Ordinance No. 131 Consolidated Land Use Ordinance

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SECTION 20. OFF STREET PARKING AREAS 1. Purpose. The purpose of this section of the Zoning Ordinance is alleviate or prevent congestion of the public right-of-way and so to promote the safety and general welfare of the public by establishing minimum requirements for off street parking in accordance with the utilization of various parcels of land and/or structures. 2. Site Plans. When applying for a building permit in all Districts for a new structure, the enlarging of a structure or new enlarged use of a parcel of land, the application shall be accompanied by a site plan drawn to scale and dimension indicating the location of off-street parking spaces in compliance with the following requirements. 3. General Provisions. 1. Existing off-street parking spaces and loading spaces upon the effective date of this Ordinance shall not be reduced in number unless said number exceeds the requirement set forth herein for a similar new use. 2. Should a building, structure or use in existence upon the effective date of this Ordinance be damaged or destroyed by fire or other cause, it may be re-established except that in doing so any off-street parking or loading which existed must be retain and should plans be effected for enlarging the floor area, seating capacity or other facilities which would affect the parking or loading requirements, the parking or loading spaces shall be enlarged accordingly. 3. Floor Area. The term "Floor Area" shall mean the sum of all floor areas in a building as calculated from the outside dimensions of the building. It shall not include areas used primarily for non-public purposes such as storage, incidental repair, office building management or maintenance, toilets, or rest rooms, utilities, or dressing, fitting or alteration rooms. 4. Parking Spaces. Each parking space shall be not less than nine (9) feet wide and twenty (20') feet in length exclusive of an adequately designed system of access drives. 5. Use of Parking Facilities. Off street parking facilities accessory to residential use shall be utilized solely for the parking or passenger automobiles and/or one truck not to exceed one and one-half (1 'h) ton capacity for each dwelling unit except by Conditional or Interim Use Permit. Required parking facilities accessory to residential structures shall not be used for the storage of commercial vehicles or for the parking of automobiles belonging to the employees, owners, tenants or customers of business or manufacturing establishments except by Conditional or Interim Use Permit. Required parking facilities accessory to residential structures shall not be used for the storage or repair of commercial vehicles. 6. Required off-street parking space in the Residential Districts shall be on the same lot as the principal building. 7. Joint Parking Facilities. Off-street parking facilities for a combination of mixed buildings, structures or uses may be provided collectively in any "district" in which separate parking facilities for each separate building, structure or use would be required, provided that number of spaces provided shall equal to sum of the separate requirements of each use. 8. Use of Parking Area. Required off-street parking space in any District shall not be utilized for open storage of goods or for the storage of vehicles which are inoperable or for sale or rent. 4. Design and Maintenance of Off -Street Parking Areas. 1. Parking Areas. Shall be designed so as to provide adequate means of access to a public alley or street. Such driveway access shall not exceed twenty-two (22') feet in width and shall be so located as to cause the least interference with traffic movement. 2. Calculating Space. When calculating the number of off-street parking spaces results in a fraction, each fraction of one-half ('/z) or more shall constitute another space. One parking space shall equal three -hundred (300 sq. ft.) square feet or parking and moving area. 3. Signs. No signs shall be located in any parking area except as necessary for orderly operation of traffic movement. 4. Surfacing. All of the area intended to be utilized for parking space and driveways shall be surfaced with a material to control dust and drainage. Parking area for less than three (3) vehicle spaces shall be exempt. Plans for surfacing and drainage shall be subject to approval of the City Council. Updated January 2025 — Gem Lake Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. 131 103