Planning and Zoning

CHAPTER 63 - LOT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

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63.450 PARKING FACILITY DESIGN PARAMETERS

The design of a off-street parking facility will be a function of six parameters.  These six are:  

  1. The total number of spaces required
  2. The percentage of total spaces devoted to small cars and standard size cars.
  3. The percentage of spaces designed for long term and short term parking.
  4. The size of the spaces.
  5. Aisle widths based on the angle of parking utilized.
  6. Required screening and setbacks.
The following paragraphs in this section identify the requirements applicable to parameters (1) through (6).  The total number of spaces are computed from the zoning district table as spelled out in Paragraph 63.421 above.

63.451

Small Car Percentage:  In any parking facility providing over five spaces a percentage of the total spaces may be designed and marked for small cars according to the following schedule:  

Total Spaces Required Maximum Percentage of Small Car Spaces
5-99 30%
100-149 40%
150 or more 50%

63.452

Long Term and Short Term Parking Ratio:  In any parking facility providing over five spaces a percentage of the small car spaces and a percentage of the standard car spaces may be designed to accommodate long term  and short term parkers through the use of different stall dimensions according to the following schedule:  


Use Type Percentage of Spaces For Long Term Parking Percentage of Spaces for Short Term Parking
Offices 80% 20%
Industrial 90% 10%
Retail 20% 80%
Recreational 0% 100%
Residential 0% 100%

63.453

Size of Spaces: The following schedule identifies the size of spaces to be provided.  Stall dimensions differ according to whether they are designed for small or standard size cars and whether they are designed for short term or long term parking.  


TYPE OF PARKING
Size of Car   Short Term Long Term
Small 7' 6" x 15' 0” 7’ 3" x 15’ 0’
Standard 8’ 8" x 17' 0” 8’ 4" x 17' 0”

63.454

Aisle Widths:  The following schedule identifies the minimum aisle widths to be utilized within a parking facility based on the angle of parking provided and whether the aisle services one-way or two-way vehicular traffic.  



Width of Aisle For One-Way Traffic Serving Width of Aisle For Two-Way Traffic Serving
Angle of Parking Standard Size Cars   Small Cars Standard Size Cars   Small Cars
Parallel 10 FT. 8 FT. 21 FT. 14 FT.
30 10 FT. 8 FT. 21 FT 14 FT.
45 12 FT. 10 FT. 23 FT. 16 FT.
60 18 FT. 12 FT. 25 FT. 18 FT.
90 22 FT. 15 FT. 25 FT. 18 FT.
 

In all cases where an aisle serves two or more angle of parking or two sizes of car, the largest minimum aisle width shall apply.  

63.455

Parking Setbacks: Off-street parking spaces may be located on a lot according to the following rules:  

  1. In a Residential District:
    1. In the rear yard;
    2. In a side yard if the yard is at least eight feet in width and the parking area is paved.
    3. In the required front yard or side street side yard on an established driveway.  All driveways must lead to a garage or to off-street parking spaces that meet the provisions of this ordinance.
    4. One additional space may be provided outside of the driveway if the following conditions are met.  
      1. The space is covered by pavement.  Paving may include permeable surfaces (excluding gravel), concrete, blacktop, and Hollywood driveways (parallel paved tracks separated by a grass strip).   
      2. The space is not in that part of the required front yard or side street yard in front of the dwelling located upon the lot.
      3. The area of the space does not cover more than 20% of the front yard or side street side yard. 
      4. Access to the space is from the driveway and not the result of a separate or wider curb cut.
      5. The space is landscaped along the side away from the established driveway with a minimum of five shrubs meeting the requirements of Section 63.154.  There must be adequate area between the driveway and the side lot line to allow room for the shrubs to grow on the property.
    5. The zoning administrator may permit the encroachment of circulation aisles into the front yard for a multifamily residential use when such arrangement will permit the development of a larger, more usable open space on the site.  These aisles must not cover more than 50% of the front yard and must not be closer than eight feet to the right-of-way line.  Landscaping shall be provided between the aisles and the right-of-way equal in intensity to Bufferyard D as defined in Section 63.265 for every 65 feet of frontage. If circulation aisles are abutting and provide immediate access to parking stalls, the drive aisles must be located outside of the required front yard.
    6. The zoning administrator may permit the establishment of a circular driveway for lots containing single family detached dwellings or duplexes if all of the following conditions are met:
      1. The Public Works Department issues a driveway permit allowing no more than two driveway entries to the property.  
      2. One leg of the driveway must lead to an attached or detached garage.  
      3. Parking is permitted only within the buildable area of the lot.  That part of the driveway that is located in the buildable area of the lot shall not exceed 30% of that area which is between the front or side street building line and a line which is along the closest wall of the dwelling to that building line.
      4. One shrub per five linear feet shall be provided in the landscaped circle area that is in front of that part of the driveway in the buildable area of the lot.  
      5. A circle driveway will only be allowed where the front or, if located on a corner lot, side street lot lines are at least 90 feet in length.  When located on a corner lot and when the circle driveway access goes across both the front lot line and the side street lot line, no circle drive will be allowed when either the front or the side street lot lines are less than 80 feet in length.  Also, when located on a corner lot, no circle driveway will allow parking that is closer than 25 feet to the side street lot line.
      6. The driveway access shall meet the required separation requirements in Section 64.143.  Also, the separation between the legs of the circle driveway shall be no less than 40 feet measured at the front or side street lot line.
      7. That part of a circle driveway that is outside of the driveway which directly leads to a garage shall not exceed 18 feet in width.
    7. Parking for area accessory developments and other permitted commercial uses in a residential district shall be set back from the lot lines a distance equal to the setbacks required for commercial uses allowed in that zoning district unless a greater setback is required by other provisions in this Code.  If the parking is located along a side street yard which is adjacent to a front yard of an adjacent residential use, the parking shall not be closer than 20 feet to an established street right-of-way line.  If in the R-Sa District, the parking must be set back from the front and side street lot lines a distance equal to the front and side street setbacks required for residential uses in the District.  The parking lot may not surround the principal building on the lot.  Unless a greater Bufferyard is required by other provisions of this Code, a “D” Bufferyard shall be established along the parking area.  Two-way drive aisles must be a minimum width of 18 feet.  Parking for area accessory developments must meet the design standards specified in Section 63.455 (1), (H), (5) – (7).
    8. Multi-Family residential parking and drive aisles:  
      1. No parking lot or driveway shall be placed closer than six feet to any multi-family dwelling unless accessing an attached garage. 
      2. Driveways and parking lots shall not be placed closer than five feet to any interior side or rear lot line unless leading directly into a garage.  When the multi-family dwelling is part of a multi-lot development (under either one or multiple ownership) and common parking and drive aisles are provided for the development, this parking and drive aisle setback shall not apply, but will apply only to the exterior rear and side lot lines of the development.  As required in Section 63.260, no driveway (other than an approved driveway providing street access) or parking area shall be located within a required bufferyard.  
      3. The front and side-street parking setbacks for residential uses in the R-3 or R-4 Districts are the minimum setbacks for a building up to 30 feet in height found in Section 62.286(1) and in no case closer than ten feet to a side-street lot line.  
      4. A driveway accessing a parking area in the rear or side yard of a multi-family dwelling must have a minimum width of 12 feet for three to six-plex units and 18 feet for other multiple family buildings.  
      5. If located along a front or side street yard, a parking area, which has two parallel rows of parking and have twenty or more consecutive parking spaces in either row, must provide a Bufferyard “D” along the front or side street lot line and provide one eight-foot by 17-foot landscaped projection into the parking area for every 20 parking spaces located adjacent to the front or side street lot line.  The landscaped projection must be located such that parking spaces are located on both sides of the projection.  
      6. Parking lots containing more than 20 spaces and containing more than two adjacent rows of parking shall have an internal landscape area within the parking lot equal to at least five percent of the paved area of the lot (including drive aisles and driveways).  Paved areas do not include sidewalks, patios or other paved areas not associated with vehicle parking or circulation.  These areas must be distributed throughout the parking areas and must have minimum width of eight feet and be at least 100 square feet in area.  Each 100 square feet of required landscape area must contain at least one canopy tree or two understory trees (see Section 63.154 for minimum plant sizes).  The landscape islands must be protected by permanent curbing or other methods to control vehicle encroachment. The landscape islands shall not be used for the piling of snow.  All plantings must be maintained in a healthy condition and appearance.  Up to 50% of the area of the landscape islands may be counted toward meeting the required landscape area for the site.  However, all of the area of the internal landscape islands that is over the required five percent will count toward meeting the required landscape area for the site.  These areas can contain external lighting fixtures.
      7. A parking lot that has a dead end shall provide a turnout at the end of the parking lot.  The turnout shall be at least 25 feet wide by four feet in depth.
    9. All driveways, drive aisles and parking spaces must be paved for any residential use other than a single family detached dwelling.  Unless otherwise specified in this Code, parking and driveways for single family detached dwellings may be of an all-weather durable surface.  However, if a driveway leads to a garage on the property, the driveway must be paved.  All-weather durable surfaces must be maintained so that no surface material is tracked or allowed to wash onto any public sidewalks, streets or neighboring properties.  
    10. In residential zoning districts, existing unpaved parking spaces, driveways and drive aisles must be paved at the time a zoning certificate is required by this Code for an addition to the principal structure, an addition to a garage or when the intensity of use of a residential dwelling is increased.  
  2. In a Nonresidential District:  
    1. In the rear yard or side yard.
    2. In the front yard or side street side yard to within eight feet of the right-of-way line.  The eight foot strip shall be landscaped with a minimum of one shrub for every five linear feet of frontage which can be grouped together into designed planting areas.  All shrubs must meet the minimum size requirements of Section 63.150. The eight foot width may be reduced where a berm a minimum of four feet in height or a hedgerow meeting the requirements of Section 63.154 is provided.  
    3. Parking in the front yard of a nonresidential district which is within 50 feet of an adjacent front yard or side street side yard in a residential district shall not be closer than 20 feet to an established street right-of-way line.  
  3. Violations  
    1. No person may construct, improve or otherwise locate a parking space except as provided herein.
    2. No person may park in an off-street parking space or location not specifically allowed by the provisions of this section.  
    3. Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

63.456

Screening: When parking areas for more than six vehicles are developed on a lot adjacent to a lot zoned R-1, R-1x, R-2 or R-Sa, or used for single family detached, single family attached, duplex, church, school, or Type I Group Residential Care, screening equal in magnitude to Bufferyard G as defined in paragraph 65.720 shall be established along the property line to screen the adjacent use from the parking area.

63.457

General Design Requirements: The following requirements shall apply to all off-street parking except that for one and two family dwellings:  

  1. Parking spaces, aisles and driveways shall be paved with asphalt or comparable all-weather, dust free surfacing.
  2. Parking areas shall have provision made for the on-site collection of drainage to eliminate sheet flow of such waters onto sidewalks, public right-of-ways and abutting private property.
  3. Lighting of parking areas shall be directed or deflected so as not to shine directly onto adjacent dwellings or cause hazards to motorists on adjacent streets.
  4. Spaces shall be striped or marked.
  5. Wheel stops or bumper guards shall be provided where appropriate for spaces abutting a property line so that no vehicle will overhang a public right-of-way or other property line.

63.458

Alleys: Off-street parking spaces accessed directly from an alley are permitted only at a 900 angle to the alley right-of-way.

63.459

Front Yard Parking – Performance Standards: 


Subdivision 1. The purpose of this section is to regulate the location of surface parking on existing lots in residential zoning districts.  The City has regulated front and side yard parking as part of the zoning ordinance since 1966.  Therefore, parking outside of a driveway and garage that is not in conformance with the Zoning Ordinance and Land Development Manual adopted in 1992 is considered a non-approved use of a residential lot and must be brought into conformance with the current standards.       


     Subd. 2.  Exceptions to this section exist only when front or side street yard parking in a residential zoning district has been approved as a part of a development review process including a variance, conditional use permit, planned unit development, incentive or restricted use development.  This section is further supported by Section 134.11(3).     

   
    Subd. 3.  Complying with the performance standards.  All non-compliant front yard parking must be brought into compliance with the provisions of Section 63.455 at the time a zoning certificate is required for planned improvements of the property or at the time that a city rental certificate is issued.  When a property owner cannot comply with Section 63.455, the applicant may apply for an alternative review.        

Subd. 4.  Procedure.  

(1)      Zoning Certificate.  Following notification of a property owner for non-compliance with Section 63.455, the property owner must apply for a zoning certificate.  The applicant must submit a site plan that is consistent with Section 63.455 with the zoning certificate.  The property owner must comply with the approved site plan and zoning certificate.
  (2)      Alternative Review:  When a property owner is unable to relocate the parking area on a lot that is in compliance with Section 63.455 due to the property’s physical limitations, including lot width or depth, building location or easements, the property owner must apply for a Type I Design Modification.  The property owner must satisfy all of the site performance standards.         
     Subd. 5.  Site Performance Standards.  Non-compliant front yard parking must meet the minimum site performance standards of this subdivision when an alternative review is approved.  
(1)      Location of Parking:  Parking spaces must abut the existing driveway that leads directly to the public street.  The parking spaces must be setback from the front lot line and the side street side yard lot line the minimum distance required for that use in the applicable zoning district and six feet from a side lot line.  The minimum distance from the parking area to the side yard opposite the driveway must be at least half the length of the principal building as measured from side yard to side yard.  


(2)      Lot Coverage:  The parking spaces that are located in a front yard may not cover more than:   (a)        25% of the required front yard, or no more than 300 square feet, whichever is less, in the R-Sa, R-1 and R-1X districts;   (b)        25% of the required front yard in the R-2, R-3 or R-4 districts. 

  (3)        Access:   Access to the parking space must be directly from an established driveway.  Driveway width at the boulevard must not be expanded.  

   (4)        Surface Materials:  The parking area must be paved and bordered by a curb, fence or other similar features to prevent parking beyond the intended parking area.  

  (5)        Landscaping adjacent to parking areas:  The parking area located in a front yard must be screened.  The landscaping must comply with the standards provided in Section 63.154.  A landscaped berm may serve as a screen with Bufferyard “D” landscaping requirements or a hedge with plants located at four feet on center surrounding the parking area, except the connection to the driveway.  

   (6)        Landscaping of other yard areas:  Except for patio and similar areas, areas of yards not established as parking areas must be maintained in a landscaped condition including turf, shrubbery or other vegetative materials.  

   (7)        Number of spaces:  There shall be no more spaces provided on the property than the number required for the use by this Code.  When a property is non-conforming due to the number of parking spaces the standards of Section 65.600 will apply.  

   (8)        Use:  Any such parking must not be used for the parking of trailers, recreational vehicles or other recreational or commercial equipment.






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Page Last Modified On: Tuesday, April 25, 2006