[Amended 3-14-1977 by Ord. No. 88; 7-12-1993 by Ord. No. 195; 12-12-1994 by Ord. No. 214; 7-10-1995 by Ord. No. 223; 4-12-2010 by Ord. No. 367]
[1]
Editor's Note: Provisions of this article were originally adopted as Art. XIII of the Zoning Ordinance but were redesignated as Art. XIX upon codification at the request of the Township Board of Supervisors.
The regulations of this article for off-street parking and loading shall apply when a building, structure or lot is used or occupied.
A. 
All parking and loading requirements listed herein shall be provided on the lot containing the use or occupancy. In no case shall parking on public roads, streets or thoroughfares be credited toward meeting the requirements of this article.
B. 
In no case shall parking be located in required buffer areas, in wetlands and in floodplain areas.
C. 
Off-street parking facilities existing at the effective date of this chapter shall not subsequently be reduced to an amount less than required hereunder for a similar use or occupancy. Off-street parking facilities provided to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall not subsequently be reduced below the requirements of this chapter.
D. 
All parking facilities shall be designed to comply with the requirements of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and the current standards of ANSI 117.1.
E. 
All parking facilities shall be designed to comply with the requirements of the current Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[1] of Franconia Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 122, Subdivision and Land Development.
F. 
Residential parking facilities, other than in the RR District, shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles and not more than one commercial vehicle of not more than two tons gross vehicle weight. Such vehicle shall be utilized by the occupants of the dwelling.
G. 
Nonresidential parking spaces and driveways shall be a minimum of 20 feet from any building or structure except as required for loading and drive-through facilities, and except as permitted otherwise elsewhere in this chapter.
[Amended 1-20-2020 by Ord. No. 409]
H. 
All parking spaces, driveway and access aisles provided under this article shall be all-weather and shall be paved per Township specifications with the exception of the RR Residential Districts and Agricultural uses where only the all-weather requirement shall apply. Six inches of crushed, modified stone on a firm, well-drained base or its equivalent shall satisfy the all-weather requirement, subject to the Township Engineer's approval. A minimum of 50 feet of any driveway shall be paved from the existing street into the lot.
[Amended 1-20-2020 by Ord. No. 409]
I. 
Nonresidential parking may be permitted within the minimum required side and/or rear yard setbacks when the side and/or rear yard abuts a district zoned industrial and/or commercial. However, no parking shall be permitted within five feet of a side or rear property line unless common parking facilities are approved at the sole discretion of the Board of Supervisors.
[Added 1-20-2020 by Ord. No. 409]
J. 
In commercial and industrial districts, provision of common parking facilities is hereby encouraged in recognition of their increased flexibility and efficiency. Subject to a shared parking easement and agreement between the proposed users of the common parking facilities, and if satisfactory to the Township, the Board of Supervisors may reduce the aggregate amount of required parking space upon determination from a traffic engineer that the proposed number of parking spaces is adequate for the proposed use and that greater efficiency is effected by joint use of the common parking area. This determination shall be subject to a review by the Township Engineer. When common parking facilities are approved, side and/or rear yard setback requirements shall not apply at the property line(s) being crossed in order to establish unified and continuous parking areas. In such cases, access drives and sidewalks shall be so aligned as to maximize parking efficiency and minimize traffic congestion. Entrances and exits must have adequate sight distance in accordance with PA Code 441.8, Driveway design requirements.[2]
[Added 1-20-2020 by Ord. No. 409]
[2]
Editor's Note: See 67 Pa. Code § 441.8.
A. 
The following uses and occupancies shall provide off-street parking in the amounts as indicated below. Parking spaces shall be designed such that each motor vehicle may proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without the possibility of requiring the moving of any other vehicle.
[Amended 1-20-2020 by Ord. No. 409]
Use/Occupancy
Parking Space Requirement
Airport
One space per 100 square feet of gross floor area plus one space per employee
Animal hospital
One space per eight animals of capacity
Athletic club, indoor
One space per 100 square feet of total floor area
Bank or financial institution
One space per 200 square feet of floor area: institutions with drive-through facilities shall provide a minimum of five stacking spaces per service window
Bowling alley
Five spaces per alley plus one per employee
Broadcast studio
One space per employee plus requirements of auditorium or theater
Business, professional, trade and/or technical schools
One space for each full-time employee and student
Campground
One space per campsite or sleeping unit
Car wash
One space per employee plus 20 waiting spaces per washing lane and 1,000 square feet of finishing area per lane
Cemetery
One space per five persons of chapel capacity or eight lineal feet of pews, whichever is greater
Church, place of worship
One off-street parking space for each four seats provided for patron use, or at least one off-street parking space for each 40 square feet of gross floor area intended to be used for service of patrons, guest or members, whichever requires the greatest number of off-street parking spaces, plus one additional space for each full-time employee
Clubs and clubhouses
One space per 150 square feet of gross floor, building and ground area devoted to this use
Child, adult and senior citizen day centers, nursery school
Three spaces per 1,000 square feet
Commercial pool
One space per 50 square feet of pool area plus one space per full-time employee
Community center, senior citizen community center or other similar facility
Three off-street parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Contractor, craftsman's or general service shop
One space per employee, both shop and field, and one per 500 square feet devoted to patron use
Convenience store
One space per 100 gross square feet of floor area plus one per employee
Convention center
One space per room and one per employee for lodging facilities and one per five fixed seats plus one space per 35 square feet of gross assembly area without seating
Dancing schools
One space per student, calculated on maximum building capacity, as determined by the Fire Marshal
Dining and lodging facilities
One space per unit plus an additional two per seat or one per 50 square feet of floor space and one per employee, whichever is greater
Dispensary
One space per 200 square feet of gross floor area
Drive-in
One space per car of capacity
Duplex dwellings
Two spaces per dwelling unit
Electric and communication substation
One off-street space of sufficient size to accommodate the largest anticipated service vehicle
Emergency service center
One space per 50 square feet of meeting area plus two spaces per emergency vehicle
Flex space
One space per 275 square feet of gross floor area
Funeral home
One space per 50 square feet of space for patron use or four seats for patron use, whichever is greater
Garden apartments
Two-and-one-half spaces per dwelling unit
Golf course
Ten spaces per hole
Greenhouse, nursery, garden center
Five spaces per 1,000 square feet of indoor and/or outdoor space devoted to patron use and display of stock
Group home, impatient rehabilitation center
One space per bed
Guest house
One space per guest room and one space for each employee on the largest shift
Gymnasiums, stadiums, auditoriums serving educational facilities
One space per five seats
Home occupation
One space per 400 square feet of space used for occupation
Hotel or motel
One space per each guest room plus any required additional spaces for permitted uses within the hotel or motel plus one per employee on the largest shift
Industrial uses, manufacturing
One space per employee per largest shift who works either within the facility or who serves as a driver or other outside activity, or one space per 750 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater
Indoor entertainment, amusement
One space per 100 square feet of patron use or three seats, whichever is greater
Kennel, commercial
One space per 12 animals of capacity
Kindergarten, elementary, middle or junior high school
Three spaces for every 10 students
Laboratories
One space per 200 square feet of gross floor area
Laundry
One space per two washing machines
Libraries or museums
Three off-street parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Lodging facilities
One space per unit plus one per employee
Motor vehicle: service station, repair shop, public garage
One space per employee plus five per service bay
Motor vehicle: sales agency (also includes such items as boats and trailers)
One space per 100 square feet of floor area devoted to office, sales or showroom use plus one per employee
Municipal buildings
Requirements shall be computed based on the combined uses within the buildings
Newspaper publishing
One space per employee per largest shift who works either within the facility or who serves as a driver or other outside activity
Music schools, professional schools
One off-street parking space per student or per faculty member plus one per student calculated on maximum building capacity, as determined by the Fire Marshal
Office: business services and professional, including veterinarian
Three spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Office: professional - medical, pharmaceutical
Four spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Outdoor entertainment
One space per three persons of capacity plus one per employee on one shift
Park and outdoor/rural recreation
Parking shall be based upon the number and type of playing fields, and any other physical improvements; a percentage of the spaces may be all-weather, as approved by the Township Engineer; the total number of spaces shall be supported by a parking study that shall be reviewed and approved by the Township Engineer
Personal service or custom shops
One space per 100 gross square feet of floor area devoted to patron use and performance of the service
Pet resort
One space per eight animals of capacity plus one space per every two employees
Rental rooms
Two spaces for resident family plus one for each guest room
Research
One space per 250 square feet of total floor space plus one space per vehicle normally stored on the premises
Residential
Two spaces
Restaurant, including eating place, social club and drive-through
One space per 80 square feet of gross floor area and a minimum stacking lane of five spaces per drive-through window
Retail stores including strip shopping center
Five spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Retirement home, assisted living
Two spaces per dwelling unit
Riding academy/stable
One space per eight animals of capacity
Roadside agricultural stand
Sufficient spaces to accommodate seasonal sale; surface may be crushed stone in lieu of paving and curbing, at the discretion of the Township
Rural inn
Two spaces for resident family plus one for each guest room
Sanitariums, convalescent homes, hospitals
One space for every two beds plus one per maximum number of employees on a shift
Senior high school, junior college
One off-street parking space per faculty member and employee plus one space per three students calculated on maximum building capacity, as determined by the Fire Marshal
Shopping Center, standard/major
One space per employee per largest shift who works either within the facility or who serves as a driver or other outside activity, or one space per 750 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater
Special citizens housing
One space per two beds plus one per maximum number of employees on a shift
Stock, piggery or slaughterhouse
One space per employee
Tennis courts
Two spaces per court
Terminal
One space per 100 square feet
Theater, auditorium, or other place of public assemblage, excluding churches
One space for every three seats
Townhouses
Two and one-half spaces per dwelling unit
Used car lot
One space per employee plus one space per 1,000 square feet of lot area; such areas shall be marked and reserved for patron use
Utilities
One space per employee
Waste or recycling center
One space per employee
Wholesale business, wholesale storage, warehousing
One space per 500 square feet of gross floor area plus one space for each business vehicle normally stored on the premises
Wholesale office and showroom including outside yard for distributing and building materials and/or similar materials
One per employee plus five per 1,000 square feet of space devoted to patron use display stock
Wildlife sanctuary
One space per employee plus one or 0.25 spaces per acre, whichever is greater
B. 
For uses and occupancies not clearly covered by the above table, the most current edition of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Parking Generation Manual may be used or a study from a Traffic Engineer may be used to support the proposed parking requirement. In either case, the Township shall have sole authority with respect to establishing the parking requirement. When there are multiple uses on a lot, the sum of the requirements for all uses may be reduced by 10%.
As a conditional use, the Board of Supervisors may approve the provision of less than the number of parking spaces required under this article when the following requirements are met:
A. 
A parking study prepared by a professional traffic engineer shall be prepared and submitted; it shall support the requested reduction, it shall be reviewed by the Township, and it must be accepted.
B. 
An area on the site shall be designed to accommodate the reduced number of parking spaces per this article, and that area shall be placed in reserve.
C. 
The stormwater system and any other support feature as determined by the Township Engineer shall be designed and constructed to accommodate the required number of parking spaces per this article.
D. 
The property owner shall agree to construct the spaces placed in reserve at any time in the future should the Board of Supervisors determine, in its sole discretion, that the spaces are needed. This agreement shall be in a form satisfactory to the Township Solicitor with the following conditions:
[Amended 1-20-2020 by Ord. No. 409]
(1) 
The area shall be maintained as temporary open space or unobstructed so that the reserve parking may be installed at any time at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors.
(2) 
This agreement shall be recorded as a covenant running with the land.
(3) 
The Zoning Officer shall bring the parking reduction agreement to the Board of Supervisors for reconsideration if the Zoning Officer determines, in his sole discretion, that the reduced parking is not meeting actual property needs, based upon field investigations.
(4) 
The applicant shall provide financial security to the Township to cover the cost of installing the parking area for a specified time period as noted in the parking reduction agreement, but shall be no less than five years.
Any parking facility for 10 or more automobiles constructed under the terms of this article shall meet the following landscape requirements, or the requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance,[1] whichever is greater.
A. 
10% of the area of all paving for parking and access driveways shall be devoted to landscaping within the outer boundaries of the paved area with the intent to mitigate the heat island effect by providing shade over the impervious surfaces. In addition, planting trees creates more attractive parking environments making communities greener and healthier, so effort shall be taken to provide shade, realizing that the trees would need to reach mature growth to maximize the benefits. For all parking lots with 10 or more stalls, planting islands shall be provided in accordance with the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[2] and shall be large enough to accommodate the proposed landscaping.
[Amended 1-20-2020 by Ord. No. 409]
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 122, Subdivision and Land Development.
B. 
The landscaped area may incorporate stormwater management facilities, and it shall be designed so that the landscaping is distributed throughout the parking area.
C. 
All aspects of the design of the landscaped area shall be subject to the requirements of the Land Development and Subdivision Ordinance of Franconia Township and to the approval of the Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 122, Subdivision and Land Development.
Adequate space shall be provided to accommodate the loading and unloading of trucks, tractors and trailers, including parcel delivery vans, servicing any commercial, industrial, institutional or other use for which there is a need for such facilities. The Zoning Officer in his sole discretion shall determine the need.
A. 
Loading spaces and loading docks shall not be located between the street and the building.
B. 
Loading spaces and loading docks shall be screened from view from all streets and all residentially zoned or used properties, as defined in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 122, Subdivision and Land Development.
C. 
All loading facilities shall be located within the parking setbacks.
D. 
All loading spaces shall be subject to the review of the Fire Marshal.
Adequate space shall be provided to accommodate the storage and collection of trash and refuse. The Zoning Officer in his sole discretion shall determine the need.
A. 
The trash facilities shall not be located between the street and the building.
B. 
The trash facilities shall be designed to be accessible at all times.
C. 
The trash facilities shall be screened from view from all streets and all residentially zoned or used properties, as defined in the Land Development Subdivision Ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 122, Subdivision and Land Development.
D. 
All trash facilities shall be located within the parking setbacks.
Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to authorize or permit the establishment of a parking, loading or trash facility in conjunction with a commercial, industrial or institutional use in other than a like-zoning district.