A.
Requirement, As a general requirement, each use in
the township shall provide sufficient off-street parking area to serve
its users.
B.
Procedure. An application for a building permit for
a new or enlarged building, structure or use shall include therewith
a plot plan, drawn to scale and fully dimensioned, showing any off-street
parking or loading facilities to be provided in compliance with the
requirements of this chapter.
C.
Extent of control. The off-street parking and loading
requirements of this chapter apply as follows:
(1)
All buildings and structures erected and all land
uses initiated after the effective date of this chapter shall provide
accessory off-street parking or loading facilities as required hereinafter
for the use thereof.
(2)
When a building or structure erected, altered or enlarged
prior to or after the effective date of this chapter shall undergo
a decrease in number of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating
capacity, number of employees or other unit of measurement specified
hereinafter for required off-street parking or loading facilities
and, further, when said decrease would result in a requirement for
fewer total off-street parking or loading spaces through application
of the provisions of this chapter thereto, off-street parking and
loading facilities are so decreased only when the facilities remaining
would least equal or exceed the off-street parking or loading requirements
resulting from application of the provisions of this chapter to the
entire building or structure as modified.
(3)
When a building or structure undergoes any increase
in number of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity or
other unit of measurement specified hereinafter for required off-street
parking or loading facilities and, further, when said increase would
result in a requirement for additional total off-street parking or
loading spaces through application of the provision of this chapter,
parking and loading facilities shall be increased so that the facilities
will at least equal or exceed the off-street parking or loading requirements
resulting from application of the provisions of this chapter to the
entire building or structure as modified.
D.
Existing off-street parking and loading spaces. Accessory
off-street parking and loading spaces in existence on the effective
date of this chapter may not be reduced in number unless already exceeding
the requirements of this article for equivalent new construction;
in which event, said spaces shall not be reduced below the number
required herein for such equivalent new construction.
B.
Fractional spaces. When determination of the number
of required off-street parking spaces results in a requirement of
a fractional space, any fraction up to and including one-half may
be disregarded, and fractions over one-half shall be interpreted as
one parking space.
C.
Access. Parking facilities shall be designed with
appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in such
manner as will least interfere with the movement of traffic. No driveway
or curb cut in any district shall exceed 25 feet in width for one-way
movement or 35 feet in width for two-way movement unless otherwise
deemed necessary by the Richland Township Planning Commission for
uses requiring a site plan approval.
D.
Signs. No signs shall be displayed in any parking area within any residential district except such as may be necessary for the orderly use of the parking facilities. All signs in other parking areas shall conform to Article XIX herein.
E.
Striping. All parking spaces shall be properly marked
and maintained by durable paint in stripes a minimum of four-inches
wide and extending the length of the parking space.
F.
Required setbacks. No parking area shall occupy the
first 10 feet of the front yard or side yard nearest the street or
alley, which shall be landscaped and maintained as a buffer area.
G.
Surfacing. All open off-street parking areas, except
those accessory to single-family and-two family dwellings, shall be
surrounded by a raised concrete curb and improved with a bituminous
or concrete material of adequate thickness to support the weight of
fully loaded vehicles which customarily park or travel on it.
H.
Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate an off-street
parking area shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from
all adjoining properties and streets.
I.
Stormwater. Adequate stormwater drainage facilities shall be installed in order to ensure that stormwater does not flow onto abutting property or abutting sidewalks in such a way or quantity that pedestrians using the sidewalk would be detrimentally affected or inconvenienced. (See § 240-26.)
J.
Walls or planting strip. Whenever a parking lot abuts
onto a public street, sidewalk or alley, a structurally sound wall
or planting strip, with raised curb, approved by the Zoning Officer,
shall be installed and maintained. Adequate retaining walls and other
walls shall also be constructed and maintained along abutting property
to provide proper solid retention and screening from abutting properties,
subject to the approval of the Zoning Officer.
K.
Maintenance. Parking spaces shall be kept clean of
debris, refuse and garbage and maintained so as to be free of potholes
and other defects which might constitute danger to persons or property.
Subject to the general requirement for off-street
parking, off-street parking spaces, with proper access from a street,
alley or driveway, shall be provided in all districts in the amounts
indicated below. Such parking space shall be provided on any lot on
which a dwelling is hereafter erected or converted or, in the case
of any other use, on or near the lot on which any main building is
hereafter erected or converted. Nothing in this section shall be construed
to prevent the collective provision of off-street parking facilities
for two or more buildings or uses, provided that the total of such
off-street parking facilities provided collectively shall be not less
than the sum of the requirements for the various individual uses computed
separately. In no case shall the number of parking spaces provided,
or the area devoted to parking, be less than the minimum requirements
of this section.
A.
One- and two-family dwellings: off street
parking spaces for all vehicles.
B.
Three-or-more-family dwellings: two parking spaces
for each family dwelling unit, plus one visitor's parking space for
every two (or fraction thereof) dwelling units.
C.
Clubhouses and meeting places of veterans, business,
civic, fraternal, labor and similar organizations: one parking space
for every 50 square feet of aggregate floor area in the auditorium,
assembly hall and dining room of such building, plus one additional
space for every two persons regularly employed on the premises during
peak shift.
D.
Bowling alley: one parking space for every two customers
computed on the basis of maximum servicing capacity at any one time,
plus one additional space for every two persons regularly employed
on the premises during peak shift.
E.
Dormitories, fraternity houses and sorority houses:
one parking space for every three beds occupied at maximum capacity.
This requirement is in addition to the parking space requirements
for educational establishments set forth elsewhere herein.
F.
Drive-in facilities: five parking spaces per 100 square
feet of floor space.
G.
Financial institutions: one space for each employee
during peak shift and three spaces for each teller station in addition
to the requirements for office areas.
H.
Funeral homes and undertaking establishments: parking
or storage space for all vehicles used directly in the conduct of
such business, plus one parking space for every two persons regularly
employed on the premises during peak shift and 30 parking spaces for
each designated viewing room at full capacity.
I.
Hospital: one parking space for every four beds intended
for patients, excluding bassinets, plus one per doctor, one per two
persons regularly employed on the premises during peak shift and one
per hospital vehicle.
J.
Indoor retail businesses: parking or storage space
for all vehicles used directly in the conduct of such business, plus
one parking space for every 250 square feet of total floor area.
K.
Industrial plants and facilities: parking or storage
space for all vehicles used directly in the conduct of such industrial
use, plus one parking space for every three persons regularly employed
on the premises during peak shift.
L.
Junior and senior high school: one parking space for
every six seats available in the assembly hall, auditorium, stadium
or gymnasium during maximum capacity on the high school grounds or
campus. If the school has no assembly hall, auditorium, stadium or
gymnasium, one parking space shall be provided for each person regularly
employed at such school, plus two additional spaces for each classroom.
M.
Libraries, museums, post offices and similar establishments:
parking or storage space for all vehicles used directly in the operation
of such establishment, plus one parking space for every 250 square
feet of total floor area.
N.
Medical and dental clinics or facilities: three parking
spaces for each doctor, plus one additional space for each assistant,
one additional space for each employee, two additional spaces for
each examination room and one additional space for every 100 feet
of waiting room.
O.
Motels and hotels: one parking space for each sleeping
room offered for tourist accommodation, plus one space for each dwelling
unit on the premises and one additional space for every two persons
regularly employed on the premises during peak shift.
P.
Nursing homes: one parking space for every two beds
occupied at maximum capacity. This requirement is in addition to the
parking space requirements for hospitals set forth herein.
Q.
Offices: one parking space for every 200 square feet
of office space.
R.
Public and private elementary schools: one parking
space for each person regularly employed at such school, plus one
additional space for each classroom.
S.
Public garages: indoor or outdoor parking or storage
space for all vehicles used directly in the conduct of such business,
plus three parking spaces for each person regularly employed on the
premises.
T.
Recreation centers, swimming pools, skating rinks,
outdoor commercial recreation enterprises and other recreation and
amusement facilities: one parking space for every 4 customers computed
on the basis of maximum servicing capacity at any one time, plus one
additional space for every two persons regularly employed on the premises
during peak shift.
U.
Repair shops, plumbing shops, electrical shops, roofing
shops and other service establishments: parking or storage space for
all vehicles used directly in the conduct of such business, plus two
parking spaces for each person regularly employed on the premises.
V.
Restaurants, indoor and other eating and drinking
establishments: one parking space for each table or booth, plus one
parking space for every two stools at bar or counter and one parking
space for every two persons regularly employed on the premises during
peak shift.
W.
Service stations: parking or storage space for all
vehicles used directly in the conduct of such business, plus one parking
space for each gas pump, three spaces for each grease rack or similar
facility and one space for every two persons regularly employed on
the premises during peak shift.
X.
Theaters, auditoriums, churches, stadiums and other
places of public assembly: one parking space for every six seats available
at maximum capacity.
Y.
Transportation terminals: one parking space for every
100 square feet of waiting room space, plus one additional space for
every two persons regularly employed on the premises during peak shift.
Z.
Universities, colleges, academies and similar institutions
of higher learning: one parking space for every six seats occupied
in the assembly hall, auditorium, stadium or gymnasium during maximum
capacity on the campus.
(1)
Parking space shall be provided for each person regularly
employed at such institution, plus five additional spaces for each
classroom
AA.
Warehouses, freight terminals and trucking terminals:
parking or storage space for all vehicles used directly in the conduct
of such business, plus two parking spaces for each person regularly
employed on the premises during peak shift.
Off-street automobile parking facilities shall
be located as hereinafter specified. Where distance is specified,
such distance shall be walking distance measured from the nearest
point of the parking area to the nearest entrance of the building
that said parking area is required to serve.
A.
One- and two-family dwellings: on the same
lot with the building they are required to serve.
B.
Three- and four-family dwellings not over
two stories in height and row dwellings not over one and one-half
stories in height: on the same lot or parcel of land as the building
they are required to serve. For the purpose of this requirement, a
group of such uses constructed and maintained under a single ownership
or management shall be assumed to be on a single lot or parcel of
land.
C.
Clubs, hospitals, sanitariums, orphanages, homes for
the aged, convalescent homes and other similar uses: on the same lot
or parcel of land as the main building or buildings being served or
upon properties contiguous to the zoning lot upon which is located
the building or buildings they are intended to serve.
D.
Multiple-family dwellings containing more than four
dwelling units and all other uses: on the same lot or parcel of land
as the building they are required to service or on a separate lot
or parcel of land not more than 300 feet from the nearest entrance
to the main use being served, provided that the lot or parcel of land
selected for the parking facilities is located in an R-4, C, or L-1
District.
In order to minimize traffic congestion and
hazard, control street access in the interest of public safety and
encourage the appropriate development of street or highway frontage,
the following shall apply:
A.
No parking lot or area for off-street parking or for
the storage or movement of motor vehicles shall abut directly a public
street or highway unless separated from the street or highway at least
10 feet by a raised curb, barrier planting strip, wall or other effective
barrier against traffic, except for necessary accessways, and each
parking lot shall have not more than two accessways to any one public
street or highway for each 500 feet of frontage. Where practicable,
access to parking areas shall be provided by a common service driveway
or minor street in order to avoid direct access on a major street
or highway. No such accessway shall be more than 35 feet in width.
(1)
All parking, loading or service areas used by motor
vehicles shall be located entirely within the lot lines of the property.
(2)
All buildings shall front upon a marginal street,
service road, common parking lot or similar area and not directly
upon a public street or highway.
(3)
For all multifamily, commercial, industrial or institutional
uses, driveways shall not cross the street right-of-way line within
100 feet of the street right-of-way of an intersecting street located
on the same side of the roadway.
(4)
All streets and accessways shall be designed in a
manner conducive to safe exit and entrance and shall conform to the
highway specifications and subdivision requirements of the township.
(5)
No two of said driveways serving single- or
two-family residences shall be closer to each other than three feet,
and no driveway shall be closer to an internal side or rear property
line than three feet. Residential driveways shall not cross the street
right-of-way line within 40 feet of the street right-of-way line of
an intersecting street.
(6)
Each driveway shall be properly established and shall
be not more than 35 feet in width, measured at right angles to the
center line of driveway, except as increased by permissible curb return
radii. The entire flare of any return radius shall fall within the
right-of-way.
B.
All driveways, aisles, maneuvering spaces, vehicular
service areas or spaces between or about buildings, other than those
relating to a dwelling, shall be adequately illuminated.
C.
All outside lighting, including sign lighting, shall
be directed in such a way as not to create a nuisance in an agricultural,
institutional or residential district, and in every district all such
lighting shall be arranged so as to protect the street or highway
and adjoining property from direct glare or hazardous interference
of any kind. Any luminary shall be equipped with some type of glare-shielding
device approved by the Zoning Officer. The height of any luminary
shall not exceed 25 feet.
A.
Use of off-street facilities. Except for vehicles
used in the operation of a working farm, off-street parking facilities
accessory to residential use and developed in any residential district,
in accordance with the requirements of this article, shall not be
used for the parking of commercial and service vehicles of more than
three tons gross vehicle weight (GVW). Commercial and/or service vehicles
exceeding three tons that are owned or operated by occupants of dwelling
structures or by guests of said occupants may be parked within a completely
enclosed garage or other building.
B.
Joint parking facilities.
(1)
Off-street parking facilities for different buildings,
structures or uses or for mixed uses may be provided collectively
in any zoning district in which separate off-street parking facilities
for each constituent use are permitted, provided that the total number
of spaces so located together are not less than the sum of the separate
requirements for each use of which normal hours of operation coincide
and not more than 300 feet from and contiguous to the lot on which
the main building is located.
(2)
In any case where the required parking spaces are
not located on the same lot with the building or use served, or where
such spaces are collectively or jointly provided and used, a written
agreement thereto, assuring their retention for such purposes, shall
be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned, approved
as to form and execution by the Solicitor and filed with the application
for a building permit.
(3)
Not more than 50% of the parking spaces required for
(a) theaters and places of amusement and up to 100% of the parking
spaces required for a church or school, may be provided and used jointly
by (b) banks, offices, retail stores, repair shops, service establishments
and similar uses not normally open, used or operated during the same
hours as those listed in (a), provided that written agreement assuring
the retention for such purposes is approved as to form and execution
by the Township Solicitor and filed with the application for a building
permit.
C.
Control of off-site facilities When required accessory
off-street parking facilities are provided other than on the lot on
which the principal use is located, they shall be in the same possession,
either by deed or long-term lease, as the property occupied by such
principal use, and the owner shall be bound by covenants of record
filed in the office of the Township Secretary requiring the owner
and his or her heirs and assigns to maintain the required number of
off-street parking spaces during the existence of said principal use.
Use of such off-site facilities is subject to approval by Richland
Township.
D.
Nonresidential parking in residential districts. Accessory
off-street parking facilities serving nonresidential uses of property
may be permitted in any R District when authorized by the Zoning Hearing
Board after review and study by the Planning Commission, subject to
the following requirements in addition to all other relevant requirements
of this article:
(1)
The parking lot shall be accessory to and for use
in connection with one or more nonresidential establishments located
in adjoining districts or in connection with one or more existing
professional or institutional office buildings or institutions and
within 300 feet of the nonresidential use which it is to serve.
(2)
Said parking lot shall be used solely for the parking
of passenger automobiles.
(3)
No commercial repair work or service of any kind shall
be conducted on said parking lot.
(4)
No sign of any kind other than signs designating entrances,
exits and conditions of use shall be maintained on said parking lot
and shall not exceed eight square feet in area.
(5)
The parking lot may be open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00
p.m. and shall be closed at all other times; however, when supervised
by one or more full-time attendants, the parking lot may be kept open
until 12:00 midnight.
(6)
Each entrance to and from said parking lot shall be
a distance of at least 35 feet from any adjacent property located
in any residential district except where ingress or egress to the
parking lot is provided from a public alley or public way separating
the residential areas from the proposed parking lot. A buffer area
of 15 feet minimum width shall be provided and maintained along all
lot lines, which are not street lines, abutting residential uses.
(7)
In addition to the foregoing requirements, such parking
lots shall conform to any further requirements and conditions as may
be prescribed by the Township Supervisors for the protection of properties
adjacent to and in the vicinity of the proposed parking lot.
A.
Design.
(1)
Loading space description. An off-street space shall
be a hard-surfaced area of land, open or enclosed, other than a street
or public way, used principally for the standing, loading or unloading
of motor trucks, tractors and trailers so as to avoid undue interference
with the public use of streets and alleys. A required loading space
shall be not less than 10 feet in width, 14 feet in height and of
adequate length to suit the specific use exclusive of access aisles
and maneuvering space except as otherwise specifically dimensioned
herein.
(2)
Location. No permitted or required loading space shall
be closer than 50 feet to any property in a residential district unless
completely enclosed by building walls or an ornamental fence or wall,
or any combination thereof, not less than six feet in height. No permitted
or required loading space shall be located within 25 feet of the nearest
point of intersection of any two streets. Loading space open to the
sky may be located in any required yards.
(3)
Measurement of spaces. When determination of the number
of required off-street loading spaces results in a requirement of
a fractional space, any fraction up to and including one-half may
be disregarded, and any fraction over one-half shall be interpreted
as one loading space.
(4)
Surfacing. All open off-street loading spaces shall
be improved with a compacted base and surfaced with a bituminous or
concrete material of adequate thickness to support the weight of fully
loaded vehicles which customarily use said spaces.
B.
Schedule of required loading and unloading space.
Every building or structure used for business trade or industry shall
provide space as herein indicated for the loading a unloading of vehicles
off the street or public alley. Such space shall have access to a
public alley or, if there is no alley, to a street. Off-street loading
and unloading space shall be in addition to the requirements for off-street
parking space listed herein. Off-street loading and unloading space
shall not be designed, intended, constructed or used in a manner such
as to obstruct or interfere with the free use of any street, alley
or adjoining property. The specific use requirements for off-street
loading and unloading spaces are provided for as follows:
(1)
Multistory multiple-family dwellings: one off-street
loading and unloading space at least 10 feet wide for every 5,000
square feet of total floor area.
(2)
Industrial plants: one off-street loading and unloading
space at least 12 feet by 50 feet for every 10,000 square feet of
total area.
(3)
Warehouses and wholesale storage facilities: one off-street
loading and unloading space at least 12 feet by 50 feet for every
7,500 square feet of total floor area.
(4)
Freight terminals and trucking terminals: one off-street
loading and unloading space at lease 12 feet by 50 feet for every
5,000 square feet of total floor area.
(5)
Commercial uses: one off-street loading and unloading
space for each commercial occupancy or as otherwise determined and
approved by the Richland Township Planning Commission during the site
plan review process.
