City of Escondido, CA OFF-STREET PARKING

Administrative adjustment. For uses in nonresidential zones, adjustments up to 25% of the number of parking spaces required by section 33-765 may be considered by the director upon the submittal of an application for an administrative adjustment, with the application fee adopted by city council. The director may approve or conditionally approve the request upon demonstration that the proposed adjustment will be compatible with adjacent properties or improvements. The director will consider the following: proximity to public transit; on-street and/or overflow parking; and the range of uses in the area. The director shall give notice of his or her intended decision as outlined in Article 61 of this chapter. Multiple requests for reductions of required parking spaces may be considered when the total of all requests for reductions related to the subject property does not exceed 25% of the overall number of parking spaces required for the entire property.

When an adjustment to the number of parking spaces required for uses in a nonresidential zone is made in conjunction with a conditional use permit, the decision-making body for said conditional use permit shall be authorized to act on the parking adjustment as part of the action on the conditional use permit. No separate administrative adjustment shall be required.

Minor conditional use permit. For uses in nonresidential zones, a request to provide fewer than 75% of the parking spaces required by section 33-765 may be considered by the zoning administrator upon the submittal of an application for a minor conditional use permit pursuant to Article 61, Division 1, with the application fee adopted by city council. The zoning administrator may approve or conditionally approve the request upon demonstration that the proposed reduction will be compatible with adjacent properties, uses and improvements; the development is in close proximity to public transit; and the number of parking spaces provided is suitable for the mix of uses proposed. The zoning administrator may require additional information with the application, including, but not limited to, a market demand study or report that substantiates the appropriateness of the requested parking reduction.

The minimum required parking spaces for any existing development may be reduced by minor plot plan as necessary by the director to accommodate updated standards related to federal accessibility requirements (Americans with Disabilities Act), retrofitting existing dumpster areas for refuse collection, and/or accommodating electrical vehicle charging infrastructure.

(d)

Major conditional use permit. Unbundling any amount of parking or other means to separate the cost to rent a parking space from the cost of renting an apartment or condo.

(e)

Carry-out zones. For off-street parking facilities containing at least five existing, striped parking spaces, at least one, but no more than 5% of the total number of parking spaces on the same premises may be reserved for curbside pick-up, restaurant carry-out zones, and/or other drop-off and pick-up related uses and activities. Additional spaces may be allowed through an administrative adjustment process.

(Ord. No. 2012-17, § 5, 10-3-12; Ord. No. 2017-03R, § 4, 3-22-17; Ord. No. 2019-10, § 7, 8-21-19; Ord. No. 2023-06, § 3, 3-8-23; Ord. No. 2023-07, § 3, 3-8-23)

§ 33-765 Parking spaces required.

Except as specifically required in applicable zoning regulations, specific plans, or in section 33-782, Parking for historic structures, the number of off-street parking spaces shall be not less than that specified below. When an addition is made to an existing building, only the square footage in such addition need be used in computing the required off-street parking.

Use	Parking Spaces Required
Residential
Single-family and two-family residences	Two car garage or carport for each unit.
Bed and breakfast	One parking space for each sleeping room available for rent, in addition to those spaces required by this section for the primary residential use. All spaces shall be located on site.
Accessory dwelling units	None.
Hotel conversions	Subject to Article 63, section 33-1348(e)(11).
Multiple Dwellings
Bachelor	One parking space per unit.
One bedroom	One and one-half (1½) parking space per unit.
Two bedroom	One and three-quarter (1¾) parking space per unit.
Three or more bedrooms	Two parking spaces per unit.
Three or more bedrooms	Each unit shall have a minimum of one covered parking space. In addition, there shall be provided a guest parking space for each four units or fraction thereof. On-street parking spaces, when approved by the staff development committee, may be counted toward fulfilling this requirement. Street frontages abutting the subject property and which are included in the circulation element of the general plan shall not be included in fulfilling this requirement.
Mobilehome parks	Two parking spaces for each site. Parking may be in tandem. In addition, one space for each 10 sites for the laundry and recreation facilities.
Rooming houses, lodging houses, clubs and fraternities having sleeping rooms	One parking space for each two sleeping rooms.
Sanitariums, children's, homes, supportive housing, congregate and care facilities, asylums, nursing homes, etc.	A minimum of one parking space for each three beds is required. Additional parking requirements may be applied based on type and intensity of occupancy. The number of required parking spaces shall be determined by the director of community development and shall be based on the operating characteristics of a specific proposal, including, but not limited to, number of: (1) on-site employees, (2) service deliveries, (3) on-site amenities, and (4) group-use programmed space. Adequate provisions for loading and unloading or pick-up and drop off zones shall be provided, subject to approval of a plot plan/CUP.
Senior housing	Two parking spaces, plus three parking spaces for every four units that are studios/bachelor units or one bedroom units. Units with two or more bedrooms require one and one-half (1½) spaces per unit. Senior housing must also provide adequate provisions for loading and unloading or pick-up and drop-off zones.
Commercial
Automobile accessory shops	One parking space for each 600 square feet of gross floor area.
Automobile service stations	One parking space for each service stall.
Banks, and savings and loans	One parking space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area.
Barber shops and beauty salons	One parking space for every 600 square feet of gross floor area.
Car dealerships and motor vehicle sales (excluding motorcycles)	Indoor space. One parking space for each 2,000 square feet of floor area. Outdoor space. Employee and customer parking of no fewer than three spaces shall be provided at a minimum, provided that one additional employee/customer parking space shall be required for each additional 20 spaces used for outdoor storage or outdoor display. Exceptions to these requirements may be reviewed and considered as part of a CUP.
Furniture, large appliance stores and personal computer stores	One parking space for each 800 square feet of gross floor area.
Hotel, motel, and bed and breakfast facility	One parking space for each sleeping unit, plus one parking space for the resident manager, plus one loading space, minimum size 10 feet wide, 35 feet long and 14 feet high for each 20,000 square feet of commercial use included in the facility (restaurant, bar, store, etc.), one parking space for each 100 square feet of restaurant gross floor area, one parking space for each 100 square feet of assembly area (meeting halls, auditoriums, conference rooms, etc.).
Machinery sales and repair garages	One parking space for each 1,000 square feet of display floor area, one space for each 800 square feet of storage area, one space for each 250 square feet of garage floor area.
Truck or motor home repair vehicles 25 feet or longer	One space for every 1,000 square feet.
Motorcycle sales and repair	One parking space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area.
Pushcart food sales	No parking shall be required for pushcart food sales facilities except as required on a case-by-case basis as determined by the director of community development as part of plot plan review procedure.
Offices
General business and professional	Four parking spaces or one parking space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater. For offices in the industrial park zone or industrial park overlay, the requirement shall be one parking space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area.
Medical, dental and clinics	One parking space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area.
Massage establishments	One space per 100 square feet.
Restaurants/Food
Restaurants, bars, night clubs and others
Having less than 4,000 square feet	One parking space for each 100 square feet of gross floor area. Outdoor dining areas not to exceed 300 square feet shall be exempt from parking subject to miscellaneous use restrictions, section 33-1111 of Article 57 of this chapter.
Having 4,000 square feet	Forty parking spaces plus one for each 50 square feet of gross floor area over 4,000 square feet. Outdoor dining areas not to exceed 300 square feet shall be exempt from parking subject to Miscellaneous Use Restrictions, section 33-1111 of Article 57 of this chapter.
Drive-in, drive-up, drive-thru	Twenty parking spaces plus one for each 100 square feet of gross floor area over 4,000 square feet. Outdoor dining areas not to exceed 300 square feet shall be exempt from parking subject to Miscellaneous Use Restrictions, section 33-1111 of Article 57 of this chapter.
Product specialty, donuts, ice cream, bakery, etc.	One parking space for each 150 square feet. Outdoor dining areas not to exceed 300 square feet shall be exempt from parking subject to Miscellaneous Use Restrictions, section 33-1111 of Article 57 of this chapter.
Retail
General retail, except as otherwise specified herein	One parking space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area.
Coin operated laundry	One space per 250 square feet.
Open retail, nurseries and vehicle sales lots not otherwise specified	One parking space for each 1,000 square feet of lot area.
Trailer and boat sales lots	One space per 2,000 square feet of lot supplies.
Shopping center (for the purpose of this article, a shopping center shall have a minimum lot area of three acres and have multiple uses)	One parking space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area.
Stamp redemption centers	One space.
Tailor shops, shoe repair	Three parking spaces or one parking space for each 600 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater.
Recreational
Auditoriums and other places of public assembly and clubs, lodges having no sleeping facilities	One parking space for each five seats and one for each 100 square feet of assembly area not having fixed seats.
Bowling alleys	Four parking spaces for each alley. In addition, spaces for incidental uses shall be provided in accordance with standards specified for the particular use.
Game and athletic courts	Two parking spaces for each court.
Gymnasium, skating rinks, billiard halls, dance schools, karate schools	One parking space for each five seats plus one for each 200 square feet of recreation floor area.
Golf driving ranges	One parking space for each driving tee.
Miniature or pitch and putt golf courses	Three parking spaces for each hole or two for each hole plus the requirement for the accessory uses, whichever is greater.
Swimming pools	One parking space for each 150 square feet of gross water surface area.
Theaters and auctions	One parking space for each five seats or one parking space for each 35 square feet of assembly area.
Other types of public or private recreation	The number of required parking spaces shall be determined by the director of community development and shall be based on the operating characteristics of a specific proposal, including, but not limited to, number of: (1) on-site employees, (2) service deliveries, (3) on-site amenities, and (4) group-use programmed space.
Industrial
Kennels, veterinary hospitals and veterinary offices	One parking space for each 200 square feet of examining and operating areas, plus one parking space for each 400 square feet of additional floor area.
Recycling facility	One space for each 500 square feet of material processing area; one space for each 5,000 square feet of outdoor storage area; one space for each scale or bin plus one space (for waiting) per two scales or bins for customer parking.
Manufacturing uses, research and testing laboratories, food processing, printing and engraving shops and contractors	A. Parking standards for the M-1 and M-2 zones. One space for each vehicle used in conjunction with the business, plus one parking space for each 500 square feet of open or enclosed area devoted to the primary use, except contractors' open storage yards one space per 1,000 square foot lot.
	B. Parking standards for the IP and IP-O zones.
	Suite Size	Space/sq. ft.
	<5,000 sq. ft.	1/400
	5,000 to 9,999 sq. ft.	1/500
	10,000 to 19,999 sq. ft.	1/575
	>20,000 sq. ft.	1/650
	Plus one space per 1,000 square foot lot for contractors' open storage yards.
Salvage yard, junk yards, auto wrecking, storage yards, lumber yards and similar uses	One parking space per employee on the largest shift or one space per 5,000 square feet of lot area, whichever is greater.
Truck terminals	One parking space for each 3,000 square feet of lot area.
Warehouse and wholesale business and mini-storage	A. Parking standards for the M-1 and M-2 zones. One parking space for each 800 square feet of gross floor area. One space per 5,000 square feet of floor area and storage lot for mini-storage.
	B. Parking standards for the IP and IP-O zones.
	Suite Size	Space/sq. ft.
	<5,000 sq. ft.	1/500
	5,000 to 9,999 sq. ft.	1/600
	10,000 to 19,999 sq. ft.	1/700
	>20,000 sq. ft.	1/800
	One parking space per 5,000 square feet of floor area and storage lot for mini-storage.
Miscellaneous
Churches, chapels, religious meeting halls and their accessory uses	One parking space for each five seats or one parking space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area for assembly areas without fixed seating 22 inches of linear bench constitutes one seat).
Hospitals	One and one-quarter (1¼) parking spaces for each bed.
Libraries, museums and library stations	One parking space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area.
Mortuaries	One parking space for every 50 square feet of gross assembly floor area.
Schools, private and public:
Grade schools, elementary and junior high schools (primary and lower secondary schools)	One parking space for each employee and faculty member, with adequate provisions for loading and unloading or pick-up and drop-off zones pursuant to section 33-1103.
Preschool, day nurseries, and/or child care centers	One parking space per staff person during the shift with the maximum number of employees plus one space for each 10 children, with adequate provisions for loading and unloading or pick-up and drop-off zones pursuant to section 33-1103.
Senior high school (upper secondary school)	One parking space for each staff person during the shift with the maximum number of employees and one for each three students for which the facility is designed, with adequate provisions for loading and unloading or pick-up and drop-off zones pursuant to section 33-1103.
Trade schools, business colleges and commercial schools	One parking space for each one and one-half (1½) students of the maximum capacity of the classroom plus one space for each faculty member.
Emergency shelters	One parking space for each employee, volunteer, service provider and non-client who will be on-site during peak periods, plus one space per three beds.
Transportation terminals and facilities, public utilities, colleges, stadiums, sport arenas and golf courses	Adequate number as determined by the planning commission after special study has been performed.

(Ord. No. 2015-01R, § 7, 1-14-15; Ord. No. 2017-06, § 8, 8-16-17; Ord. No. 2018-07R, § 7, 4-18-18; Ord. No. 2018-20, § 7, 11-28-18; Ord. No. 2020-31R, § 6, 1-13-21; Ord. No. 2023-06, § 3, 3-8-23)

§ 33-766 Parking requirements for land uses not specified.

The parking requirements for land uses which are not specified in this article shall be determined by the planning commission. Such determination shall be based upon the requirements for the most comparable use specified herein.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.14)

§ 33-767 Parking provisions may be waived by commission.

The commission may, by resolution, waive or modify off-street parking requirements for electrical power generating plants, electrical transformer stations, utility or corporation storage yards or other similar uses requiring a very limited number of persons.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.15)

§ 33-768 Off-street parking—General provisions.

The general provisions in sections 33-769 through 33-771 shall apply to off-street parking requirements in this article.

Table 33-768A

Parking Table

Table 33-768B

Parking Table

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.16; Ord. No. 2012-17, §§ 7, 8, 10-3-12)

§ 33-769 Off-street parking space—Size and access.

Each off-street parking space, except compact spaces conforming to section 33-770 of this article, shall be not less than eight and one-half (8 1/2) feet in width and 18 feet in length. Said parking spaces shall be double-striped, with outside dimensions of 18 inches. All off-street parking spaces shall be provided with adequate ingress, egress, circulation and maneuvering space in conformance with the provisions of this article and standards shown in Tables 33-768 A and B and subject to the approval of the director of community development.

Two-car garages shall have a minimum interior width of nineteen and one-half (19 1/2) feet and a depth of 20 feet that is free and clear of obstructions. A one-car garage shall have a minimum interior width of 10 feet and a minimum depth of 20 feet that is free and clear of obstructions. A two-car carport shall have minimum dimensions of 17 feet in width and 18 feet in length with no posts encroaching into the space. A one-car carport shall have minimum dimensions of eight and one-half (8 1/2) feet in width and 18 feet in length with no posts encroaching into the space.

No parking area, except for single-family or duplex residences where not more than two parking spaces use any one driveway, may be located so as to require or encourage the backing of vehicles across any street lot line to effect ingress or egress from the off-street parking spaces. In no case shall backing be permitted onto streets designated as prime arterial, major road or collector.

Parking spaces in tandem having a single means of ingress or egress shall not be counted as two off-street parking spaces for fulfilling the requirements of this article, unless tandem parking is expressly permitted by the applicable zoning regulation.

All maneuvering, except parallel parking, shall be designed so that a vehicle may enter an off-street parking space in one forward motion and may exit in one reverse and one forward motion.

(d)

Circulation within a parking area shall be designed so that a car entering the parking area need not enter a street to reach another aisle.

(e)

All required parking spaces shall be clearly outlined on the surface of the lot with paint or other easily distinguishable material.

(f)

Lights used to illuminate the parking area shall be reflected away from any adjoining premises located in any R zone.

(g)

Each parking lot or parking structure where parking is provided for the public as clients, guests or employees shall provide the required number and minimum dimension of accessible parking stalls pursuant to the most current edition of Title 24, Part 2 of the California Code of Regulation.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.16.1; Ord. No. 2005-06, § 5, 4-13-05; Ord. No. 2007-23, § 4, 11-7-07)

§ 33-770 Compact car spaces.

The off-street parking spaces required by section 33-765 of this article for industrial, office and multiple residential uses, may be satisfied with compact or small car spaces not exceeding 30% of the required uncovered off-street parking spaces. Compact or small car spaces shall conform to the following standards:

Minimum stall size. The minimum stall size shall be eight and one-half (8 1/2) feet in width and 16 feet in length.

Maneuvering space. The required maneuvering space and drive aisle width shall be shown on Tables 33-768 A and B.

Striping and marking. All compact stalls shall be delineated with double striped yellow striping with 18 inches outside dimensions and marked in a manner to indicate the use for compact or small cars only.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.16.2)

§ 33-771 Location.

In the event that permanently maintained off-street parking facilities are provided on a noncontiguous parcel, they shall be located as hereinafter specified. The distance specified shall be the walking distance measured from the nearest point of the parking facilities to the nearest point of the building being served thereby.

Hospitals, sanitariums, homes for the aged, asylums, orphanages, rooming houses, lodging houses, club rooms, fraternity and sorority houses, not more than 150 feet;

All other buildings except dwellings, not over 300 feet;

Parking facilities for dwellings shall be located on the same or a contiguous lot or parcel in all cases.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.16.3)

§ 33-772 Mixed uses in a building.

In the case of mixed uses in a building, the number of off-street parking facilities shall be the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately, unless otherwise specified in this article.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.16.5)

§ 33-773 Joint use.

The planning commission may, upon application by the owner or lessee of any property, authorize the joint use of parking facilities by the following uses or activities under the conditions specified herein:

Up to 50% of the parking facilities required by this article for a use considered to be primarily a daytime use may be provided by the parking facilities of a use considered to be primarily a nighttime or Sunday use; up to 50% of the parking facilities required by this article for a use considered to be primarily a nighttime or Sunday use may be provided by the facilities of a use considered to be primarily a daytime use, provided such reciprocal parking area shall be subject to the conditions set forth in subsection (b) of this section.

Conditions required for joint use.

The building or use for which application is being made for authority to utilize the existing facilities provided by another building or use shall be located within 150 feet of such parking facility.

(2)

The applicant shall show that there is not substantial conflict in the principal operating hours of the building or uses for which the joint use of off-street parking facilities is proposed.

(3)

Parties concerned in the joint use of off-street parking facilities shall evidence agreement for such joint use by a proper legal instrument approved by the city attorney as to form and content. Such instrument, when approved as conforming to the provisions of this article, shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder and copies thereof filed with the building department and the planning commission.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.16.7)

§ 33-774 Common facilities.

Common parking facilities may be provided in lieu of the individual requirements contained herein provided an agreement establishing the permanent preservation of said facilities be submitted and approved by the director of community development, and that the total of such off-street parking spaces, when used together, shall not be less than the sum of the various uses computed separately, unless otherwise specified in this article.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.16.8; Ord. No. 2018-07R, § 7, 4-18-18)

§ 33-775 Plan approval.

A plan for all proposed parking areas shall be submitted to the staff development committee at the time of the application for a plan approval for a building or other purpose for which the parking is being developed. The plan shall clearly indicate the proposed development, including such features as location, size, shape, design, curb cuts, lighting, landscaping and other features and appurtenances of the proposed parking lot. All parking areas shall be subject to the same restrictions governing accessory building as defined in the zone in which the parking is located.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.16.9)

§ 33-776 Computation.

In computing the required number of off-street parking spaces, a remaining fraction may be disregarded.

(Ord. No. 2012-17, § 9, 10-3-12)

§ 33-777 Comprehensive planned facilities.

Areas which are served by a comprehensive parking facility may be exempt by ordinance of the city council from the provisions of this article.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.18)

§ 33-778 Required improvements and maintenance of parking area.

Every lot used as a public or private parking area shall be developed and maintained in the manner set forth in sections 33-779 through 33-781.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.19)

§ 33-779 Surfacing.

Except those portions of a trailer/mobilehome sales lot utilized for parking of units for sales, boat/trailer storage lots in industrial areas and other areas specifically exempt in applicable zoning regulations, which shall be surfaced with sufficient decomposed granite to preclude water damage or dust, all off-street parking areas shall be paved or otherwise surfaced with cement or asphaltic concrete in accordance with standard city specifications and shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of all surface water. In no case shall such drainage be allowed across sidewalks.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.19.1)

§ 33-780 Border—Barricades, screening and landscaping.

Every parking lot, either public or private, having a capacity of five or more vehicles shall be developed and maintained as follows:

All rows of parking spaces shall be provided with curbed terminal islands to protect parked vehicles and facilitate circulation. Wheel stops shall be provided for each parking space and placed 18 inches from terminal island or facing parking space. Terminal islands shall be a minimum of five feet wide and shall contain at least one tree for each row of parking spaces for which the island is serving. Wheel stops may be excluded if the terminal island is expanded to eight feet wide.

(2)

Every parking area abutting residentially zoned property, regardless of street or alleys, shall be separated from such property by a solid wall, view-obscuring fence or compact evergreen hedge six feet in height measured from the finished surface of such parking lot, provided that along the street side or along alleys used for access to such parking areas, said wall, fence or hedge shall not exceed 36 inches in height. No such wall, fence or hedge need be provided where the elevation of that portion of the parking area immediately adjacent to an R zone is six feet or more below the elevation of such R zone property along the common property line.

(3)

Landscaping shall conform to the requirements set forth in Article 62.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.19.3; Ord. No. 92-17, § 36, 3-25-92)

§ 33-781 Entrances and exits.

The location and design of all parking facility entrances and exits shall be in conformance with the provisions of this article and shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer, provided no entrance or exit other than on or from an alley shall be closer than five feet to any lot location in an R zone.

All one-way entrances or exits shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width.

Two-way aisles shall be a minimum of 20 feet in width and clear of all obstruction in areas where no parking maneuvering is permitted. When parking is permitted or when regular trucking use occurs, the minimum width shall be 24 feet.

(Zoning Code, Ch. 107, § 1077.19.5)

§ 33-782 Parking for historic structures.

If a structure is listed on the Local Register of Historic Places and is located on property zoned commercial or professional, or if the structure is located on the south side of Fifth Avenue between South Escondido Boulevard and Juniper Avenue, the applicant may request a parking reduction or variation from the total number of spaces required for development by the applicable zoning codes:

Credit of up to 100% of the total on-street parking spaces for property zoned commercial or professional listed on the Local Register of Historic Places may be applied to the total off-street parking required by the zoning code based on the following criteria:

All on-street spaces shall conform to the city's design standards;

(2)

Appropriate sight distance and safety standards shall be met at driveways and intersections to the satisfaction of the city;

(3)

The ability to enter and exit designated on-street spaces shall be attained without creating a significant traffic hazard as determined by the engineering department on a case-by-case basis.

On-site tandem spaces for employees only may fulfill the requirements of this article for off-street parking spaces.