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Hialeah Gardens |
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Code of Ordinances |
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Chapter 78. LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS |
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Article VI. TRANSPORTATION, PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS |
§ 78-141. Off-street parking requirements.
(a)
Applicability; computation; standards.
(1)
Applicability. Off-street parking facilities shall be provided for all development within the city. All parking areas and their access driveways shall be paved. The facilities shall be maintained as long as the use exists that the facilities were designed to serve.
(2)
Computation. When the number of off-street parking spaces required by this chapter results in a fractional space, the fraction of one-half or less may be disregarded, and a fraction in excess of one-half shall be counted as one parking space.
(3)
Standards.
a.
A standard parking space shall have minimum dimensions of nine feet in width by 19 feet in length for the parking of each automobile exclusive of access drives or aisles thereto.
A parallel parking space shall have minimum dimensions of nine feet in width by 23 feet in length for the parking of each automobile.
A standard motorcycle parking space shall be 4¼ feet wide and 9¼ feet long.
The minimum width of an access drive shall be 12 feet.
The minimum width of an aisle between opposing parking spaces shall be 24 feet.
No tandem parking shall be permitted.
b.
Streets or sidewalks may not be used for off-street parking purposes as defined in this section. Individual ingress and egress drives extending across the public sidewalks and curbs and connecting the off-street parking spaces to the public street areas shall not exceed a maximum of 12 feet for a one-way drive and 24 feet for a two-way drive. The design, number, and placement of these drives is subject to the approval of the city before being constructed.
c.
Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit the installation of a fully automatic parking facility in which the placement and removal of automobiles are accomplished wholly by machinery.
d.
Adequate off-street parking shall be provided at the time of construction to meet any increase in density or intensity of use pursuant to the requirements of this chapter.
e.
Parking spaces for all uses or structures shall be located on the same lot, and have the same land use district as the principal use or structure they are intended to serve.
f.
In all residential districts, required parking spaces for single-family and two-family dwellings may be permitted in any setback areas or yards and shall be counted as meeting off-street parking requirements. All parking within the required front yard setback area shall be located in a driveway or turnaround.
In all other districts for all permitted uses, approved permitted uses with site plan review or approved special exception uses, required front, street side, or street rear yards shall not be used for off-street parking except as permitted in this section; a maximum of 50 percent of the required yards may be utilized for off-street parking and other vehicular storage or circulation provided the plan for the use is approved by the city as provided for in subsection (a)(3)g of this section; each parking space shall have an adequate and substantial wheel stop located at least six feet from any abutting property line and parking area surfaces shall not extend closer than five feet from any abutting property line; all parking areas shall have each parking space and aisle marked; and all parking areas shall be landscaped.
g.
Plans for ingress and egress to and from the off-street parking area, including a landscape plan, shall be subject to the approval of the city. In non-residential districts, there shall be no direct or back-up access between parking spaces and the street. No curbs or sidewalks may be cut or altered in any manner without a permit from the city and all other applicable county and/or state agencies.
h.
When off-street parking facilities are located within a separate parking structure, the following conditions and restrictions shall apply:
1.
The structure shall conform to all lot, yard and bulk requirements of the district in which it is located.
2.
The parking facilities shall be designed so as to conform to all other provisions of this chapter and all other ordinances of the city.
3.
All nonstructural portions of the exterior elevations, except for vehicular ingress and egress areas, shall, in addition to any required safety provisions, be screened by a material providing at least 50 percent opacity for the total area between deck levels.
4.
When parking facilities are located on the roof of a parking structure the first four feet shall be screened. The height of the structure shall be measured to the top of the screening.
(b)
Table of off-street parking requirements.
_____
Use Parking Spaces Required per Unit of Measurement Single and Two-Family Dwelling Units Dwelling Units with: 1-2 Bedrooms — 2.0 3 or more Bedrooms — 3.0 Townhouses Dwelling Units with: 1-2 Bedrooms — 2.0 3 or more Bedrooms — 3.0 plus .2 per Dwelling Unit for guest/visitor parking Multi-Family Dwelling Units 2.2 per Dwelling Unit plus .2 per Dwelling Unit for guest/visitor parking Cultural, Social, Recreation and Entertainment Houses of Worship, Theaters, Auditoriums, Stadiums and Gymnasiums — .25 per seat Banquet/Convention/Bingo Halls and Private Social Clubs — 1 per 200 square feet Bowling Alleys or Karate/Dance/Health Studios — 1 per 200 square feet Libraries, Art Museums and Other Cultural Facilities — 1 per 200 square feet Open Recreation — 1 per 250 square feet Private Swimming, Golf or Tennis Clubs — 1 per 500 square feet of floor area plus 4 per court, 1 per 100 square feet pool area and 6 per hole of golf Educational Facilities Day Care: 1 per faculty and staff plus 1 per 10 students Kindergarten — Grade 8: 1 per faculty and staff plus 1 per 20 student stations Grades 9 through 12 — 1 per faculty and staff plus 1.1 per 10 student stations Hospitals, Clinics and Rehabilitation Centers 2 per bed Homes for the Aged, Convalescent Centers 1 per bed Restaurants, including take-out, and Nightclubs .3 per seat or 1 per 150 square feet (whichever is greater) Lodging Establishments 1.1 per room plus requirements for accessory and/or restaurant uses Office, Professional (includes medical and dental) 1 per 250 square feet Retail: Grocery and Drug Stores, Banks, Post Offices, other similar uses and Shopping Centers 1 per 250 square feet Membership Warehouses, Home Improvement Centers 1 per 250 square feet Gas Stations/Mini Marts 1 per 200 square feet (minimum 3 spaces) Plant Nursery 8 for first acre, or fraction thereof, and 1 for each two acres thereafter Furniture Showrooms 3 for first 2,500 square feet then 1 per 500 square thereafter Automotive Sales 1 per 500 square feet Open lot Commercial Uses 1 per 1,000 square feet of lot area, or fraction thereof, for first 5,000 square feet and 1 per 500 square feet thereafter Warehouse/Industrial Uses 1 per 400 square feet (minimum 3 spaces) up to 5,000 square feet of gross floor area and then one space for each additional 2,000 square feet of gross warehouse floor area. Office, retail and wholesale showroom areas provided in conjunction with the industrial use shall have parking spaces provided for such areas as otherwise contained in this section Wholesale Showrooms 1 per 800 square feet Self-storage Facilities 1 per 2,500 square feet NOTES:
(1)
For residential districts, any room that has the potential to be utilized as a bedroom shall be considered when calculating the number of bedrooms for parking purposes.
(2)
Gross floor area is used in calculating square feet.
(3)
For uses not referenced but similar to one of the above categories the chief zoning official or designee shall determine the number of required parking spaces.
(4)
If more than one use is within one building or development parking for said uses shall be calculated separately.
(5)
Loading areas in front of warehouse buildings will not be counted towards parking requirements.
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(c)
Special parking spaces.
(1)
Parking for handicapped persons. Any parking area to be used by the general public shall provide suitable, paved and marked parking spaces for handicapped persons. The number, design, and location of these spaces shall be consistent with the standards contained in the Florida Building Code, as may be amended. No parking space required for the handicapped shall be counted as a parking space in determining compliance with the table of off-street parking requirements of this section, but optional spaces for the handicapped shall be counted.
(2)
Motorcycle parking.
a.
A portion of the parking spaces required by this chapter may be designed as exclusively for motorcycle parking if the following conditions are met:
1.
The building official, chief zoning official or code compliance officer recommends that the spaces be so designated, based upon projected demand for them and lessened demand for automobile spaces.
2.
The technical review committee approves the recommendation and the designated spaces are shown on the final development plan.
3.
The designated spaces are suitably marked and striped.
4.
The designation does not reduce the overall area devoted to parking, so that if motorcycle spaces are converted to automobile spaces, the minimum requirements for automobile spaces will be met.
b.
The approval may later be withdrawn, and the spaces returned to car spaces, if the building official, or chief zoning official finds that the purposes of this chapter would be better served thereby, based upon the actual demand for motorcycle and automobile parking.
(3)
Bicycle parking.
a.
Racks or other means of storage that can secure at least four bicycles are required for all park, shopping center, office, industrial and restaurant uses with parking lots, as follows:
1.
Number of bicycle parking spaces required:
Total Parking Spaces in Lot Required Number of Bicycle Parking Spaces: 25 to 50 4 51 to 100 8 101 to 500 12 501 to 1,000 16 Over 1,000 Four additional spaces for each 500 parking spaces over 2.
Other uses. Any other uses, except single family, duplex, or townhouse, which are exempt, shall provide bicycle racks or other means of storage as provided herein only where their total parking lot has 101 or more spaces.
3.
Location and design of bicycle parking spaces; requirements:
i.
The bicycle parking spaces shall be located near the entrances to the building.
ii.
At buildings and shopping centers that have multiple parking lots, the bicycle parking spaces must be installed near the entrances to the buildings served by the lots.
iii.
The bicycle parking spaces should be in a highly visible, well-lighted location that provides enough clear space to facilitate easy use and does not impede pedestrian traffic or handicap accessibility.
iv.
The parking spaces may not be placed in the city maintained right-of-way.
v.
The design of the bicycle rack shall permit the locking of the frame and at least one wheel with a standard size "U" lock and accommodate the typical range of bicycle sizes.
vi.
The bicycle rack must resist removal, resist rust, corrosion, and vandalism, and must be properly maintained.
4.
Other forms of storage. At the owner's option, bicycle parking may also be installed in the form of storage rooms, lockers or cages.
5.
Signage and markings. All bicycle parking spaces shall be posted with a permanent and properly maintained aboveground sign. The bottom of the sign must be at least five feet above grade when attached to a building, which may not be installed in the city maintained right-of-way. No permit shall be required for such signs.
(4)
Parking for persons transporting young children and strollers. Parking spaces specifically designed for persons transporting young children under the age of three and strollers, shall be required for all uses other than single-family, duplex, townhouse, multifamily or industrial zoned properties. Such baby stroller parking spaces shall be provided as follows:
a.
Quantity of specially designated parking spaces:
Total Parking Spaces in Lot Required Number of Spaces Up to 100 0 101 to 500 2 501 to 1,000 3 Over 1,000 One additional space for each 500 parking spaces over 1,000 b.
Location of parking spaces. Such spaces shall be located as closely as possible to parking spaces designated for the physically handicapped and/or disabled persons; provided however, parking spaces designated for the physically handicapped and/or disabled persons shall take precedence. Where no parking spaces designated for the physically handicapped and/or disabled persons have been provided, parking spaces for persons transporting young children and strollers shall be located on the shortest accessible route of travel from adjacent parking to an accessible entrance.
c.
Signage and markings. All parking spaces for persons transporting young children and strollers shall be prominently outlined with green paint and posted with an approved permanent above-ground sign which shall conform to the figure entitled "Baby Stroller Parking Sign" hereby incorporated in this section. The bottom of the sign must be at least five feet above grade when attached to a building, or seven feet above grade for a detached sign.
(d)
Parking variance.
(1)
As a condition for obtaining a variance of parking requirements from the city, as allowed under section 78-74, "Requirements and Procedures for Variances and Administrative Variances", the developer must show one or more of the following:
a.
A parking study indicates that there is not a present need for the required parking.
b.
Public transportation satisfies transportation demands for a portion of the users of the facility that corresponds to the amount of parking to be varied.
c.
The developer has established or will establish an alternative means of access to the use that will justify varying the number of parking spaces. Alternative programs that may be considered by the city include, but are not limited to:
1.
Private and public car pools and van pools.
2.
Charging for parking.
3.
Subscription bus services.
4.
Flexible work-hour scheduling.
5.
Ride sharing.
d.
The percentage of parking spaces sought to be varied corresponds to the percentage of residents, employees, and customers who regularly walk, use bicycles or other non-motorized forms of transportation, or use mass transportation to come to the facility.
(2)
Any parking study, shall contain, at a minimum, the following data for the relevant type of development:
a.
For residential development:
1.
Type of housing: detached single-family, townhouse, multi-family, etc.
2.
Total square footage and number of dwelling units.
3.
Mix of units: opportunities for shared parking.
4.
Average cost per unit.
5.
Cost of parking: purchase or rental of spaces.
6.
Any other factor that may reduce/increase the parking demand.
b.
For nonresidential development:
1.
Type of use.
2.
Total square footage or gross leasable area.
3.
Maximum number of patrons or users at peak time.
4.
Employment characteristics such as number of employees and number of shifts.
5.
Cost of parking, if applicable.
6.
Any other factor that may reduce/increase the parking demand.
(3)
If the developer satisfies one or more of the criteria in subsection (d)(1) of this section, the city council may approve the variance of parking request and parking plan submitted by the developer. The number of parking spaces varied shall correspond to the estimated number of parking spaces that will not be needed because of the condition or conditions established.
(4)
A parking plan:
a.
Shall be designed to contain sufficient space to meet the full parking requirements of this chapter.
b.
Shall include a written agreement with the city that, one year from the date of issuance of the certificate of occupancy, the number of spaces varied will be converted to parking spaces that conform to this chapter at the developer's expense should the city determine from experience that the additional parking spaces are needed.
c.
Shall include a written agreement that the developer will cover the expense of a traffic study to be undertaken by the city public works director or chief zoning official to determine the advisability of providing the full parking requirement.
(5)
Based upon the study and the recommendations of the city public works director or chief zoning official, the city shall determine if additional operable parking spaces are necessary.
(6)
The developer may at any time request that city approve a revised parking plan to allow additional parking spaces.
(e)
Reduction for mixed or joint use of parking spaces. The city council shall authorize a reduction in the total number of required parking spaces for two or more uses jointly providing off-street parking when their respective hours of need of maximum parking do not normally overlap. Reduction of parking requirements because of joint use shall be approved if the following conditions are met:
(1)
The developer submits sufficient data to demonstrate that hours of maximum demand for parking at the respective uses do not normally overlap.
(2)
The developer submits a legal agreement approved by the city attorney guaranteeing the joint use of the off-street parking spaces as long as the uses requiring parking are in existence or until required parking is provided elsewhere in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(f)
Standards for drive-up facilities. All facilities providing drive-up or drive-through service shall provide on-site stacking lanes in accordance with the following standards:
(1)
The facilities and stacking lanes shall be located and designed to minimize turning movements in relation to the driveway access to streets and intersections.
(2)
The facilities and stacking lanes shall be located and designed to minimize or avoid conflicts between vehicular traffic and pedestrian areas such as sidewalks, crosswalks, or other pedestrian accessways.
(3)
A bypass lane shall be provided.
(4)
Stacking lane distance shall be measured from each service window to the property line bordering the furthest street providing access to the facility.
(5)
Minimum stacking lane distance shall be as follows:
a.
Financial institutions shall have a minimum distance of 200 feet. Two or more stacking lanes may be provided which together total 200 feet.
b.
All other uses shall have a minimum distance of 120 feet.
(6)
Alleys or driveways in or abutting areas designed, approved, or developed for residential use shall not be used for circulation of traffic for drive-up facilities.
(7)
Where turns are required in the exit lane, the minimum distance from any drive-up station to the beginning point of the curve shall be 34 feet. The minimum inside turning radius shall be 25 feet.
(g)
Pavement markings.
(1)
Generally. Designated parking spaces shall be marked on the surface of the parking space with paint or permanent marking materials and maintained in clearly visible condition.
(2)
Handicapped spaces. Signs or signs combined with color-coded stall lines shall be used to distinguish handicapped spaces from standard size car spaces.
(3)
Directional arrows. In parking facilities, all aisles, approach lanes, and maneuvering areas shall be clearly marked with directional arrows and lines to expedite traffic movement.
(h)
Landscaping. All off-street parking areas shall be landscaped in accordance with Article VII, "Landscape Requirements", pertaining to landscaping.
(i)
Lighting. Parking lots that are to be used after dark shall be lighted. The lighting shall not shine directly upon any adjacent property or street and shall not produce excessive glare.
(j)
Access for handicapped persons. Access to each principal building shall be provided from rights-of-way and parking areas by means of a hard-surfaced pathway leading to at least one entrance generally used by the public. The pathway shall be at least five feet wide, unobstructed, and devoid of curbs, stairs or other abrupt changes in elevation. Ramps shall be designed in accordance with the ramp requirements of the Florida Building Code.
(Ord. of 9-25-06; Ord. No. 2012-11, § 1, 5-15-12)