Town of Coventry, RI Article XII Standards for Parking Lots and Loading Facilities

§ 255-1200 General requirements.

A. No structure shall be erected, substantially altered or its use changed, unless off-street parking and loading spaces have been provided in accordance with this chapter.

B. Submission. Plans and specifications for the required parking, loading facility and access drives shall be submitted at the time of application for the building permit for the principal use and must be approved by the Town Engineer, Town Planner, and Building Inspector or Zoning Enforcement Officer.

C. Location. All parking facilities required under this article shall be constructed on the lot containing the principal use, or on abutting lot(s) which shall have the same zoning as the main lot. No parking or loading facility, exclusive of driveways, shall be located within 10 feet of a street right-of-way line or five feet of a sidewalk or abutting property line. It is the intent of this article that substantially all parking spaces shall be located to the rear or the side of the building. The front yard shall be used primarily for sidewalks and landscaping.

D. Paving:

(1) All parking and loading facilities required under this chapter, together with driveways, aisles, and other circulation areas, shall be paved with asphalt, a minimum of two inches in thickness applied over no less than 10 inches of compacted gravel.

(2) The use of porous paving material may be allowed as a special use permit. Applications for such special use permit shall be forwarded to the Town Engineer for his recommendation which shall be made part of the Board's record. The Engineer's recommendation shall be submitted in writing at least one week prior to the Board meeting.

(3) All parking and loading areas shall be striped within 30 days of use of the premises.

E. Lighting. Any parking area which is intended to be used during non-daylight hours shall be illuminated during the hours of operation of the principal use. Any lights used to illuminate a parking lot shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from the adjoining property and away from streets.

F. Screening and/or landscaping. All parking areas shall be screened and/or landscaped in accordance with § 255-1750. Minimum buffers and landscaping standards are found in Article XVII as well.

G. Drainage. All parking and loading areas shall provide for proper drainage of surface water in accordance with the subdivision regulations of the Town. Such drainage shall be approved by the Town Engineer.

H. Required trash areas. All commercial, industrial and multifamily residential uses shall provide trash and/or garbage collection areas located in the rear of the building, enclosed on at least three sides by a solid wall, opaque fence or compact planting screen of at least five feet in height if such area is not within an enclosed building or structure. Provisions for adequate vehicular access to and from such area or areas for collection of trash and/or garbage shall be required.

I. Wheel blocks. When a parking lot extends to a property line, sidewalk, or street right-of-way, or landscaped buffer, wheel blocks or other suitable devices shall be installed to prevent any part of a parked vehicle from extending beyond the parking facility setback line.

J. Width of access driveways. Access driveways serving any required parking lots as a direct access drive from a street shall not be less than 12 feet for one-way traffic and not more than 24 feet for two-way traffic.

§ 255-1210 Loading space requirements and dimensions.

A. No land shall be used or occupied and no structure shall be erected or used for commercial or industrial purposes unless the off-street loading spaces required herein are provided. Off-street loading spaces as specified in this chapter shall be provided for any enlargement or alterations to any such existing structure or use.

B. Off-street loading spaces shall be on the same or contiguous lot or parcel of land as the use or structure they are intended to serve. In no case shall any required off-street loading space substitute for the off-street parking requirements. Such space shall be located in the rear of the structure.

C. A loading space shall have minimum dimensions of not less than 12 feet in width, 60 feet in length, exclusive of driveways, aisles, and other circulation areas, and a clearance of height of not less than 14 feet. Off-street loading spaces shall be provided as follows:

(1) At least one off-street loading space shall be provided and maintained on the same lot for every use having a gross floor area of up to 5,000 square feet.

(2) One additional loading space shall be provided for each additional 10,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area.

D. All off-street loading spaces shall be located so as not to impede the flow of traffic within the parking area. The plans for off-street loading must be reviewed and approved by the Town Engineer.

§ 255-1220 Minimum off-street parking requirements.

A. For the purposes of this chapter, the following minimum parking space requirements shall apply for each land-use. The Town Engineer or Planning Commission when applicable may lower the minimum parking spaces if he/she/they feel it is warranted. A parking space including aisles shall be no less than 350 square feet per vehicle with a minimum width of 8.5 feet and a minimum length of 18 feet. Any uses not specifically delineated in the following tables shall have their parking requirements determined during the development plan review process pursuant to Article XVI.

B. Parking or storage of commercial vehicles in residential districts. The parking or storage of commercial vehicles of over one-ton capacity shall not be permitted in a residential district without receipt of a special use permit from the Zoning Board of Review, except where such parking or storage is directly related and accessory to a permitted use or lawful nonconforming use on the premises. Parking or storage of one commercial vehicle up to four-ton carrying capacity in a rural residential zoning district may be permitted where the property contains a minimum of two acres. Where such parking is permitted, the vehicle shall be stored in a building or in an area screened and/or landscaped as specified in Article XVII.

C. Parking or storage of major recreation equipment in residential district. In residential districts, the parking or storage of major recreation equipment, which includes transient trailers, pick-up campers, coaches, motorized dwellings, tent trailers, boats, boat trailers and similar equipment belonging to the property owner, but does not include mobile homes, shall be regulated as follows:

(1) One transient trailer, pick-up camper, coach motorized dwelling, tent trailer, or boat trailer may be parked or stored on any lot in a residential district provided that such equipment be not more than 10 feet in height.

(2) Only one boat, not to be in excess of 25 feet in length, may be stored in a residential district provided that such equipment be not more than 15 feet in height measured from ground level to the highest point.

(3) No such major recreation equipment, while parked or stored, shall be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping.

(4) Where possible, such recreation equipment must be stored in the rear yard.

(5) No major recreation equipment shall be stored out of doors in residential districts unless it is in condition for safe and effective performance of the function for which it was intended or can be made so within a six-month period.

Table 12-1 - Residential
Type of Use	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Single-, Two- or Multifamily	2 per dwelling unit
Boarding and rooming houses	2 for the owner/occupant and 2 for each sleeping room
Mobile home park	2 for each dwelling unit
Hotels and motels	1 space for every room, plus 1 for each 400 square feet of public meeting and banquet area, plus one for every 75 square feet of restaurant gross floor area (GFA)

Table 12-2 - Industrial and Wholesale
Type of Use	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
All uses permitted in an I1 or I2 District	1 for every 2 employees on the shift with the greatest employment, plus 1 for each motor vehicle maintained or used on the premises (minimum of 4 spaces)

Table 12-3 - Commercial
Type of Use	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Automobile service stations (full-serve)	1 for each employee, 2 for each service bay, and 1 for each gas pump
Self-service with convenience store	1 for each employee, 1 for each gas pump, and 1 for each 150 square feet of GFA
Commercial drive-in establishments (excluding restaurants)	1 space for each employee on the shift of greatest employment, plus 6 for each drive-in window
Lunchrooms, restaurants, taverns, etc.	1 for every 3 seats, plus 1 for every 2 employees on the shift of greatest employment
Restaurants, fast food	1 for each 50 square feet of GFA
Retail stores (under 2,500 square feet GFA)	1 for each 150 square feet of GFA (minimum of 3 spaces)
Retail stores (over 2,500 square feet GFA) and shopping centers	1 for each 200 square feet of GFA
Convenience store	1 for every 150 square feet of GFA
All other types of business or commercial uses permitted	1 for each 300 square feet of GFA (minimum of 3 spaces)

Table 12-4 - Personal, Business and Professional Services
Type of Use	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Offices, public or professional administration or service buildings	3 plus 1 for each 250 square feet of floor area
Banks, financial institutions and similar uses	3 plus 1 for each 250 square feet of floor area
Theaters, auditoriums and similar uses	1 for each 4 seats of total capacity
Funeral homes and similar uses	1 for each 3 seats total capacity, plus 1 for every employee
Medical and dental offices	1 for every 200 square feet floor area of examination, treating room, office and waiting room (minimum of 4 spaces)

Table 12-5 - Recreation
Type of Use	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Athletic fields and courts	1 for each 2 persons of total capacity
Bowling alleys	4 for each lane plus 50% of the spaces otherwise required for accessory uses (i.e., restaurant, bar, game room)
Swimming pools, ice rinks, clubs or halls	1 for each 5 persons capacity plus 1 for each 4 seats or 1 for each 30 square feet floor area used for seating purposes, whichever is greater
Golf course (9 holes)	100 spaces; plus 50% of spaces otherwise required for any accessory use (i.e., restaurant, bar, shop)
Golf course (18 holes)	200 spaces; plus 50% of spaces otherwise required for any accessory use (i.e., restaurant, bar, shop)

Table 12-6 - Government, Institutional and Educational
Type of Use	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Churches and places of religious assembly	1 for each 4 seats
Hospitals	1 for each bed, plus 1 for every 2 employees on the shift of greatest employment
Sanitariums, homes for the aged, nursing homes, asylums and similar uses	1 for each 4 beds, plus 1 for every 2 employees on the shift of greatest employment
Libraries, museums, art galleries	1 for each 400 square feet of GFA for public use, plus 1 for every 2 employees on the shift of greatest employment
Elementary schools	2 spaces for each classroom plus one for every 6 seats in auditoriums or assembly halls
High schools	1 for every 10 students, plus 1 for every employee
Business, technical and trade schools	1 for each 2 students
Colleges, universities	1 for each 4 students
Kindergartens, child-care centers, nurseries, etc.	1 for each employee, plus 1 for every 10 students based on capacity enrollment for safe and convenient loading and unloading

§ 255-1230 Property access standards.

A. One of the most serious problems with strip commercial development is the proliferation of drive access. To limit this condition the following access standards are adopted.

B. Shared drive access. The Town desires and encourages sharing access drives between separate parcels. Some of the following standards may be relaxed if shown during the development plan review process that more efficient design can be accomplished without jeopardizing the public's health, safety and welfare. All changes are subject to approval by the Commission. All drive accesses shall be approved by the Town Engineer for width and location.

(1) Commercial developments which may not be able to meet the requirements of § 255-1230B through D, and are requesting deviations from the standards, shall submit to the Town Engineer a report certified by a professional engineer addressing the following site conditions, both present and future:

(a) Traffic volumes.

(b) Turning movements.

(c) Traffic controls.

(d) Site design.

(e) Site distances.

(f) Location and alignment of other access points.

(2) Based upon the above data, the Town Engineer shall determine whether a deviation from the requirement standards is justified and, if so, what alternative requirements will be necessary.

C. Drive access required. All nonresidential, off-street parking spaces shall have access from a drive access and not directly from a public street. All drive accesses installed, altered, changed, replaced, or extended after the effective date of this chapter shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) Single-family drive access openings shall not exceed 12 feet in width measured at the right-of-way line and 15 feet in width measured at the curb line. All residential complexes for fewer than four families are considered single-family residences for the purpose of this section.

(2) Residential complexes for four or more families shall be considered commercial establishments for the purpose of this section, except that townhouse units may be considered single-family residences.

(3) Nonresidential drive access openings shall conform to the following criteria:

(a) Commercial drive access widths shall be a maximum of 30 feet measured at the inside edge of the drive access extended, at its intersection with the projected curb line of the intersecting street. Two-way drive access shall be a minimum of 24 feet and one-way drive access shall be a minimum of 16 feet.

(b) Industrial drive access widths shall be a maximum of 35 feet measured at the inside edge of the drive access extended, at its intersection with the projected curb line of the intersecting street. Two-way drive accesses shall be a minimum of 24 feet and one-way drive accesses shall be a minimum of 16 feet.

(c) All commercial centers or industrial drive accesses shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from the adjacent property line unless such drive access is approved as a shared drive access.

(d) Drive accesses to drive-in theaters, stadiums, racetracks, funeral homes, or uses generating very heavy periodic traffic conflicts shall be located not closer than 200 feet to any pedestrian or vehicular entrance or exit to a school, college, university, church, hospital, public emergency shelter or other place of public assembly.

(e) All commercial and industrial drive accesses on arterial streets shall have fifteen-foot return radii unless otherwise approved by the Town Engineer. All commercial and industrial drive accesses on other streets may have either return radii or depressed curbs. The minimum radius allowed is four feet.

D. Distance from intersection. Driveway access distance from street intersections for all lots created after the effective date of this chapter shall be subject to the following minimum dimensions, unless otherwise approved by the Town Engineer as part of an approved site plan.

Table 12-7 - Driveway Access
Distance From Nearest Intersection
	Driveway Access on Collector Street		Driveway Access on Arterial Streets
Street Type	Residential (feet)	Commercial, Industry (feet)	Residential (feet)	Commercial, Industry (feet)
Arterial	100	150	150	200
Collector	40	150	150	150
Local	40	100	100	200

NOTE: All distances shall be measured from the inside edge of the drive access, extended, at its intersection with the projected curb line of the intersecting street.

E. Drive access spacing. The distance between drive accesses on a public street, except for single-, two-family and townhouse dwellings, shall be measured from inside of drive to inside of drive according to the following specified distances, unless otherwise approved by the Director of Public Services as part of an approved site plan.

Table 12-8
Driveway Access Spacing
	Collector Streets		Arterial Streets
Street Type	Residential (feet)	Commercial, Industry (feet)	Residential (feet)	Commercial, Industry (feet)
Partial access *	60	80	80	150
Full access**	100	150	100	150
Minimum separation	60	80	60	100

NOTES:
*	Partial access includes right turn in and out only.
**	Full access allows all turn movements, in and out.