Township of Hemlock, PA OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS

[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 800]

In all districts, in accordance 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 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.

All off-street vehicle parking spaces shall contain a minimum of 200 square feet of usable area, exclusive of any drives, entrances or exits, and shall have a minimum width of not less than 10 feet.

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. Off-street parking spaces for nonresidential uses may be located on a lot other than that containing the principal use, but shall be located within 250 feet of the principal building being served. Such remote parking areas shall however remain under the control and care of the owner 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.

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

All off-street parking spaces and parking areas shall be graded for proper drainage and shall be stabilized so as to provide a durable, all-weather wearing surface. Further, parking areas serving five or more vehicles shall be surfaced with an asphalt or concrete pavement.

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.

As provided in Part 3, the District Regulations, all nonresidential parking areas in the General Commercial, Interchange Commercial, and Industrial Districts, shall be set back a minimum of 20 feet from the edge of any adjoining street right-of-way. No parking or vehicular traffic circulation shall be permitted within this required setback area, nor shall any planting or sign located within such area be placed within the clear sight triangle of any intersection (as per the requirements of § 27-505, Subsection 4, of this chapter), nor at any other location within the required setback area that could obstruct or impair a driver's dear vision.

A minimum ten-foot setback shall be provided between nonresidential parking areas and all side and rear property lines when parking is proposed to be located adjacent to another lot in a commercial or industrial district. Where, however, such parking abuts a lot in any other district, a setback of 50 feet shall be required. Screening, as provided in § 27-507 of this chapter, shall be used to effectively screen nonresidential parking areas from residential uses.

Adequate provisions shall be made for ingress and egress to all off-street parking spaces and parking areas. Access shall be limited to a minimal number of well-defined locations. In no case shall unrestricted access along the length of a street upon which the parking abuts be permitted. Nonresidential parking areas shall be designed so there will be no need for motorists to back over public walkways or street rights-of-way.

Required parking spaces for any number of separate uses may be combined into one lot, but the required spaces assigned to one use may not be assigned to another use at the same time, except as may be recommended by the Township Planning Commission and approved by the Township Supervisors.

At a minimum, off-street parking shall be provided as set forth in Table 27-8-1 below. In the case of any building or premises, the use of which is not specifically mentioned herein, the provisions for a use so mentioned and to which said use is similar, in the opinion of the Zoning Officer, shall apply. In the case of mixed uses, the total number of required parking spaces shall be the sum of the number of spaces required for each use.

[Amended by Ord. No. 03-09-2021, 3/9/2021]

Off-street parking spaces for handicapped persons shall be provided as per the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Applicants proposing development in the Urban Residential District are encouraged to provide as much off-street parking as possible. The Township Planning Commission shall review each proposal in this district and recommend an appropriate number of spaces. The Township Supervisors shall ultimately decide the number of spaces that must be provided.

Table 27-8-1
Off-Street Parking Schedule
Use Classification			Minimum Spaces Required
Residential Uses
1.	Single-family detached dwelling units; duplexes; and conversion apartments		2 for each dwelling unit
2.	Townhouse and apartment dwelling units		2 for each dwelling unit; 1 for each dwelling unit for elderly housing
3.	Mobile home parks		2 for each dwelling unit
4.	Rooming or boarding houses		2 for the dwelling unit + 1 for each boarding unit or room
5.	Student housing		1 for each dwelling unit occupant
Institutional Uses
6.	Day care facilities
	a.	Family day care homes or accessory group day care homes	2 for the dwelling unit + 1 for each 3 students/clients
	b.	Day-care centers, group day care homes, or nursery schools	1 for each 3 students/clients + 1 for each employee
7.	Schools (public or private)
	a.	Elementary schools	5 for each classroom + 1 for each employee
	b.	Middle or high schools or postsecondary education facilities	1 for each 3 seats of auditorium or gymnasium capacity, whichever is greater
8.	Places of public or private assembly, including churches, municipal or government buildings, or dubs and fraternal organization facilities. (See also "public entertainment facilities," no. 25 below.)		1 space for 3 seats of total facility capacity
9.	Public service or nonprofit facilities not primarily intended for public assembly, including police or fire stations, libraries, museums, and cultural facilities		1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee
10.	Group homes or institutional residences		1 for each 2 residents + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
11.	Nursing or personal care homes		1 for each 3 beds + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
12.	Medical or dental clinics		5 for each service provider + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
13.	Medical centers		1 for each patient bed + 0.75 space for each staff member and each employee in the maximum work shift
14.	Cemeteries		5 visitor spaces + 1 per employee
Commercial/Retail Uses
15.	Retail stores or personal service business establishments, including neighborhood retail activities, except as provided below		1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
16.	No-impact home-based businesses or home occupations		2 for the dwelling unit + 2 customer spaces
17.	Farm-related businesses		4 for each business + 1 for each employee
18.	Bed-and-breakfast establishments		2 for the dwelling unit + 1 for each guest room
19.	Restaurants; bars or taverns		1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
20.	Grocery stores or food markets		1 for each 200 square feet or gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
21.	Automobile sales facilities or automobile service stations and repair garages		1 for each 400 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
22.	Business or professional offices, including banks or financial institutions; and office buildings		1 for each 300 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
23.	Veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, and/or kennels		3 for each service provider + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
24.	Commercial lodging facilities		1 for each guest room + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
25.	Public entertainment establishments		1 for each 100 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
26.	Adult entertainment establishments		1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
27.	Funeral homes or mortuaries		1 for each 50 square feet of assembly area + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
28.	Roadside stands, plant nurseries, or greenhouses		5 for each facility + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
Industrial Uses
29.	Industrial or manufacturing operations; warehousing or storage facilities, except as provided below		1 for each employee in the maximum work shift + 5 visitor spaces
30.	Research and development facilities		1 for each employee in the maximum work shift + 5 visitor spaces
31.	Sawmills, lumber yards, or contractors' shops and yards		1 for each employee + 5 customer spaces
32.	Solid waste transfer stations; fire recapping operations; incinerators; hazardous or explosive materials storage facilities; junkyards or auto salvage operations; or mineral extraction operations		1 for each employee + 5 customer/visitor spaces
33.	Truck stops or freight terminals		1 for each employee + 1 for each vehicle to be accommodated on the premises
Recreational or Open Space Uses
34.	Parks or playgrounds		1 for each 5 persons of total facility capacity
35.	Outdoor commercial recreation uses; and outdoor cultural, religious, amusement or sporting events		1 for each 3 persons of total facility capacity + 1 for each employee in the maximum work shift
36.	Campgrounds or RV parks		1 for each camping space + 1 additional space for every 5 camping spaces
37.	Seasonal dwellings or hunting camps		2 for each seasonal unit.

[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 801]

Off-street loading space or area shall be provided in connection with every commercial, industrial, or institutional building or use or part thereof hereafter erected which requires the delivery or shipment of merchandise or materials. Such accommodations shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of this section and shall meet the following standards:

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 At a minimum, each loading space shall be 12 feet in width, 45 feet in length, and shall have an overhead clearance of no less than 14 feet, exclusive of drives or maneuvering area. Where possible, off-street loading spaces or areas shall be located to the side or rear of the buildings they are intended to serve. Further, off-street loading spaces and areas shall be designed so that there will be no need for drivers to back over public walkways or street rights-of-way.

Off-street loading spaces shall be graded for proper drainage and shall be surfaced to satisfactorily accommodate the anticipated type and intensity of traffic. Required off-street loading space shall be provided in addition to the required number of off-street parking spaces.

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 direct glare on adjacent properties.

No off-street loading space or area shall extend into any required yard or setback area.

A minimum ten-foot setback shall be provided between off-street loading areas and all side and rear property lines when loading is proposed to be located adjacent to another lot in a commercial or industrial district. Where, however, such loading abuts any other district, a setback of 50 feet shall be required. Screening, as provided in § 27-507 of this chapter, shall be used to effectively screen off-street loading areas from residential uses.

The number of off-street loading spaces required shall be as set forth in Table 27-8-2 below.

Table 27-8-2
Off-Street Loading Schedule
Gross Floor Area	Minimum Number of Spaces Required
Up to 20,000 square feet	1
20,001 to 40,000 square feet	2
40,001 to 100,000 square feet	3
Over 100,000 square feet	3 + 1 for each additional 50,000 square feet of gross floor area.