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City of Bangor, ME
Penobscot County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A. 
In a residential district, use of parking spaces shall be limited to noncommercial vehicles, one vehicle of three-fourths-ton capacity or less per dwelling unit, when primarily intended for personal or limited business use.
B. 
Commercial vehicles in excess of 3/4 ton may not be parked or stored in a residential district except for periods up to four hours.
C. 
Driveways in residential districts, except as otherwise controlled in Chapter 271, Article VIII, Curb Cuts, of the City of Bangor Code, are not subject to parking buffer requirements found in § 165-73B.
[Added 11-13-2019 by Ord. No. 19-416]
D. 
Driveways in residential districts may be used to meet parking requirements for boardinghouses, and buildings containing two to four dwelling units, without the need to meet requirements in §§ 165-73 and 165-74 below. Driveway length must be at least 18 feet for each parking space required.
[Added 6-27-2022 by Ord. No. 22-214]
A minimum number of off-street parking spaces shall be provided and maintained by the owner of every building or property hereafter erected, altered or changed in use, in accordance with the following requirements:
A. 
Governmental-subsidized, low-income housing for the elderly: 1/2 space per dwelling unit.
B. 
Other governmental-subsidized, low-income housing and tiny home parks: one space per dwelling unit, unless otherwise determined by the Planning Board per § 165-139C(5).
[Amended 10-24-2022 by Ord. No. 22-349]
C. 
Congregate housing for the elderly, and boardinghouses: one space per three dwelling units or rooms.
[Amended 6-27-2022 by Ord. No. 22-214]
D. 
Group home, halfway house, community living facility or emergency shelter: one space for each six clients to be housed, plus one space for each staff person to be on the premises during the peak shift.
E. 
All other dwellings: 1 1/2 spaces per dwelling unit, except that in the Multifamily and Service District, the requirement is one space per dwelling unit.
[Amended 7-19-2021 by Ord. No. 21-259]
F. 
Bed-and-breakfast: one space per guest room.
[Amended 6-27-2022 by Ord. No. 22-214]
G. 
Hotel, motel or inn: one space per guest room.
H. 
Hospital, sanitarium or nursing home: one space for every four patient beds.
I. 
Medical complex, including a hospital as the central facility.
(1) 
The sum of spaces required for the various activities, based upon:
(a) 
One space for each 1 1/2 hospital employees on the peak shift.
(b) 
Visitor parking: one space for every four patient beds.
(c) 
Outpatient parking sufficient to provide for all outpatient activities.
(d) 
Office parking for physicians and others and their clients, but at least one space for every 200 square feet of floor area for such offices.
(e) 
Adequate parking for such other facilities and services, such as retail sales, overnight accommodations for non-hospital-bed persons, etc., in accordance with standards for comparable uses in this article.
(2) 
The Code Enforcement Officer, in consultation with the Planning Officer and City Engineer, may accept an empirical determination of overall parking needs of such a complex prepared by a qualified parking analyst.
J. 
Place of assembly, such as a restaurant, tavern, entertainment or recreation facility, private club, community center or church, for which seating capacity can be determined: one space for every four seats and every eight linear feet of bench space. Such places of assembly for which seating capacity cannot be determined: one space for every 200 square feet of assembly area.
[Amended 3-8-2021 by Ord. No. 21-099]
K. 
Office building:
[Amended 1-23-2012 by Ord. No. 12-044]
(1) 
Open space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area.
(2) 
Reuse of historic residential structures for office use: one space for each 1 1/2 employees and sufficient space to meet their anticipated client needs.
L. 
Retail or service business:
[Amended 1-11-2010 by Ord. No. 10-038]
(1) 
Retail stores limited to furniture and large appliance sales: one space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area for the first 2.000 square feet and one space for each 600 square feet in excess of 2,000 square feet.
(2) 
Information processing and communications: one space per employee; if shifts are used, one space per employee working during the shift with the most employees.
[Added 10-12-2016 by Ord. No. 16-364[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former Subsection L(2) as Subsection L(3).
(3) 
Personal services establishment: 1/2 space per work station.
[Added 5-8-2017 by Ord. No. 17-146[2]]
[2]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former Subsection L(3) as Subsection L(4).
(4) 
All other retail and service businesses: one space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area.
M. 
Drive-in business serving food: one space for every 200 square feet of seating area; other drive-in businesses: minimum five spaces.
[Amended 3-8-2021by Ord. No. 21-099]
N. 
Wholesale, warehouse business or industrial plant: one space for each 1 1/2 employees per shift, plus visitor and customer parking to meet needs of specific operations.
O. 
Uses not listed in this schedule: The Code Enforcement Officer, in consultation with the Planning Officer and City Engineer, shall determine the number of spaces required based on Institute of Transportation Engineers standards for the most similar use or uses, or may accept an empirical determination of overall parking needs of a use as prepared by a qualified parking analyst.
[Amended 3-8-2021by Ord. No. 21-099]
P. 
Combination of above uses: the sum of the requirements of the various uses computed separately if the peak hour use is similar in the opinion of the Code Enforcement Officer, or in the opinion of the Planning Board if a land development permit is required; otherwise, the number of parking spaces required for the use requiring the greatest number of spaces.
[Amended 1-10-1994 by Ord. No. 94-55; 3-8-2021 by Ord. No. 21-099]
Q. 
In addition to the above requirements, sufficient spaces shall be provided to accommodate parking requirements of employees and company vehicles as may be needed.
R. 
Exemptions from the requirements of this § 165-72 are as follows:
[Amended 6-24-1996 by Ord. No. 96-241; 10-27-2003 by Ord. No. 03-318; 10-22-2007 by Ord. No. 07-321; 4-11-2011 by Ord. No. 11-100; 1-23-2017 by Ord. No. 17-054; 3-13-2017 by Ord. No. 17-096]
(1) 
The Downtown Development District and the Bass Park District shall be exempt from the requirements of this section except Subsection S.
(2) 
The Waterfront Development District shall be exempt from the requirements of this section if:
(a) 
The total on-site requirement is less than 25 spaces and there is adjacent on-street parking; or
(b) 
There is an existing public parking lot or parking garage of 25 or more spaces within 1,000 feet of the building; or
(c) 
The City Council has authorized funding to construct parking of 25 or more spaces intended to serve this use within 1,000 feet of the building.
(3) 
Uses in Neighborhood Service District parcels are permitted to have five fewer parking spaces than would otherwise be required under this section. If the number of parking spaces required would as a result be zero or fewer, then no parking spaces are required for that use.
[Amended 1-8-2018 by Ord. No. 18-064]
(4) 
Small day-care facilities are not required to have any parking spaces other than those required by other uses on the property.
[Added 3-13-2017 by Ord. No. 17-096]
(5) 
Outdoor seating for places of assembly shall not be subject to parking requirements for the outdoor seating area.
[Added 3-8-2021by Ord. No. 21-099]
(6) 
Accessory dwelling units shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.
[Added 9-11-2023 by Ord. No. 23-258]
S. 
Handicapped accessible spaces.
(1) 
In addition to the above requirements, any building or facility constructed as a place of public accommodation, as defined by the Maine Human Rights Act, as it may be amended from time to time,[3] or when the estimated total costs for remodeling or enlarging such an existing building or facility exceed $150,000, shall provide for the following:
Total Parking Spaces
Required Minimum Number of Handicapped Accessible Spaces
1 to 25
1
26 to 50
2
51 to 75
3
76 to 100
4
101 to 150
5
151 to 200
6
201 to 300
7
301 to 400
8
401 to 500
9
501 to 1,000
2% of total
1,001 and over
20 plus 1 for every 100 over 1,000
[3]
Editor's Note: See 5 M.R.S.A. § 4551 et seq.
(2) 
The total number of accessible parking spaces shall be distributed to serve the various accessible entrances as well as possible.
[Amended 1-10-1994 by Ord. No. 94-55]
T. 
In addition to the above requirements, any building or facility constructed as a place of employment, as defined by the Maine Human Rights Act, as it may be amended from time to time, or when the estimated total costs for remodeling or enlarging such an existing building or facility exceed $100,000, shall be subject to the same requirements as in Subsection S above.
U. 
Leases for parking spaces must run for the life of the lease of the use or five years, whichever is greater, and be to the benefit of the applicant specifically, except for formal leases with the City for public parking spaces.
The location of off-street parking shall comply with the following requirements:
A. 
All parking spaces shall be located on the same or adjacent lot with the principal building or use served, except that when such parking spaces cannot be reasonably provided on the same or adjacent lot, the Planning Board may authorize parking on another lot within 500 feet distance of the premises to be served by such parking, provided that such lot is held under the same ownership or lease and is located in the same or a less restrictive district as the building or use served.
B. 
In any district, no off-street parking space, outdoor display area or outdoor storage area shall be located closer to a street line, side lot line or rear lot line than the minimum distance in feet indicated on the following schedule:
[Amended 10-24-1994 by Ord. No. 94-439; 7-28-1997 by Ord. No. 97-312; 3-24-2003 by Ord. No. 03-106; 6-26-2006 by Ord. No. 06-223; 4-9-2007 by Ord. No. 07-97; 4-11-2011 by Ord. No. 11-100; 3-8-2021 by Ord. No. 21-099]
District
Minimum Distance in Feet From
Street Line
Side Lot Line
Rear Lot Line
URD-1, URD-2, M & SD, NSD, USD, WDD, ADD, DDD, BPD and UID with 50 or more spaces
10
5
10
I & S, T & S, G & ISD, S & PS, GC & S, P & O, RR & A, RP, LDR and HDR
20
5
5
ADD, WDD, URD-2. M & SD, USD, NSD, BPD and DDD with less than 50 spaces
6
5
5
I & S, G & ISD, GC & S, BPD and S & PS
With more than 100 spaces
20
15
15
With more than 250 spaces
25
20
20
With more than 500 spaces
35
25
25
C. 
Electric vehicle (EV) supply equipment are exempt from setback requirements and therefore may be located in the parking setbacks listed in § 165-73B above. EV supply equipment does not require a land development permit, but must meet National Electrical Code standards. If buffering and/or screening is required for the lot in question where the EV supply equipment is proposed, the buffering/screening may be eliminated within five feet in any direction of the equipment.
[Amended 10-24-2022 by Ord. No. 22-347[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C, regarding parking spaces in front yards, was repealed 4-9-2007 by Ord. No. 07-97.
D. 
Screening of parking. All parking lots containing five or more parking spaces, outdoor display areas, outdoor storage areas and all outdoor off-street loading areas shall be screened in accordance with the following requirements:
[Amended 7-28-1997 by Ord. No. 97-312; 9-9-2002 by Ord. No. 02-322; 3-24-2003 by Ord. No. 03-106; 4-9-2007 by Ord. No. 07-97]
(1) 
All parking lots and off-street loading areas shall have a C Buffer Yard as provided in Article XIX along any property line abutting any residential district, any Multifamily and Service District, any Government and Institutional Service District, any Rural Residence and Agricultural District, any Park and Open Space District, any Resource Protection District and any Stream Protection District; excepting that parking lots and off-street loading areas in URD-2, M & SD, and NSD containing no more than 10 parking spaces shall instead have an A Buffer Yard along such property lines.
[Amended 9-10-2018 by Ord. No. 18-315]
(2) 
All parking lots fronting on a public street or private way shall have an E Buffer Yard along the street right-of-way boundary. All off-street loading areas fronting on a public street or private way shall have a B Buffer Yard along the street right-of-way boundary, except loading areas fronting on a public street or private way in DDD, WDD, URD-2, M & SD, USD, BPD, and NSD with less than 50 spaces shall have an A Buffer Yard. For the purpose of this subsection, the term "private way" shall not include a railroad.
[Amended 4-11-2011 by Ord. No. 11-100; 11-13-2019 by Ord. No. 19-416]
All off-street parking areas shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the requirements of the Building Code of the City of Bangor, Chapter 81, § 81-1. All off-street parking areas containing 50 or more spaces shall have such interior landscaping as may be approved by the Planning Board pursuant to land development review for purposes of reducing any adverse effects resulting from extensive areas of pavement. In addition, all off-street parking areas shall meet the following requirements:
A. 
Minimum design standards (surface parking).
(1) 
General requirements for ninety-degree parking shall be as follows:
(a) 
Minimum area per vehicle, including parking and maneuvering: 270 square feet.
(b) 
Minimum parking stall width: 9.0 feet.
(c) 
Minimum parking stall length: 18.0 feet.
(d) 
Minimum travel aisle width: 24.0 feet.
(2) 
Minimum standards for diagonal parking shall be as follows:
Type of Parking Space
Parking Angle
45º
60º
75º
Stall width (feet)
9.0
9.0
9.0
Stall length (feet)
25.0
22.0
20.0
Stall depth (feet) (aisle to curb)
17.5
19.0
19.5
Aisle width (feet) (one-way travel)
12.0
16.0
23.0
(3) 
Minimum standards for an employee lot containing 50 or more spaces physically separated from public access parking areas with not more than 50% subcompact spaces shall be as follows:
Type of Parking Space
Parking Angle
45º
60º
75º
90º
Stall width (feet)
8.5
8.5
8.5
8.5
Subcompact
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Stall length (feet)
25.0
22.0
20.0
18.0
Subcompact
21.0
18.5
16.8
15.0
Stall depth, aisle to curb (feet)
17.5
19.0
19.5
18.0
Subcompact
14.8
16.0
16.3
15.0
Aisle width (feet)
12.0
16.0
23.0
24.0
Subcompact
11.0
14.0
17.5
20.0
B. 
Required parking lot improvements. All off-street parking areas containing three or more rows of spaces shall be constructed with raised dividers of at least five feet in width between adjacent rows of parking spaces in at least every other double row and raised traffic islands of at least four feet in width at the end of rows of spaces to separate access drives from parked vehicles, except in employee lots as provided for in Subsection A(3) above, which may be constructed with only 50% of the physical islands and landscaping requirements if, in the opinion of the Planning Board, the parking area can function properly without some of the required dividers and traffic islands.
[Amended 4-9-2007 by Ord. No. 07-97]
C. 
Paving. Parking lot paving will be required in accordance with the following schedule:
[Amended 6-26-2006 by Ord. No. 06-223; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
District
Extent of Paving Required
URD-2, M & SD, NSD, USD, DDD, WDD, G & ISD, LDR, HDR, T & S and S & PS
All parking, loading, display and maneuvering surfaces
ADD, UID, GC & S and I & S
All front yard display, maneuvering and parking area surfaces
D. 
Parking lot design.
[Added 4-9-2007 by Ord. No. 07-97]
(1) 
Circulation routes. Parking lots shall provide well-defined circulation routes for vehicles and pedestrians.
(2) 
Traffic control devices. Traffic control signs and devices shall be used to direct traffic where necessary within a parking lot.
(3) 
Orientation. Parking bays shall be perpendicular to the buildings they serve to the maximum extent feasible. Large parking lots shall include walkways that are located in places that are logical and convenient for pedestrians.
(4) 
Landscaped islands. To the maximum extent feasible, landscaped islands shall be used to define parking lot entrances, ends of all parking aisles and location and pattern of primary internal access drives, and to provide pedestrian refuge areas and walkways.
(5) 
Points of conflict. The lot layout shall specifically address the interrelation of pedestrian and vehicular circulation in order to provide continuous, direct pedestrian access with a minimum of driveway and drive aisle crossings. Special treatments of pedestrian crossings shall be used, such as special paving materials additional signage, and other means.
(6) 
Pad sites. Buildings should not be located so as to be within the parking bays. Separate building sites shall provide well-defined landscape islands controlling traffic flow around any such facilities.
(7) 
Scale. Large surface parking lots shall be visually and functionally segmented into several smaller lots according to the following standards:
(a) 
All rows of parking spaces shall contain raised end islands. A minimum percentage of the interior of the parking lot shall be landscaped and planted, exclusive of required buffer plantings, according to the schedule below:
Number of Spaces
Percent Green Space
Shade Trees
(per 10 spaces)
Shrubs
(per 10 spaces)
50 or more
5%
1
4
250 or more
10%
1.5
6
500 or more
15%
2
8
(b) 
Required green space shall be provided within planted islands between rows, end islands and islands between access drives and parking stalls. Where parking areas are located on several sides of the building, landscaped areas should be located in portions most visible to the traveling public. No less than 50% of the interior shrubs shall be of an evergreen variety. Up to 30% of the internal green space may include stormwater devices, bicycle racks, outdoor seating, benches and other pedestrian amenities.
[Amended 3-8-2021 by Ord. No. 21-099]
[Amended 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 06-22]
Parking structures or decks shall meet the design standards of § 165-74A(1), (2) and (3) above, except that the Planning Board may alter such standards in cases where the designer can demonstrate a reasonable need for such alteration because of the particular structural arrangement of the proposed structure or deck and can demonstrate the workability of the parking and circulation arrangement within the structure or deck. Parking structures or decks shall meet the applicable structure setback for the district in which they are situated in lieu of the parking setback and shall be exempt from the specific parking buffer yard requirements between the structure and the public right-of-way limits.