The objectives of this article are as follows:
A. Promote traffic safety by assuring adequate places for storing motor
vehicles off the street and for their orderly access and egress to
and from the public streets.
B. Increase the traffic carrying capacity of streets and highway in
the Town.
C. Reduce the hazards to pedestrians on public sidewalks.
D. Protect adjoining lots and the general public from nuisances and
hazards such as:
(1)
Noise, glare of headlights, dust and fumes resulting from the
operation of motor vehicles;
(2)
Glare and heat from parking lots;
(3)
A lack of visual relief from expanses of paving; and
(4)
Accelerated runoff of surface water from land covered by impervious
materials.
Off-street parking must be provided in all zoning districts
for new construction, change of use, conversion, expansion, redevelopment
or increase in use for any structure.
The standards below must be met for the additional parking demand created by new construction, change of use, conversion, expansion, redevelopment or increase in use for any structure unless reduced on special permit from the Board of Appeals, upon the Board's determination that special circumstances render a lesser provision adequate for all parking needs, or as defined in §
201-12.10. In the case of mixed uses, the minimum parking shall be the sum of the requirements of the individual uses computed separately. Parking facilities for one use shall not be considered as providing the required parking for another use, unless it can be clearly demonstrated that the need for parking occurs at different times.
A parking space shall not be less than nine feet in width by
20 feet in length together with an aisle of at least 24 feet. Where
parallel parking is utilized, parallel spaces shall not be less than
eight feet in width and 22 feet in length.
Parking for persons with disabilities shall be provided in designated
spaces as outlined in the State Building Code and the requirements
of the Architectural Access Board, latest edition. Accessible parking
spaces serving a particular building, facility or temporary event
shall be located on the shortest accessible route of travel from adjacent
parking to an accessible entrance.
During and after construction, all soils, mulch, wood chips,
etc., shall be confined to the property. The Planning Board or its
agent shall have the authority to require the applicant to provide
specific erosion controls and placement thereof on site as needed
during construction.
Lesser parking requirements than those specified in §
201-12.6 may also be authorized by the Board of Appeals via a "shared parking plan." Shared parking will be defined as the ability of entities to share parking spaces if the demand times generated in the area in question are largely mutually exclusive for each of the parties involved. Shared parking means that parking spaces are shared by more than one user, which allows parking facilities to be used more efficiently. Shared parking takes advantage of the fact that most parking spaces are only used part time by a particular motorist or group, and many parking facilities have a significant portion of unused spaces, with utilization patterns that follow predictable daily, weekly and annual cycles. The applicant must demonstrate during the site plan review process that lower parking requirements are warranted based on the utilization of shared parking. Shared parking shall be either on the same premises as the activity it serves or on a separate parcel if located within 300 feet of the building entrance, and not separated by a state-numbered highway, and if in a zoning district allowing the activity it serves.
A. Any request to utilize shared parking must be accompanied by:
(1)
The current and proposed hours of operation;
(2)
The anticipated parking demand generated for the proposed use(s);
(3)
A description of the character of the land use and the parking
patterns of adjacent uses;
(4)
An estimate of the anticipated turnover in parking space use
over a twenty-four-hour period of time;
(5)
A site plan showing what the off-street parking provision would be if built to the specification of §
201-12.6, without the proposed reduction;
(6)
A site plan showing the shared use spaces in the lot, walking
distance to the uses sharing the lot and pedestrian amenities within
and to all shared areas. Uses sharing the parking facility do not
need to be contained within the same lot, but shall be a maximum of
500 feet from the closest parking space; and
(7)
A reciprocal agreement executed by all parties concerned that
ensures the long-term joint use of such shared parking, and that a
copy has been submitted and found acceptable during the site plan
review process. Such agreement must be recorded at the Registry of
Deeds.
B. In rendering a decision regarding a reduced parking scheme, the Board
of Appeals should consider the following criteria:
(1)
The hours of operation and peak demand of the uses involved;
(2)
The number of spaces required for each individual use pursuant to §
201-12.6;
(3)
The applicant's sufficient demonstration that actual parking
needs will be satisfied under the reduced required minimum and shared
parking plan; and
(4)
That the proposal not only satisfies the drainage requirements of §
201-12.7I for the proposed parking via a shared plan, but that the drainage system is designed to accommodate parking need, based on the minimum requirements set forth under §
201-12.6 for the cumulative uses proposed.
C. In the event that the conditions for shared parking change, or if shared parking arrangement is discontinued, the applicant shall notify the Board of Appeals within 10 days. The Board shall then require the applicant to meet the applicable parking requirements found in §
201-12.6 of this article, as the affected sites will be considered in violation of this bylaw upon the expiration of the shared parking agreement.
Parking area must be used for registered motor vehicle parking
only, with no sales, dead storage, repair work, or servicing of any
kind. The required parking areas must be permanently available for
use by patrons and employees of establishments for which such space
was provided.
Parking areas, loading spaces and landscaping shall be continuously
maintained. Whenever necessary, surfacing, lighting, parking space
markings and plantings shall be replaced or repaired, and drainage
structures maintained. Failure to adequately maintain parking facilities
shall be considered a violation of the bylaw.