(a)
Purpose.
The purpose of this section is to regulate required off-street parking facilities. These regulations are designed to provide for the needs of each land use activity within the city, except that regulations for off-street parking shall not apply to the CBD central business district.
(b)
Applicability.
These regulations shall apply in any of the following circumstances:
(1)
Any building, improvement, or use of land approved or erected after December 18, 1995, shall include the necessary off-street parking spaces that this section requires.
(2)
No existing building or structure may be altered or converted for any use permitted in the district in which it is located unless there shall be provided on the lot or tract or on a lot or tract contiguous with or within one hundred fifty feet of the building or structure, vehicle parking in the required ratio of vehicle spaces for the uses specified in the designated districts. Provided, however, an established use lawfully existing as of December 18, 1995, need not provide vehicle parking as hereinafter set forth unless (a) the existing structure or use is expanded or enlarged and (b) the number and size of the then existing parking and loading spaces is not thereafter reduced other than to comply with parking requirements of the Texas Accessibility Standards Act. For purposes of this section, an expanded use shall mean a use requiring more parking spaces per square foot of gross floor area or per relevant unit than the present use requires pursuant to section 14.02.234 of this article, the parking area requirements matrix. The off-street parking and loading standards of this section apply when an existing structure or use is expanded or enlarged. In such cases, additional off-street parking and loading spaces will be required to serve the entire building or use. The number of off-street parking and loading spaces provided for the entire use (preexisting plus expansion) shall equal at least 100% of the minimum requirement established in the parking area requirements matrix.
(c)
Minimum number of off-street spaces required.
Except as set forth in section 14.02.231(a) and (b), all land use activities shall be governed by the off-street parking requirements as described in section 14.02.234.
(d)
Shared parking.
Uses may join in establishing shared parking areas, provided that each of the following qualifications are met:
(1)
Up to 50% of the parking spaces required by section 14.02.234 may be provided by or used jointly with another business whose hours and days of operation do not normally conflict with the other businesses.
(2)
A written agreement assuring the joint usage of the shared parking spaces shall be drawn and executed by all parties concerned and shall be approved as to form by the city. Attorney fees shall be paid by the parties subject to the contract and shall not be paid by the city.
(3)
The code compliance officer and the planning and zoning commission shall both specifically approve the shared parking plan.
(4)
The city council may rescind such approval and require additional spaces if the city council finds that such shared parking is inadequate or is resulting in a public nuisance adversely affecting the public health, safety, or welfare.
(e)
Proximity.
An off-street parking lot shall be located within 150 feet of a pedestrian entrance for its associated land use, exclusive of street and alley widths, and shall have direct access to a street or an alley. The lot shall be located in a district with the same zoning classification for which it is intended to serve and may not be located on a site which is zoned for residential use.
(f)
Off-street parking dimensions.
Parking spaces shall be designed and constructed on the basis of the following standards:
(1)
Ninety-degree angle parking.
Each parking space shall be not less than 10 feet wide or less than 19 feet in length. Maneuvering space is additional to the parking space and shall be no less than 24 feet perpendicular to the building or parking line.
(2)
Sixty-degree angle parking.
Each parking space shall be not less than nine feet wide or less than 19 feet in length. Maneuvering space is additional to the parking space and shall be no less than 20 feet perpendicular to the building or parking line.
(3)
Forty-five-degree angle parking.
Each parking space shall be not less than nine feet wide or less than 16 feet in length. Maneuvering space is additional to the parking space and shall be no less than 20 feet perpendicular to the building or parking line.
(g)
Parking area standards.
(1)
Surface and drainage.
All parking areas shall be paved in accordance with the city municipal specifications provided by the code compliance official. In addition, all parking areas shall allow for sufficient drainage.
(2)
Maintenance.
All parking areas shall be continually maintained in a satisfactory condition so as to be safe and attractive and free of any hazard, nuisance, or other unsafe condition.
(3)
Lighting.
To prevent nuisance situations, all parking area lighting shall be designed and operated so as not to reflect or shine intrusively on adjacent properties.
(4)
Parking space identification marking.
Except for single-family and two-family residential uses, parking spaces shall be permanently and clearly identified by stripes, buttons, tiles, curbs, barriers, or other approved methods. Impermanent marking, such as paint, shall be regularly maintained. If any space identification markings become worn or otherwise dysfunctional, it is the responsibility of the property owner to replace or repair the identifiers within 30 days of notification of same by the code enforcement officer.
(5)
Headlight beam barriers.
Whenever a parking lot is located across the street from or adjacent to residentially zoned property (whether or not residences have been built at the time the parking lot is constructed), a permanent natural or artificial solid barrier of not less than three feet and not more than four feet above the finished grade of the off-street parking area shall be erected and maintained so as to provide a headlight screen for the residential district.
(h)
Planned unit developments or mixed-use developments.
The minimum parking space requirement for planned unit development shall be calculated by the planning and zoning commission as a regular function of the site plan review process. The commission shall take into consideration the land uses proposed for the project and the normal parking requirements for such uses as shown on section 14.02.234.
(i)
Parking lot design.
(1)
Lighting.
All off-street parking areas for land uses permitted in districts other than AR, R-1, and R-2, and which are used after dark, shall be illuminated. Such illumination shall begin 1/2 hour after sunset, and continue throughout the hours of use or until midnight, whichever is later.
(2)
Accessibility.
All parking spaces shall be accessible at all times from a street, aisle, or driveway intended to serve such off-street parking.
(j)
Special requirements for automotive retail sales.
Each new car lot and each used car lot or place of business for the sale of trucks or other motor vehicles existing or hereafter established shall be required to provide and conform to the following minimum standards and requirements:
(1)
The entire surface of the lot upon which such vehicles are displayed for sale shall be paved, and shall be graded to drain properly.
(2)
No vehicle displayed for sale upon a lot shall be parked within three feet of the right-of-way line abutting public streets or other public property, or within three feet of any private property line.
(k)
Requirements for off-street physically handicapped parking.
Spaces for the handicapped and physically impaired shall be provided in accordance with federal and state laws.
(l)
Adjustments.
For a use or a site subject to approval by the planning and zoning commission either as a planned unit development, mixed-use development or as a conditional use, the minimum requirements of this section may be adjusted in order to improve the safety, usability, efficiency, attractiveness, and protection to adjoining land uses in a manner equal to or greater than the specific requirements of this section.
(m)
No reduction below requirements.
Existing parking and loading spaces may not be reduced below the requirements established in this section. Any change in use that increases applicable off-street parking or loading requirements will be deemed a violation of this article unless parking and loading spaces are provided in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(1999 Code, sec. 153.080; Ordinance 588, sec. 2, adopted 11/7/05)