any of the parking requirement is provided as on-street parking, each such space shall be counted as only 1/4 space in determining the compliance with this standard, and the layout and width of proposed streets shall reflect the intention of utilizing on-street parking. In any event, no parking space shall be more than 150 feet from the unit it is intended to serve. Such distance shall be measured from the front door of the unit along the route reasonably expected to be used by the occupant of the unit.

(b) Other requirements. Driveways and off-street parking spaces shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the provisions of Subsection A(1) of this section.

B. Commercial uses:

(1) Shopping centers in B-1 and B-2 Zones and retail and service stores in any commercial zone not specifically covered herein: one parking space for every 150 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.

(2) In B-3 Zones: one parking space for every 125 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.

(3) Barbershops and beauty shops: two spaces per chair, plus one additional space for each employee.

(4) Banks, financial and business offices and professional offices: one parking space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.

(5) Stores for the retail sale of furniture, appliances, hardware: one parking space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.

(6) Supermarkets, self-service food stores: one parking space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.

(7) Laundromats: one parking space for every two washing machines.

(8) Motor vehicle sales: one parking space for every 300 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.

(9) Restaurants (indoor service only): one parking space for every four seats for customers, plus one space for every two employees.[3]

[3] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

(10) Bowling alleys: five parking spaces for each bowling lane.

(11) Mortuaries and funeral homes: two parking spaces for every 50 square feet of floor area in the slumber rooms, parlors or individual funeral service rooms.

(12) Parking in any B-1 District fronting on U.S. Route No. 130 shall require paved off-street parking spaces at a ratio of one space per 200 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof.

C. Public and quasi-public uses:

(1) Auditoriums, churches, theaters, stadiums, assembly halls, and similar places of public and quasi-public assembly having fixed seating facilities: one parking space for every four seats in the main assembly unit.

(2) Auditoriums, exhibition halls, assembly halls, community centers and similar places of public and quasi-public assembly not having fixed seating facilities: one parking space for every four persons who may legally be admitted therein at one time under the state fire prevention laws.

(3) Hospitals and similar institutional uses for care of the ill or aged: one parking space for every four beds, plus one additional space for every two employees and members of the staff in the largest working shift.

(4) Nonoffice public utility installations: five spaces, except for box substations, where only two spaces shall be required.

(5) Parks and other outdoor recreation sites: five parking spaces for each gross acre of land up to 50 acres and one parking space per gross acre of land above 50 acres.

D. Industrial uses:

(1) Industrial manufacturing establishments: one parking space for each employee, plus one space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area in the buildings for use by visitors to the building or buildings. The employee ratio shall be applied to that shift of work activity that has the greatest number of employees. Such parking area may be located in the required yard area but shall not be located within 50 feet of a public street or within a buffer area as required by this article.

§ 370-77 Off-street loading and unloading requirements.

A. For every building, structure or part thereof having over 5,000 square feet of gross building area erected and occupied for commerce, hospital, laundry, dry cleaning, places of public and quasi-public assembly, industry, and other similar uses involved in the receipt and distribution by vehicles of materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and permanently maintained adequate spaces for standing, loading, and unloading services in order to avoid undue interference with the public use of streets or alleys. Every building, structure or addition thereto having a use which complies with the above definition shall be provided with at least one truck standing, loading, and unloading space to the rear or side of the premises not less than 12 feet in width, 35 feet in length, and 14 feet in height. One additional truck space of these dimensions shall be provided for every additional 20,000 square feet, or fraction thereof, of gross area in the building. No loading or unloading shall be conducted in the front of any store.

B. Access to truck standing, loading and unloading space shall be provided directly from a public street or alley or from any right-of-way that will not interfere with public convenience and will permit orderly and safe movement of truck vehicles.

C. Loading space as required under this section shall be provided an area in addition to customer off-street parking space and shall not be considered as supplying off-street parking space.

D. Off-street loading and unloading areas shall be surfaced with a dustless, all-weather pavement, which shall be adequately drained, all subject to the approval of the Township Engineer.

E. Whenever an off-street loading and unloading area shall be located next to a residential zone, the loading and unloading area shall be suitably screened and buffered in accordance with § 370-73 of this chapter.