§ 23.04.162. Off-Street Parking Required.

All uses requiring a land use permit are to be provided off-street parking as set forth in Section 23.04.163 et seq., except parking lots which qualify for the following modifications:

a.

Compact car spaces: Lots with 20 more spaces may substitute compact car spaces for up to 20% of the total number of required spaces. Compact car spaces are to be a minimum of 8 by 14 feet in size.

b.

Motorcycle parking: Lots with 20 or more spaces may replace regular spaces with motorcycle spaces. One regular space may be replaced with a motorcycle space for each 20 required spaces. Motorcycle spaces are to be a minimum size of four by eight feet.

c.

Parking assessment district: Parking requirements may be waived or modified within a parking district, through planning area standards.

d.

Shared on-site parking adjustment: Where two or more nonresidential uses are on a single site, the number of parking spaces may be reduced through adjustment (Section 23.01.044) at a rate of five percent for each separate nonresidential use, up to a maximum of 20%; as long as the total of spaces is not less than required for the use requiring the largest number of spaces.

e.

Shared peak-hour parking: Where two or more uses have distinct and differing peak traffic usage periods (e.g. a theater and a bank), the required number of parking spaces may be reduced through Minor Use Permit approval, in addition to the parking reduction allowed by subsection d. above. The most remote spaces in the parking lots shall be located no more than 300 feet from the pedestrian entrance to each use that the parking spaces serve (as measured along the most direct pedestrian path). The total number of spaces required for all uses sharing the parking may be reduced to no less than the number of spaces required by Section 23.04.166 for the single use among those proposed which is required to provide the most parking.

f.

On-street parking adjustment: Where a proposed driveway from a street to a new parking area would eliminate on-street parking spaces equal to or greater than the off-street spaces required, the requirement for off-street spaces may be eliminated through adjustment (Section 23.01.044) where the access or proposed building cannot reasonably be redesigned to avoid a net loss of parking.

g.

Nonconforming parking. Where an existing development is nonconforming as to the off-street parking requirements of this chapter, a new allowable use may be established or an existing allowable use may be expanded only:

(1)

After the requirements for off-street parking have been met for the existing structure, as well as for any expansions; or

(2)

As allowed by Section 23.09.036 (Nonconforming Parking).

h.

Modification of parking standards. The parking standards of this chapter may be modified as follows:

(1)

Permit Requirements. Proposals to reduce the required number of parking spaces, or to modify any of the other parking standards of this chapter may be authorized through Minor Use Permit approval.

(2)

Criteria for approval. Proposed modifications of parking standards shall be approved only where the Director of Planning and Building first determines, based upon specific findings of fact, that:

(i)

The characteristics of a use, the site, or its immediate vicinity do not necessitate the number of parking spaces, types of design, or improvements required by this chapter; and

(ii)

Reduced parking or an alternative to the parking design standards of this chapter will be adequate to accommodate on the site all parking needs generated by the use, or that additional parking is necessary because of specific features of the use, site, or site vicinity; and

(iii)

No traffic safety problems will result from the proposed modification of parking standards.

[Amended 1995, Ord. 2715]