Town of Pine Plains, NY Parking and Loading Requirements

Parking standards.

Off-street parking required. In conjunction with any principal building hereafter erected or any use of land hereafter established, there shall be provided on the same lot sufficient off-street parking spaces to meet the minimum requirements specified herein.

(2)

Other permitting authorities. The New York State Department of Transportation and the Dutchess County Highway Department have jurisdiction over certain roads in the Town. Where the permitting standards of the county or state vary from the provisions contained in this section, and said standards would result in a parking layout which does not conform to these regulations, the county or state standards shall prevail.

(3)

Parking location.

(a)

Areas which may be computed as open or enclosed off-street parking spaces include any private garage, carport or other area available for parking, other than a street or front yard. Notwithstanding, a driveway within a front yard for a single-family or two-family residence may count toward meeting the requisite number of parking spaces.

(b)

For any residential use, a garage in a detached structure located within a rear yard (exclusive of the required rear yard) is encouraged. For any residential use in a hamlet zoning district that is subject to site plan or subdivision approval, attached garages recessed at least 10 feet from the plane of the front facade are required if the garage doors front to the street unless waived by the Planning Board.

(c)

The Planning Board, at its discretion, may allow parking within the front yard in the H-MS and H-BUS Districts due to specific site conditions and/or functional requirements, subject to the provisions of Subsection J(11) below.

Minimum number of spaces. The minimum number of spaces shall be determined by the amount of dwelling units, bedrooms, floor area, members, equipment, employees, and/or seats contained in such new buildings or structures, or added by alteration of building or structures, and such minimum number of spaces shall be maintained by the owners of such buildings or structures. Spaces shall be provided in accordance with Table C, Schedule of Minimum Parking Space Requirements.

[Amended 4-20-2023 by L.L. No. 1-2023]

	Table C
	Schedule of Minimum Parking Space Requirements Applicable to All Zoning Districts
	Use	Minimum Number of Required Parking Spaces
	Dwelling, mixed-use building	1 for each dwelling, in addition to spaces for the nonresidential use
	Dwelling, manufactured home	2 for each dwelling
	Dwelling, multiple-family	2 for each dwelling, plus sufficient visitor parking to be determined by the Planning Board
	Dwelling, senior citizen	1.5 for each dwelling, plus sufficient visitor parking to be determined by the Planning Board
	Dwelling, single-family attached	2 for each dwelling, plus sufficient visitor parking to be determined by the Planning Board
	Dwelling, single-family detached	2 for each dwelling
	Dwelling, two-family	2 for each dwelling
	Dwelling, two-family conversion	2 for each dwelling
	Dwelling, accessory	1 for each dwelling
	Dwelling, elder cottage	1 for each dwelling
	Home occupation, minor	Parking as required for the applicable dwelling unit type
	Home occupation, major	As required by the Planning Board

	Agricultural operations	Not applicable
	Airstrip	As required by the Planning Board
	Automotive repair	1 for each employee on the largest shift, and an additional 1 per service bay, plus requisite parking spaces for storage of vehicles being repaired
	Automotive sales	1 for each 700 sf of sales area within a building, but not fewer than 5 for customer parking and 1 for each 2 employees
	Automotive service station	2 for each service bay
	Bank	1 for each 500 sf gfa
	Bank, with drive through	1 for each 500 sf gfa. Stacking lanes shall accommodate 5 spaces per window.
	Bed-and-breakfast	1 for each guest sleeping room, plus 1 for each 1.5 employees, plus required parking for the dwelling
	Camp, day	1 for each 5 campers
	Camp, seasonal	1 for each 5 campers, plus required space for any on-site dwelling
	Cannabis retail dispensary	1 for each 250 sf gfa
	Car wash	5 for each employee, and stacking lanes shall accommodate at least 3 times the number of vehicles that may be within the wash process at one time. For self-serve washes, the employee spaces may be eliminated.
	Cemetery	As required by the Planning Board
	Commercial logging	As required by the Planning Board
	Communications facility/personal wireless service facility or tower	2 for each tower
	Convenience store associated with automotive service station	1 for each 150 sf gfa
	Craft workshop	1 for each 250 sf gfa
	Day-care center	1 for each 6 children, plus 1 per employee
	Educational facility	1 for each 6 seats or students, plus 1 per employee
	Equipment storage	As required by the Planning Board
	Farm market	1 for each 250 sf gfa
	Farm stand	As required by the Planning Board
	Funeral home	1 for each 5 seats available under maximum occupancy; at least 1 for each funeral vehicle and each employee
	Golf course	2 per hole. Additional parking shall be as determined by the Planning Board.
	In-patient health-care facility	1 per 1.5 beds for hospitals; 1 per 3 beds for inpatient care facility, plus 1 for each estimated employee
	Kennel	1 per 400 sf gfa
	Laundromat	1 per 2 washers or dryers, plus 1 per employee
	Lodging	1 for each guest sleeping room, plus 1 for each 1.5 employees
	Manufacturing	1 for each 2 employees on the maximum employed shift, plus 1 for each company vehicle, or 1 per 400 sf gfa, whichever is greater
	Membership club, and membership club, multiple-use social and recreation	As required by the Planning Board
	Municipal support	1 for each 300 sf gfa
	Office	1 for each 300 sf gfa
	Office, medical	1 for each 150 sf gfa
	Public utilities	As required by the Planning Board
	Recreation, commercial indoor	Bowling alley: 3 for each alley Tennis court: 3 for each court Swim club: 1 for each 4 members Any use not listed: as required by the Planning Board
	Recreation, commercial outdoor	Same as recreation, commercial indoor Any use not listed: as required by the Planning Board
	Religious institution	1 for each 4 seats or pew spaces, or in places without seats, 1 for each 100 sf of floor space used for public assembly; 1 per 3 theater seats
	Research/Laboratory facility	1 for each 2 employees on the maximum employed shift, plus 1 for each company vehicle, or 1 per 400 sf gfa, whichever is greater
	Resort	1 for each guest sleeping room, plus 1 for each 1.5 employees
	Restaurant	1 for each 150 sf gfa
	Retail use	1 for each 250 sf gfa
	Riding stable or academy	1 for each 5 persons for which there are accommodations
	Self-storage facility	1 for each 4 storage areas, plus 2 for each dwelling
	Service business, with no customers at site	1 for each 250 sf gfa
	Service business, with customers at site	1 for each 250 sf gfa
	Shooting preserve	As required by the Planning Board
	Veterinary hospital	1 for each 400 sf gfa
	Warehouse	1 for each 1,000 sf gfa
	Zoo	As required by the Planning Board
	Uses not listed herein or to be determined by the Planning Board	Standards used in generally accepted traffic engineering and planning manuals shall serve as a reference

	NOTES:
	sf	=	square feet
	gfa	=	gross floor area

Nonresidential uses. Parking requirements for nonresidential uses shall be determined by the Planning Board based upon the requirements set forth in Table C. The Planning Board may reduce the requisite minimum number of parking spaces associated with any nonresidential use where it determines that existing off-street parking or on-street parking capacity is available to serve the particular use. The Planning Board, in establishing parking demand, shall consider the following:

(1)

The operational characteristics of the use, including, for example, the number of employees, customers, clients, members, students or other uses at times of peak usage. Parking spaces shall be sufficient to satisfy 85% of the anticipated peak parking demand.

(2)

The size of the structure(s) and site layout. In the H-BUS and H-MS Districts, on-street parking along the length of the front property line may specifically be used in determining the minimum parking requirement for any nonresidential use on that lot.

(3)

The availability of on-street parking.

(4)

The availability of any off-street parking within 500 feet that is available to the public, owned or controlled by the applicant, or available for joint use.

Environmental considerations. The installation of large expanses of paved surfaces visible from public rights-of-way can detract from the Town's visual character. Parking lots with excess capacity result in unnecessary site disturbance, increases in stormwater runoff, and create sinks for air and water pollutants. Adequate parking facilities shall be created in a manner that meets the parking demand created by various uses and is designed in a manner that minimizes any negative impacts associated with same.

Shared parking. The Planning Board may allow off-street parking and loading spaces required for structures or uses on the same or adjacent lots to be provided in a single common facility, on one or more of said lots, subject to the following:

(1)

The total capacity of the common facility shall be the sum of the requirements of each individual use. Said total capacity may be reduced where the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Planning Board that the capacity of such facility will meet the intent of the requirements by reason of the provision of non-reserved parking spaces and variation in the probable time of maximum use by residents, visitors, patrons and employees among such uses.

(2)

As a condition of the approval of the joint use, the Planning Board may require a legal instrument in a form acceptable to the Town Attorney assuring the continued existence and use of said parking spaces in connection with the uses and structures that they serve. Such instrument shall also guarantee that upon termination of such use, each individual participant will provide off-street parking and loading spaces for its own use in accordance with all requirements of this Zoning Law. Such instrument shall be recorded in the office of the County Clerk of Dutchess County.

Prohibited use of parking areas. Off-street parking areas shall not be used for any purpose other than parking of vehicles for resident, guest, customer, or employee use. There shall be no storage, servicing or dismantling of automobiles or other vehicles. Loading or unloading shall occur only in accordance with § 275-46. In no event shall any part of the parking area, lawn or other required open space be used for the storage or abandonment of any articles or goods.

Parking prohibition. In no event shall parking spaces or driveway access for a use not permitted in a zoning district be located in that district.

Handicapped parking. Adequate parking for handicapped persons shall be provided in accordance with applicable laws and designed in accordance with all state and federal ADA regulations (ICC/ANSI A117.1). The parking standards are inclusive of handicapped spaces.

Phasing. The intent of this subsection is to allow flexibility in the timing of the provision of parking, where the Planning Board has determined that there is some uncertainty as to the parking demand for a particular use, and where the immediate provision of parking would result in unnecessary disturbances to lands presently in a natural state. Where the Planning Board determines that the immediate use of any property may not require the full initial improvement of all off-street parking or loading facilities, the Planning Board may waive the initial improvement of not more than 50% of the required number of spaces, provided that an area accommodating the total number of reserve parking spaces is shown on the approved plan. The reserve parking area shall be noted on any site plan as "reserved for future parking." The Planning Board may require that said reserve area be graded for parking in accordance with the approved plan. All reserve lands, if graded, shall be landscaped in accordance with the approved landscaping plan until the reserved spaces may be required to be improved. Reserved spaces shall be improved within six months of the date of a written notice from the Planning Board that such spaces have been determined to be necessary. Appropriate written guaranties shall be provided by the owner and approved by the Town Attorney. The Planning Board may require that a performance guaranty or other surety be posted to ensure the completion of the reserve parking, if so required.

Parking design.

(1)

Size of parking spaces. Each parking space shall be at least nine feet wide and 19 feet long or as follows:

Angle	Stall Length (feet)	Minimum Stall Width (feet)	Aisle Width (feet)
90°	19	9	24
60°	19	9	16
45°	18	9	14

(2)

A parking facility with a capacity of six spaces or more shall be stabilized with crushed stone, blacktop, or similar surface approved by the Planning Board. Reduction of impervious surfaces through the use of interlocking pavers is strongly encouraged for areas that serve low-intensity parking needs.

(3)

The maximum finished grade for parking areas shall not exceed 3%. The maximum grade of access drives shall be 12%. Requirements for driveways shall also adhere to the standards contained in the Town of Pine Plains Highway Specifications.

(4)

A parking facility shall be maintained throughout the duration of its use to the extent necessary to avoid nuisances of dust, erosion or excessive water flow across public ways or adjacent lands.

(5)

Landscaping shall be integrated into parking areas to visually break up large expanses of paving and provide shade. All off-street parking areas, including all paved areas for off-street parking, drives, aisles, standing zones and other vehicular use areas, shall have a minimum landscape area equal to 20% of the paved parking area. Landscaping shall be placed at parking entryways and at parking end islands and shall help to define vehicular access and pedestrian movement. Landscaping shall consist of a mix of grass, vegetative ground cover, shrubs, trees and other landscaping materials. Where necessary, landscaping shall be protected from vehicular encroachment by raised curbing. Landscaping shall not block sight lines. Landscaping shall meet the requirements of other sections of this Zoning Law, including the requirements of § 275-37, Landscaping and screening.

(6)

Lighting for Parking Facilities (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) shall be used as a guide to determining parking lot illumination requirements. Lighting shall adhere to the requirements of § 275-38. Where these standards may conflict, the more restrictive requirement shall apply.

(7)

Curbing may be required to assure proper drainage, delineate the parking area and driveway access.

(8)

There shall be adequate provisions for ingress to and egress from all parking spaces. Access to off-street parking areas shall be limited to several well-defined driveway locations, and in no case shall there be permitted unrestricted access along the length of the street upon which the parking area abuts.

(9)

Stacking lanes may be required to avoid stacking of vehicles into the public right-of-way. Examples of uses which may require stacking lanes include gasoline station pump aisles and drop-off areas for day-care facilities and schools.

(10)

To the greatest extent practicable, adequate turnaround areas shall be provided on a property to preclude vehicles from backing out onto a public right-of-way.

(11)

Where the Planning Board allows parking in the front yard of a property in the H-BUS or H-MS District, a berm, masonry wall, solid fence or evergreen hedge at least 30 inches in height at the time of planting shall be installed to screen the view of any parking area from a street. Where existing vegetation adequately screens views, the Planning Board may allow same to substitute for new screening, provided notes are added to any plan indicating that the existing vegetation shall not be removed and that continued maintenance of same shall be required as a condition of approval.

Easements. The Planning Board may require the establishment of cross-access easements in the H-BUS and H-MS Districts in order to interconnect parking lots as a condition of approval. The language of the easement shall be in a form acceptable to the Town Attorney.