Borough of Muncy, PA Off-Street Parking, Loading and Access Drives

In all districts, in connection with every use, there shall be provided, at the time any new building or structure is erected or any existing building is converted to a new use or is increased in capacity, off-street parking spaces in accordance with the requirements of this section. The facilities required herein shall be available throughout the hours of operation of the particular business or use for which they are provided.

Size. All vehicle parking spaces shall contain a minimum of 180 square feet of usable area and shall have a width of not less than nine feet.

Location.

(1)

Off-street parking spaces for residential uses shall be located on the same lot or contiguous lot as the dwelling unit(s) being served, either inside or outside of a building. No off-street parking shall be located within a front yard unless such parking occurs within the lot's driveway.

(2)

Off-street parking for nonresidential uses may be located on a lot other than that containing the principal use, but shall be situated within 500 feet of the use being served. Such remote parking shall, however, remain under the control and care of the owner or operator of the use to which it is accessory, and applications involving such parking areas shall include documentation which authorizes the use of said area for parking in connection with the proposed use and sets forth appropriate maintenance responsibilities for the parking area.

Layout and design. All off-street parking areas shall be designed to provide for the orderly and safe parking of vehicles, shall be clearly marked to facilitate movement and efficiency of use, and shall be maintained in good condition.

Grading and surfacing. All off-street parking spaces and parking areas shall be graded for proper drainage and shall be provided with a durable and dust-free wearing surface.

Lighting. All lighting which is used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be mounted and shielded in such a manner to avoid creating safety problems for motorists on public streets and to avoid causing direct glare on adjacent properties.

Setback and screening requirements. Off-street parking areas serving nonresidential uses which are designed to accommodate five or more vehicles shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from all property lines, and shall be effectively screened on each side that abuts a Residential District, a residential use, or an institutional premises. All such screening shall meet the requirements of § 286-55 of this chapter.

Accessibility. Access to off-street parking areas serving nonresidential uses shall be limited to a minimal number of well-defined locations. In no case shall unrestricted access along the length of a street or alley upon which the parking area abuts be permitted.

Limitations for parking lots in residential districts. Off-street parking lots located in Residential Districts of the Borough shall be limited to the parking of automobiles and other vehicles with a maximum one-ton capacity. Such uses shall not be noxious or offensive due to odor, dust, noise, gas, fumes, glaring lights, or other similar cause.

Number of spaces required.

(1)

Required parking spaces for any number of separate uses may be combined in one lot, but the required spaces assigned to one use may not be assigned to another use at the same time, except that parking spaces required for uses whose peak attendance will be at night or on Sundays may be assigned to a use which will be closed at night and/or on Sundays, upon recommendation of the Borough Planning Commission and approval of Borough Council.

(2)

The number of off-street parking spaces required shall be as set forth in Table 1 below. In the case of any building, structure or premises, the use of which is not specifically mentioned herein, the provisions for a use which is mentioned and is deemed similar, in the opinion of the Zoning Officer, shall apply. In the case of mixed uses or multiple uses of one building, the total number of required parking spaces shall be the sum of the number of spaces required for each use.

(3)

Applicants proposing development in the Central Business District are encouraged to provide as much off-street parking as possible. The Borough Planning Commission shall review each proposal in this district and shall recommend an appropriate number of spaces to Borough Council, who shall ultimately determine the number of spaces to be provided.

Table 1
Off-Street Parking Schedule
Use Classification			Minimum Spaces Required
Residential Uses
	Residential dwelling units, including single-, two-, and multifamily dwellings, conversion or accessory apartments		2 for each dwelling unit
	Bed-and-breakfast establishments; rooming or boarding houses		2 for the dwelling unit + 1 for each guest room
	Group homes		1 for each 2 residents + 1 for each employee.
Institutional Uses
	Day-care centers or group day-care homes		1 for each 5 students/clients + 1 for each employee
	Schools (public or private)
		Elementary schools	5 for each classroom + 1 for each employee
		Middle or high schools or postsecondary education facilities	1 for each 3.5 seats of auditorium or gymnasium capacity, whichever is greater, + 1 for each employee
		Business or trade schools	1 for each 2 students + 1 for each employee
	Places of public or private assembly; churches; clubs; philanthropic or religious organization facilities; and similar uses
		New construction on undeveloped sites	1 for each 2.5 seats of total facility capacity
		Renovation or expansion of existing facilities	Additional off-street parking as recommended by Borough Planning Commission and approved by Council
	Public service or nonprofit facilities, such as government buildings; museums and libraries
		New construction on undeveloped sites	1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area
		Renovation or expansion of existing facilities	Additional off-street parking as recommended by Borough Planning Commission and approved by Council
	Personal care homes		1 for each 2 beds + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
	Sobriety houses		1 for each 2 residents + 1 for each employee
Commercial/Retail Uses
	Home occupations, including family day-care homes and home offices		2 for the dwelling unit + 2 customer spaces
	Retail stores or personal service businesses, including business, professional, and financial offices, except as provided below		1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
	Restaurants and/or bars		1 for each 100 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
	Medical, dental or veterinary offices or clinics; or animal hospitals		5 for each doctor + 1 for each employee
	Hotels or motels		1 for each guest room + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
	Amusement enterprises, including theaters		1 for each 4 persons of total facility capacity + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
	Funeral homes or mortuaries		12 for funeral home + 1 for each employee
Industrial Uses
	Industrial activities or manufacturing operations		1.25 for each employee in the maximum work shift + 5 visitor spaces
	Distribution, warehousing, freight or truck terminals		Sufficient number to meet all on-site parking and circulation needs + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift and 3 visitor spaces
	Wholesale businesses		1 for each employee in the maximum work shift + 5 visitor spaces
Recreational or Open Space Uses
	Parks or playgrounds		1 for each 5 persons of total facility capacity
	Outdoor recreation facilities		1 for each 3 persons of total facility capacity + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift

In all districts, in connection with every commercial, industrial or institutional building hereafter erected, exceeding a gross floor area of 2,400 square feet, which requires the receipt or distribution of merchandise or materials, there shall be provided and maintained on the same lot with such building, off-street loading spaces in accordance with the requirements of this section. Such accommodations shall meet the following requirements:

Size and location. Each off-street loading space shall be of sufficient size to adequately accommodate the use being served and shall be located entirely on the subject lot. Where possible, loading spaces shall be designed so that there will be no need for drivers to back over public walkways, streets, or alleys. At a minimum, off-street loading spaces shall be 14 feet in width and 80 feet in length.

Grading and surfacing. Loading spaces shall be graded for proper drainage and shall be provided with a durable and dust-free wearing surface.

Lighting. All lighting used to illuminate off-street loading spaces shall be mounted and shielded in such a manner to avoid creating safety problems for motorists on public streets and to avoid causing glare on adjacent properties.

Setbacks and screening requirements. All loading spaces or docks shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from all property lines, and shall be effectively screened on each side that abuts a Residential District, a residential use, or an institutional premises. All screening shall meet the requirements of § 286-55 of this chapter.

Number of spaces required. The number of off-street loading spaces required shall be as set forth in Table 2 below.

	Table 2
	Off-Street Loading Schedule
	Gross Floor Area (square feet)	Minimum Spaces Required
	Up to 2,400	No space required
	Over 2,400	1 for each 20,000 square feet, or fraction thereof, of gross floor area