CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
Ordinance No. 2704
AMENDING SECTION 5-5-1, OFF-STREET PARKING AND CHAPTER 12,
DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE GRAND JUNCTION
ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT CODE
Recitals.
The purpose of the proposed amendment to the Zoning and Development Code is to
to clarify portions of Section 5-5-1, Off-Street Parking and add to Chapter 12, Definitions and Limitations to update certain existing standards which do not reflect changes in parking patterns that have occurred over the last decade, and add standards for uses which are typical of current and expected future development patterns.
The proposed revisions to the off-street parking regulations primarily address parking requirements for non-residential uses including various retail and commercial establishments. An example is the current parking requirement for uses such as furniture and appliance stores and other showroom retail establishments. These types of uses currently fall under the general category of "Low Volume Retail Sales". Application of the "Low Volume Retail Sales" standard to showroom sales uses is burdensome because of the unique situation presented by the type of use. Furniture sales businesses and the like, require a large showroom to display bulky items, driving the square footage up without necessarily reflecting customer demand. The Zoning and Development Code does not presently address this situation.
The Grand Junction Planning Commission at their August 3, 1993 hearing recommended approval of the text amendment.
The City Council has duly considered the matter and the recommendation of the Planning Commission and finds that the amendments to the Zoning and Development Code are appropriate in order to correct and update the current parking regulations.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION THAT THE FOLLOWING SHALL REPLACE SECTION 5-5-1 A. THROUGH J. AND AMEND CHAPTER 12, DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT CODE:
5-5 PARKING AND LOADING STANDARDS
5-5-1 OFF-STREET PARKING
A. Purpose - This section sets minimum standards for off-street requirements for new construction and expansions of or changes to existing uses. Off-street parking requirements shall be established at the time of the site plan review process.
B. Uses Not Identified - The Administrator shall determine the parking requirement for uses which do not correspond to the categories listed in sub-section 5-5-1 H. In such instances, the applicant shall provide adequate information by which the proposal can be reviewed, which includes but may not necessarily be limited to the following:
1. Type of use
2. Number of employees
3. Building design capacity
4. Square feet of sales area, service area, etc.
5. Parking spaces proposed on site
6. Parking spaces provided elsewhere
7. Hours of operation
C. Multiple Uses - In those instances where there are clearly identified accessory or multiple uses within a structure or multiple structures, the minimum standards shall apply to each use or structure, resulting in a total parking requirement when summed, except as provided in section D., Shared Parking Facilities.
D. Shared Parking Facilities - Off-street parking requirements of a given use may be met with off-site off-street parking facilities of another use when and if, all of the following conditions are met:
1. The off-site, off-street parking facilities are within 200 feet of the property (may be up to 500 feet if proposed for employee use); and
2. The parking demands of the individual uses, as determined by the administrator based upon parking demand information supplied by the applicant or other sources, are such that the total parking demand of all the uses at any one time is less than the total parking stalls required; and
3. A written agreement between the owners and lessees is executed for a minimum of twenty years, approved by the Administrator, recorded, and a copy maintained in the project file. Should the lease expire or otherwise terminate, the use for which the leased parking was provided shall be considered nonconforming. Any and all approvals, including Special or Conditional Use permits, shall be subject to revocation and continuation, expansion or addition to or of the use shall be prohibited unless the use is brought into compliance with the parking regulations of this Code.
E. Location - The parking area shall be provided on the same parcel as the principal structure wherever practicable. In business, commercial and industrial districts, the parking may be up to two hundred feet from the property, but must be located within a zone district allowing business, commercial or industrial parking. Parking spaces for residential uses in residential zones shall not be in a front yard setback except in the case of parking for single family structures (see Section 5-1-2).
F. Landscaping - When a parking lot provides parking spaces for more than fifteen cars, at least five percent of the total area of the parking lot shall be used for landscaping. Part of this area may be required to include shade trees.
G. Screening - Screening is required along each side of a parking lot that is used for non-residential purposes which abuts a residential zone or use. The screening shall consist of fencing and/or plantings six feet in height which effectively visually block the parking area year-round, except as limited by Sections 5-2-5 and 5-3-2.
H. The following are the minimum requirements for parking spaces in connection with the structures and uses indicated. Parking shall be in the ownership or control of the owner of the use for which it is required, except as otherwise provided in this section.
USE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS
1. All structures except single family, Bicycle rack(s) sufficient to hold three
duplex, triplex, and four-plex residential bicycles or the number of bicycles equal to ten percent of the required off-street parking spaces for the use, whichever is greater
2. Residential For all single family, duplex, triplex and four-plex residential structures: two spaces per dwelling unit
For all multifamily dwelling units having five or more dwelling units per structure: one and one-half spaces per dwelling unit, plus one additional space per every five spaces for recreation vehicles and/or visitor parking
3. Theaters One space per each four seats (designed seating capacity)
4. Bowling Alleys Four spaces per lane
5. Elementary and Junior High Schools Two spaces per classroom
6. High Schools One space per each four persons (design capacity)
7. Day Care & Nursery Schools One and one-half spaces per employee. Adequate drop-off/pick-up area must be provided
8. Vocational/Trade Schools One space per two students based on design capacity of the building(s) plus one space for each teacher or other employee
USE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS
9. College or University One space for every employee and staff member plus one space for every three full-time students not residing on campus (in addition to dormitory/fraternity/sorority parking requirements - see item 18 below)
10. Hospitals One space per each two beds (excluding bassinets), plus one space per employee on the largest shift, plus one space per hospital vehicle
11. Residential Receiving Homes/Care One space per each four beds plus one space per
Facilities/Orphanages/Sanitariums employee on the largest shift (includes visitor parking)
12. Elderly or Disabled Persons Housing
a. Dependent One space per each four beds plus one space per employee on the largest shift (includes visitor parking)
b. Semi-independent One-half space per unit, plus one space per employee on the largest shift, plus one space for every five spaces for visitor parking
c. Independent One and one-half spaces per unit, plus one space for every five spaces for recreational vehicle and/or visitor parking
13. Hotels One space per rental unit, plus 75 percent of the requirement for other uses associated with the facility (e.g., eating establishments, bars, and meeting rooms)
14. Motels One space per unit
15. Meeting/Conference Rooms One space per each three seats (design capacity)
16. Boarding Houses One space per unit plus one space per owner/manager
17. Clubs/Lodges/Churches One space per each three persons (design capacity)
18. Dormitories/Fraternities/Sororities One space per each two beds
USE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS
19. Offices One space per three hundred square feet of gross floor area, plus one space for each office-owned/leased vehicle
20. Offices, Medical/Dental Four spaces for each doctor or dentist on duty during the busiest shift
21. Restaurants One space per each three seats (designed seating capacity)
22. Eating Establishments with No Seating One space per 60 square feet of gross floor area with a minimum of 10 spaces
23. Bars/Nightclubs One space per each two persons (design capacity)
24. Mortuaries One space per each five persons (designed seating capacity)
25. Libraries, Museums, Art Galleries One space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor
and Similar Uses area
26. General Retail Sales One space per each 200 gross square feet sales area (includes employee parking)
27. Showroom Sales One and one-half spaces per 1,000 gross square
(e.g., furniture/appliance) feet (includes employee parking)
28. Plant Nurseries or Greenhouses One space per 1,000 gross square feet of indoor display, retail and greenhouse area open to the public
29. Service/Repair Business One space per each 300 square feet of gross
(e.g., animal hospitals, dry of gross floor area (includes employee
cleaners, and small item repair shops) parking)
30. Laundromats One space for each three washing or drying machines, whichever is greater
31. Beauty/Barber Shops Three spaces per operator station (includes employee parking)
32. Vehicle Sales (e.g., automobile Parking equal in area to ten percent of the gross
dealerships, used car sales and display area
recreational vehicle sales)
USE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS
33. Automobile Care Establishments
a. Oil, Lube and Muffler Shops One space per employee on the largest shift, plus
& Tire Sales/Mounting two per service bay (service bay is not a parking space)
b. Automobile Service or Repair One space per employee on the largest shift, plus
Station two spaces per service bay, plus one space for each vehicle used in operation of the use (service bay or pumping area is not a parking space)
c. Car Wash, Full Serve One space per employee, plus one drying space per washing stall, plus two stacking spaces per washing stall (washing bay is not a parking space)
d. Car Wash, Self Serve Two stacking spaces for each washing stall and one drying space for each washing stall (washing bay is not a parking space)
34. Wholesale Business One space per employee on the largest shift, plus ten percent of total employee stalls for visitor parking, plus one space for each vehicle used in operation of the business
35. Warehousing One space per employee on the largest shift, plus one space for each vehicle used in operation of the business
36. Industrial/Manufacturing One space per employee on the largest shift, plus ten percent of total employee stalls for visitor parking, plus one space for each vehicle used in operation of the business
USE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS
37. All Uses in Downtown Area
(see Chapter 12, Definitions and Limitations)
Reuse, Remodel of Existing Structure No Requirement
within Existing Building Envelope
New Construction Replacing and Entirely No Requirement
within Building Envelope which Existed
as of September 30, 1991
Addition to Existing Structure Outside Per Land Use listed in 1 through 36 above
of Existing Building Envelope and for the added or new square footage only;
Other New Construction must provide spaces within 500 feet (*).
* NOTE: Any permanent, existing public or private parking which is available within 500 feet of the proposed construction may be counted towards the total parking requirement. Unless the Administrator determines that he has sufficient parking data, the applicant shall, at the time of application, collect parking data and survey information sufficient for the Administrator to determine if off-site parking is "available".
I. Variances - In unusual circumstances, the standard parking requirement may not be appropriate. The Administrator shall have the authority to vary the parking requirement, either upward or downward, if one or more of the following circumstances exists:
1. Expected automobile ownership or use patterns of employees, tenants, or other users varies from what is typical in the community or typical for the use.
2. The parking demand varies throughout the day in relation to parking supply.
3. The nature of operational aspects of the use warrants unique parking arrangements.
4. Actual parking practice in the community demonstrates that the parking standard may be too high or too low.
J. Appeals - The Board of Appeals may, after reviewing the appeal of an administrative decision or the standards of this section, according to the criteria listed in section 5-5-1 I., authorize variances from the provisions of Section 5-5-1.
Add the following definitions to Chapter 12, Definitions and Limitations:
DESIGN CAPACITY
The maximum occupancy load of a building as defined and determined by the Uniform Building Code (U.B.C.) in Chapter 33 and Table 33A.
ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS HOUSING, DEPENDENT
A facility for the dependent care of persons 55 years or older and/or physically disabled persons which provides a wide range of support services including personal medical care. This typically includes nursing homes, rest homes, and convalescent centers.
ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS HOUSING, INDEPENDENT
Multifamily dwelling units occupied by persons 55 years or older and/or physically disabled persons which provides for independent living. While some facilities may be provided (e.g. laundry facilities and common recreation rooms), no medical/nursing services or facilities are provided.
ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS HOUSING, SEMI-INDEPENDENT
Multifamily dwelling units similar to apartments, for persons 55 years or older and/or physically disabled, but including special support services such as central dining and limited medical care. May also include laundry services, meal preparation, room cleaning and transportation for routine appointments and other needs.
INTRODUCED for FIRST READING and PUBLICATION this 18th day of August, 1993.
PASSED on SECOND READING this 1st day of September, 1993.
ATTEST:
______________________________ __________________________________
City Clerk President of City Council