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10-1 I P a g e Article 10 Parking and Loading Requirements Table of Chapter 10.1 Off Street Parking Chapter 10.2 Number of Parking Spaces 10-3 Section 10.2.1.. Parking for Residents, Employees, Customers and 10-3 Section 10.2.2.. Minimum Number of Parking Spaces Section 10.2.3.. Maximum Number of Parking Spaces Section 10.2.4.. Parking for Company Owned Vehicles Not Included Section 10.2.5.. Maneuvering Lanes Not Considered Parking 10-3 Chapter 10.3 Handicap Accessible Parking 10-6 Section 10.3.1.. Handicapped Spaces Counted in Total Section 10.3.2.. Space Requirements of Handicapped Parking Spaces Section 10.3.3.. Slope of Handicapped Parking 10-7 Section 10.3.4.. Number of Handicapped Parking Spaces 10-7 Section 10.3.5.. Wheelchair Section 10.3.6.. Other Applicable Chapter 10.4 Dedication to Parking 10-7 Chapter 10.5 Shared Parking Section 10.5.1.. Shared Parking Between Day and Night Section 10.5.2.. Mixed Use Section 10.5.3.. Availability of Shared 10-8 Section 10.5.4.. Recordation of Shared Parking 10-9 Chapter 10.6 Proximity of Off Street Parking to Section 10.6.1.. Location of Parking 10-9 Section 10.6.2.. Off Site Chapter 10.7 Design Requirements of Parking 10-11 Section 10.7.1.. Section 10.7.2.. Orientation to Section 10.7.3.. Off-Street 10-11 Section 10.7.4.. Access and 10-11 Section 10.7.5.. Distance to Access Section 10.7.6.. Inter-parcel 10-13 Section 10.7.7.. Setback Section 10.7.8.. Lighting of Parking Chapter 10.8 Improvement of Parking 10-14 Section 10.8.1.. Surfacing and 10-14 Section 10.8.2.. 10-14 Section 10.8.3.. Drainage 10-14 Section 10.8.4.. Permit Section 10.8.5.. Time 10-14 Section 10.8.6.. Chapter 10.9 Section 10.9.1.. Parking Lot Section 10.9.2.. Street-side 10-15 Section 10.9.3.. Landscaping Treatment 10-16 ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-2 I P a g e Section 10.9.4.. Section 10.9.5.. Obstructions to Sight Distance Chapter 10.10 Truck Section 10.10.1 Off-Street Truck Loading: Where 10-17 Section 10.10.2 Truck Loading on Public Streets ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-3 I P a g e Chapter 10.1 Off Street Parking Requirements Permanent off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of this Article whenever any of the following occurs: • At the time of the establishment of any use, or erection of any building; • At the time of occupancy of a new building by a new use; • At the time any principal building is enlarged or increased in capacity by adding dwelling units, guest rooms, seats or floor area. Chapter 10.2 Number of Parking Spaces Required Section 10.2.1 Parking for Residents, Employees, Customers and Visitors Space for the parking of motor vehicles must be provided on every property that contains a principal use, for the safety and convenience of the people who live or work on the property, shop or do business on the property, or otherwise visit in the normal course of activity of the principal use. Section 10.2.2 Minimum Number of Parking Spaces Required The minimum number of off-street parking spaces to be provided for residents, employees, customers and visitors for each type of land use shall be determined by Table 10.1, rounded up to the nearest whole parking space. Developments containing two or more of the uses listed in Table 10.1 shall provide the number of spaces required for each use (except as may be reduced under Shared Parking, below). Section 10.2.3 Maximum Number of Parking Spaces Allowed The maximum number of parking spaces allowed on a nonresidential property for employees, customers, and visitors shall not exceed 120% of the minimum number of parking spaces required, as determined by the type of land use listed in Table 10.1. Section 10.2.4 Parking for Company-owned Vehicles Not Included Every business that stores vehicles owned by the business on site overnight (such as a company fleet), or maintains a stock of vehicles as part of its business activities (such as a car sales lot, a salvage and wrecking yard, car rental agency, etc.), shall provide for adequate parking or storage for the vehicles such that no parking occurs in a public right-of-way or in an area that has not been improved as a parking lot or storage yard. Such parking spaces shall be in addition to those required for residents, employees, customers and visitors. Section 10.2.5 Maneuvering Lanes Not Considered Parking Areas designated for temporary occupancy of vehicles while maneuvering on a site, such as queuing lanes for a drive-in window, are not considered parking spaces. ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-4 I P a g e 1 Square feet. 2 Gross floor area—the total area of all floors, measured between the exterior walls of a building. Table 10.1 Minimum Parking Spaces by Use Use Number of Parking Spaces: Required for Each: RESIDENTIAL 1. Single-Family Residence 2 Dwelling Unit 2. Two-Family Residence 2 Dwelling Unit Multi-Family Residence: Efficiency apartment 1-bedroom unit or larger 1 2 Dwelling Unit Dwelling Unit 4. Retirement Community 1 Dwelling Unit 5. Membership Dwellings, Personal Care Homes, Nursing Homes 1 2 residents or beds 6. Bed & Breakfast, Rooming House, Boarding House 1 Room to be rented 7. Hotel or Motel: Convention hotel, or a motel with a restaurant or lounge. Non-convention hotel or a motel with no restaurant 1½ 1 Room Room COMMERCIAL 1. Offices: general and professional offices, insurance and real estate offices 3½ 1,000 sf1 of GFA2 2. Banks 4½ 1,000 sf of GFA 3. Offices - Medical & Dental 5 1,000 sf of GFA 4. Funeral Home 35 Viewing Room 5. Daycare Center 1 400 sf of GFA 6. Movie Theater 1 4 Seats 7. Service Station, Gas Station, Auto Repair Shop or Garage 3 5 Service bay, plus 1,000 sf of retail space 8. Automobile, Truck, Recreation Vehicle, Manufactured Home or Utility Structure Sales 2 1 3 1,000 sf of indoor sales area, plus 2,500 sf of outdoor display, plus Service bay 9. Restaurant: 16 9½ 1,000 sf of GFA 1,000 sf of GFA 10. Fast Food Restaurant 14 1,000 sf of GFA 11. Bowling Center 4 Lane 12. Amusement Parlor, Recreational Attraction, Roller Skating or Ice Skating Rink 6 1,000 sf of GFA 13. Health Club or Fitness Center 4½ 1,000 sf of GFA 14. Shopping Centers: ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-5 I P a g e 3 Gross leasable area—the total area of all floors intended for occupancy and the exclusive use of tenants, specifically excluding public or common areas such as utility rooms, stairwells, enclosed malls and interior hallways. Use Number of Parking Spaces: Required for Each: Less than 100,000 sf of GLA3 4 3 10 1,000 sf of total GLA, plus 100 movie theater seats, plus 1,000 sf of food service area 100,000-199,999 sf of GLA 4 3 6 1,000 sf of total GLA, plus 100 theater seats over 450, plus 1,000 sf of food service area 200,000-399,999 sf of GLA 4 3 1,000 sf of total GLA, plus 100 theater seats over 750 400,000-599,000 sf of GLA 4½ 3 1,000 sf of total GLA, plus 100 theater seats over 750 600,000 or more sf of GLA 5 3 1,000 sf of total GLA, plus 100 theater seats over 750 15. Supermarket 4 1,000 sf of GFA 16. Furniture or Carpet Store 2 1,000 sf of GFA 17. Building Supplies, Brick or Lumber Yard 2 1 1,000 sf of indoor sales area, plus 2,500 sf of outdoor display 18. Retail Sales or Service establishments not listed above 5 1,000 sf of GFA INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING 1. Wholesale, Office-Warehouse 1 1 200 sf of office space, plus 1,000 sf of storage area 2. Open storage of sand, gravel, petroleum, etc. 1 2,500 sf of outdoor sales area, if any 3. Warehouse, Transfer and Storage 1 600 sf of GFA 4. Warehouse including commercial sales to the public 1 1 200 sf of sales or office, plus 1,000 sf of storage area 5. Manufacturing 2½ 1,000 sf of GFA ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-6 I P a g e Use Number of Parking Spaces: Required for Each: INSTITUTIONAL AND OTHER 1. Hospital 1.8 Bed 2. Auditoriums, churches, theatres, stadiums, and other places of assembly 1 1 1 4 seats, or 12 feet of pew, or 100 sf in the largest assembly room 3. College (instructional space) 10 Classroom 4. Technical College, Trade School 20 Classroom 5. Senior High Schools 6 Classroom 6. Elementary & Jr. High Schools 2 Classroom 7. Library or museum 2 1,000 sf of GFA 8. Civic Clubs, Museums, Fraternal Lodges, etc. 1 200 sf of GFA Chapter 10.3 Handicap Accessible Parking Spaces Handicapped spaces are to be provided as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for all multi-family and nonresidential uses. Section 10.3.1 Handicapped Spaces Counted in Total Required Handicap accessible parking spaces shall be counted as part of the total number of parking spaces required under this Article. Section 10.3.2 Space Requirements of Handicapped Parking Spaces Handicap accessible parking spaces shall have an adjacent aisle that is a minimum of 5 feet wide, and one in every eight handicapped spaces shall be adjacent to an aisle that is a minimum of 8 feet wide, which shall be signed “van accessible.” Handicapped parking space aisles shall be clearly demarcated by lines painted on or otherwise applied to the parking lot surface. Illustration 10.1 Diagram of Handicapped Spaces and Space Requirements ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-7 I P a g e Section 10.3.3 Slope of Handicapped Parking Spaces Handicap accessible parking space shall be located on a surface with a slope not exceeding one vertical foot in 50 horizontal feet (1:50). Section 10.3.4 Number of Handicapped Parking Spaces Required Handicap accessible spaces shall be provided in each parking lot in the following ratio to the total number of spaces otherwise required for the use in Table 10.1: Table 10.2 Handicap Accessible Spaces Required Total Spaces Required for Use Minimum Number of Handicap Spaces 1 to 25 1 26 to 50 2 51 to 75 3 76 to 100 4 101 to 150 5 151 to 200 6 201 to 300 7 301 to 400 8 401 to 500 9 501 to 1,000 2% of total 1,001 and over 20, plus 1 for each 100 over 1,000 Source: Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines. Section 10.3.5 Wheelchair Ramps Wheelchair ramps shall be provided in accordance with County specifications at locations appropriate to normal travel routes from the parking lot to the principal use. Section 10.3.6 Other Applicable Standards In addition to the requirements of this subsection, all handicapped parking shall comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Chapter 10.4 Dedication to Parking Use Parking spaces provided to meet the minimum requirements of this Article, along with the aisles and driveways necessary to provide access to those spaces, shall not be used for any other purpose than the temporary parking of vehicles. Specifically, no such parking area may be used for the sale, repair, dismantling or servicing of any vehicles, or for the sale, display or storage of equipment, goods, materials or supplies. Parking spaces provided to meet the minimum requirements of this Article shall not be used to meet the minimum parking requirements of any other use, except as provided for shared parking. ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-8 I P a g e Chapter 10.5 Shared Parking The parking spaces provided for separate uses may not be combined in one parking lot; the required spaces assigned to each use may not be assigned to another use, except as allowed in this Chapter. Section 10.5.1 Shared Parking Between Day and Night Users One half of the parking spaces assigned to a church, theater or assembly hall whose peak attendance will be at night or on Sundays may be assigned to a use that will be closed at night or on Sundays. Section 10.5.2 Mixed Use Developments Parking spaces may be shared by more than one use if the Director of Planning and Development finds that the total number of spaces will be adequate at the peak hours of the uses they serve. The ratios in Table 10.3 may be used in determining the time of day and the day of the week at which the maximum number of spaces will be needed by the uses served by the shared parking facility. Table 10.3 Percentage of Required Parking Spaces by Time Period DAY Weekdays Weekends Nighttime TIME 6 am to 5pm 5pm to 1am 6 am to 5pm 5pm to 1am 1am to 6am USE Office 100% 10% 10% 5% 5% Retail 60% 90% 100% 70% 5% Hotel 75% 100% 75% 100% 75% Restaurant 50% 100% 100% 100% 10% Entertainment/Recreation 40% 100% 80% 100% 10% Church 10% 25% 100% 100% 10% By way of example, the following illustrates shared parking calculations for a particular mixed-use development: Spaces needed for uses in a mixed-use project, calculated individually: Factor for Spaces Office 3.5/1,000 100,000 sf 350 Retail 5/1,000 100,000 sf 500 Hotel w/ Restaurant 1.5/room 100 rooms 150 Restaurant 9.5/1,000 20,000 sf 190 Theater 1/4 seats 200 seats 50 Church 1/4 seats 400 seats 100 TOTAL if figured separately 1,340 ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-9 I P a g e Spaces required applying the Peak Demand and Percentages to the Example: Weekdays Weekends Nighttime 6am-5pm 5pm-1am 6am- 5pm 5pm- 1am 1am-6am Office 350 35 35 18 18 Retail 300 450 500 350 25 Hotel w/ Restaurant 113 150 113 150 113 Restaurant 95 190 190 190 19 Theater 20 50 40 50 5 Church 50 50 100 100 10 TOTAL 928 925 978 858 189 Highest demand = 978 (instead of 1,340) Section 10.5.3 Availability of Shared Spaces Parking spaces that are proposed to be shared among two or more uses must be clearly available to each use and not appear in any way to be serving a particular use, either through signage dedicating the spaces or through design techniques that would tend to orient use of the spaces to a particular business or building. Section 10.5.4 Recordation of Shared Parking Agreement Shared parking arrangements must be committed to writing in an instrument acceptable to the Director of Planning and Development, and approved by the owners of each of the affected properties or uses. The instrument must be approved by the Director of Planning and Development and shall be recorded with the Clerk of Superior Court, and a copy of the recorded documents must be supplied to the Director of Planning and Development. The document must be written to service future changes in ownership in perpetuity, unless the agreement is dissolved with approval of the Board of Commissioners. Chapter 10.6 Proximity of Off-Street Parking to Use Section 10.6.1 Location of Parking Spaces All parking spaces required to meet the minimum standards of this Article shall be located in proximity to the use that the spaces serve, as follows: ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-10 I P a g e Table 10.4 Location of Parking Spaces Use Parking Location Single-Family or Two-Family Residence (including Manufactured Homes) On the same lot occupied by the residence. Townhouse Development Each required parking space must be within 100 feet of an entrance to the dwelling unit that it serves, as measured along the most direct pedestrian route. Other Multi-Family Developments (such as apartments) and congregate care facilities (such as a nursing homes) Each required parking space must be within 200 feet of an entrance to the building that it serves, as measured along the most direct pedestrian route. Church, Hotel or Motel, Hospital Each required parking space must be within 300 feet of an entrance to the building that it serves, as measured along the most direct pedestrian route. Retail Sales Establishment or Office Building, other than a Shopping Center Each required parking space must be within 300 feet of an entrance to the building or use that it serves, as measured along the most direct pedestrian route. Shopping Center or Industrial Use. Each required parking space must be within 400 feet of an entrance to the building or use that it serves, as measured along the most direct pedestrian route. Any other use not specified above. Each required parking space must be within 200 feet of an entrance to the building that it serves, as measured along the most direct pedestrian route. Section 10.6.2 Off-Site Parking If required parking spaces are not located on the same lot as the particular use, building or establishment they are intended to serve, the following shall apply: • The parking spaces must be located on a property that has the same zoning classifications as the property that the spaces serve; • No required parking spaces may be located across any State or US highway from the use they are intended to serve; • An easement (or other recordable instrument satisfactory to the Director of Planning and Development) dedicating the off-site parking to the property that the spaces serve shall be recorded with the Clerk of the Superior Court and a copy provided to the Director of Planning and Development. The document must be written to survive future changes in ownership in perpetuity, unless the agreement is dissolved with approval of the Board of Commissioners. Off-site parking spaces shall be located in proximity to the use that the spaces serve, in accordance with the requirements of Table 10.4. ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-11 I P a g e Chapter 10.7 Design Requirements of Parking Lots Section 10.7.1 Applicability The provisions of this Chapter apply to all off street parking spaces and parking areas, whether the parking meets or exceeds the number of spaces required to serve a particular use, or the parking lot is operated as a principal use on a property and not dedicated to serving a particular use. Section 10.7.2 Orientation to Street Except for parcels of land devoted to one-family or two-family dwellings, all areas devoted to off-street parking shall be so designed and be of such size that no vehicle is required to back into a public street to obtain access. Section 10.7.3 Off-Street Parking Spaces No parking spaces shall be accessible directly from an access driveway within the first 30 feet of the driveway back from the street right-of-way line. Every parking space shall provide a useable rectangular area at least 9 feet wide by 20 feet long. Access aisles shall not encroach into this minimum rectangular area. Every parking space shall be clearly demarcated by lines painted on or otherwise applied to the parking lot surface. Section 10.7.4 Access and Circulation Access aisles in parking lots must be at least 24 feet wide serving spaces that are perpendicular (90°) to the access aisle, and provide for two-way traffic. Access aisles serving spaces that are oblique (slanted) to the access aisle shall be limited to one-way traffic, and shall have the following minimum widths: 18 feet wide serving spaces that are at a 60° angle to the side, and 13 feet wide for spaces that are at a 45° angle to the aisle. (See Illustration 10.2.) Angles less than 45° to the access aisle are not allowed, except for parking spaces that are parallel to the access aisle. One-way traffic aisles must be clearly marked with directional arrows on the pavement at each intersection with another aisle. Ingress and egress aisles to parking areas shall be by means of paved driveways from the adjoining street. • The minimum width of driveways for ingress and egress shall be the same as those specified above for aisles. Driveway width, for the purpose of this Section, shall include only the pavement and not the curbs and gutters; • The slope of ingress and egress driveways at their connection to the adjoining street shall not exceed that allowed by County specifications for landings at residential street intersections. ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-12 I P a g e Illustration 10.2 Parking Illustration Section 10.7.5 Distance to Access Drive The distance from a parking area access drive to the intersection of two streets, and the distance between driveways at the street right-of-way between adjacent properties, shall not be less than 20 feet for a single-family or two-family dwelling and not less than 50 feet for all other uses. Distances must be measured from the back of the driveway curb at the right-of-way line (or from the edge of the driveway if curbs are not required). The number of driveways that access a property from any one street, road or highway shall be limited as follows: • Along State or US numbered highways, and along all other collector and arterial thoroughfares, no more than 1 point of vehicular access from a property shall be permitted for each 300 feet of lot frontage, or fraction thereof; • Along all other streets or roads, no more than 2 points of vehicular access from a property to each abutting public road shall be permitted for each 400 feet of lot frontage, or fraction thereof, ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-13 I P a g e provided however, that lots with 150 feet of frontage or less shall have no more than one point of access to any one public street. The Director of Planning and Development shall determine whether the points of access may be unrestricted or will have to be designed for right-in, right-out traffic. Section 10.7.6 Inter-parcel Access Inter-parcel access shall be achieved through an internal network of roads and by means of shared parking to reduce impervious surface areas. The purpose of the easement is to facilitate movement of customers from business to business without generating additional turning movements on the public street which best protects the interest of the public health, safety and welfare. The easement shall permit automobile access from the adjoining property to driveways and parking areas intended for customer or tenant use, but parking spaces may be restricted to use only by the owner’s customers or tenants. • Inter-parcel vehicle access shall be required between all contiguous parcels within the C1, C2, C3, MXD3, I1 and I2 zoning districts; • Curb cuts shall be limited to one curb cut for every 300 feet and in no case less than 100 feet on all government owned or maintained roads; • On all surface drives inter-parcel streets that are not government owned or maintained), curb cuts may be located no closer than 20 feet from a property line; • All access easements shall be no less than 30 feet in width and shall be wide enough to permit two-way vehicular traffic to and from the adjoining properties; • Inter-parcel access shall not be allowed within 35 feet of the right-of-way of any government owned or maintained road. Relief: Requirements of this Section may only be waived after a public hearing before the Morgan County Board of Commissioners when it is demonstrated that the adverse impact of the required easements on use if the subject property would outweigh the reduced impact on government owned or maintained streets provided by reciprocal easements. Section 10.7.7 Setback Requirements Unenclosed off-street parking for single family and two-family dwellings shall have no setback requirements. Off-street parking for all other uses, including multi-family residential, commercial, industrial and institutional uses, shall be set back from the front property line by at least 10 feet. An additional 10 foot setback from any buffer required along a side or rear property line shall also be maintained. The required setback area between the front property line and the parking area shall be used for landscaping and/or screening as required by this Ordinance. Section 10.7.8 Lighting of Parking Areas Any parking area lighting must adhere to the provisions set forth in this Ordinance. Additionally, lights used to illuminate the parking area shall be arranged, located or screened to direct light away from any ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-14 I P a g e adjoining residential use. “Shoe box” recessed lighting fixtures on poles and motion-detector security lighting shall be utilized for this purpose. Chapter 10.8 Improvement of Parking Areas Section 10.8.1 Surfacing and Curbing All off-street parking areas and access drives for uses other than single-family shall be improved with a permanent dust free surface as required by the Morgan County Development Regulations. In the I1 and I2 Industrial zoning districts, the above type of surface is required for customer, visitor and employee automobile parking. In the I1 and I2 Industrial zoning districts, the following surface will be required in areas of loading docks and parking of commercial trucks and other commercial equipment: • 8 inch graded aggregate base, overlaid with a 3 inch Type B binder and a 2 inch Type F asphalt surface; or, • 10 inch graded aggregate base, overlaid with a 12 inch course of 3,000 PSI concrete. Curb and gutter meeting County specifications for standard or roll back curbing shall be installed around the periphery of every parking lot and loading area, and extend along both sides of every access drive between the parking lot or loading area and the street or another parking lot or loading area, as applicable. Section 10.8.2 Maintenance Off-street parking areas shall be maintained in proper repair with a dust free surface. Section 10.8.3 Drainage Facilities For any use that will require a parking area of 5 spaces or more, or a loading area, to be newly constructed, added to, or altered in such a way as to affect drainage either on or off the site, storm water drainage plans, including grading plans, shall be submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning and Development, prior to the issuance of a building permit or occupational license. Section 10.8.4 Permit Required Construction of a new parking lot or loading area, or expansion of an existing parking lot or loading area, requires issuance of a permit from the Director of Planning and Development. Section 10.8.5 Time Limit All required off-street parking areas shall be ready for use, including the above surfacing requirement, before the occupancy of the use (in the case of a new building or addition) or within 45 days after the issuance of an occupational license (in the case of a change of occupancy in an existing building). An extension of time maybe granted by the Director of Planning and Development due to adverse weather conditions. ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-15 I P a g e Section 10.8.6 Exception Any agricultural based business or commercial produce shed (not associated with a residence) shall be exempt from the paving requirements of this Chapter, provided the parking lot and associated driveways do not exceed 5,000 square feet. Storm water and grading plans will not be required, but drainage will be subject to an on-site inspection and approval by the Director of Planning and Development. Permit and time limit requirements will apply. Chapter 10.9 Landscaping Section 10.9.1 Parking Lot Trees Deciduous shade trees shall be provided within any parking lot designed or intended to accommodate five cars or more, in accordance with the requirements of this Section. • Landscape islands, strips or other planting areas shall be located within the parking lot and shall constitute at least eight percent of the entire area devoted to parking spaces, aisles and driveways; • Deciduous shade trees shall be provided within the parking lot at a ratio of at least one tree for every ten (10) parking spaces, or portion thereof. Each tree shall be located within the parking lot in reasonable proximity to the spaces for which the tree is required; • New trees shall have a caliper of no less than two inches upon planting, and shall be maintained in good condition. Trees may be removed as a result of disease, damage or death, but must be replaced; • As a minimum, a landscaping island shall be located at the end of every parking bay between the last parking space and an adjacent travel aisle or driveway. The island shall be no less than eight feet wide for at least one-half the length of the adjacent parking space. The island shall be planted in trees, shrubs, grass or ground cover, except for those areas that are mulched; • Tree planting areas shall be no less than eight feet in width at their widest point and shall provide at least one hundred (100) square feet of planting area per tree. No tree shall be located less than two feet from the back of curb. All parking lot landscape islands, strips or other planting areas shall be curbed in accordance with County specifications; • Landscaping islands and tree planting areas shall be well drained and contain suitable soil and natural irrigation characteristics for the planting materials they contain; • Trees planted as part of parking lot landscaping may be counted towards the required tree density units for the site as specified in this Ordinance. Section 10.9.2 Street-Side Screening Any parking lot designed or intended to accommodate five cars or more, and any area set aside for loading or unloading of trucks or vans, which are visible from a street right-of-way must provide a landscaped visual screen of the parking lot or loading area that meets the requirements of this Section. • A frontage strip no less than ten (10) feet wide must be provided along the edge of the parking lot or loading area closest to and parallel to the street, and along any edge closest to the within thirty ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-16 I P a g e (30) degrees of being parallel to the street. A driveway to the parking lot or loading area may interdict the landscaping; • Frontage landscape strips shall contain no structures, parking areas, patios, storm water detention facilities or any other accessory uses except for the following: Retaining walls or earthen berms constructed as part of an overall landscape design or to create an opaque visual screen required by this Section; Pedestrian-oriented facilities such as sidewalks and trails; Underground utilities; Driveways required to access the property; Signs otherwise permitted by this Ordinance. Section 10.9.3 Landscaping Treatment Required Every frontage landscape shall be as follows: • One tree shall be provided within the frontage landscape strip for every fifty (50) feet of length of street frontage, or portion thereof. Such trees may be deciduous or evergreen, but must be of a type that is suitable to local growing conditions and that will normally reach at least twelve (12) inches at diameter breast height upon maturity; • All portions of a frontage landscape strip shall be planted in trees, shrubs, grass or ground cover, except for those ground areas that are mulched or covered by permitted structures; • Upon planting, new trees shall have a caliper of no less than two inches, and may be clustered for decorative effect following professional landscaping standards for spacing, location and design. The trees shall be maintained in good condition, and may be removed as a result of disease, damage or death, but must be replaced; • Decorative plant materials or structures in the frontage landscape strip are not to extend into the street right-of-way unless specifically allowed by the Director of Planning and Development. Section 10.9.4 Screening Decorative visual screening that is one hundred percent (100%) opaque shall be provided to a height of three feet above the elevation of the parking/loading area or the street, whichever is highest. The opaque visual screening may be provided in any of the following ways: • Planted Only: A hedge must consist of at least twelve (12) shrubs per forty (40) linear feet that will spread into a continuous visual screen within two growing seasons. Shrubs must be at least 18 inches tall at the time of planting, and be certified by a registered Landscape Architect to be of a species that will normally exceed three feet in height at maturity and are suitable for the parking lot application. The hedge must be set back at least four feet from the street right-of- way line. • Earthen Berm: An earthen berm constructed to a height of three feet above the adjacent elevation of the street or parking/loading area, whichever is highest, shall not exceed a slope of 3:1 and shall have a crown of at least two feet. The berm shall be planted in ground covers and other plant materials to achieve a decorative effect to the reasonable satisfaction of the Director of Planning and Development; • Wall: A wall of brick, stone or finished and textured concrete may be constructed to the required height and opacity, and landscaped with plant material to achieve a decorative effect to the reasonable satisfaction of the Director of Planning and Development. The wall must be set back at least four feet from the street right-of-way line. ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-17 I P a g e • Combination: Any combination of hedge, berm or wall that effectively provides a visual screen of the parking lot or loading area to a height of three feet and achieves a decorative effect through appropriate use of landscaping and plant materials. Section 10.9.5 Obstructions to Sight Distance All landscaping and other screening devices placed along street rights-of-way and driveways must be designed and installed in a manner consistent with County specifications regarding driveway intersection sight distances and visibility obstructions at street intersections and Chapter 5.11 of this Ordinance. Chapter 10.10 Truck Loading Section 10.10.1 Off Street Truck Loading: Where Required Any business or industrial building, hospital, institution, or hotel, in any zoning district, shall provide adequate off-street facilities for loading and unloading of business merchandise, supplies, goods or freight within or adjacent to the building, as deemed appropriate by the owner or occupants of the property. Such loading facilities, if provided, shall not obstruct freedom of vehicular traffic or pedestrian movement on the public streets or sidewalks. Section 10.10.2 Truck Loading on Public Streets ---PAGE BREAK--- 10-18 I P a g e The loading or unloading of business merchandise, supplies, goods or freight within a street right-of-way is prohibited in all zoning districts. Loading or unloading of furniture, equipment, or fixtures for the purpose of a home or business relocation may be allowed within a street right-of-way if: • The street is classified as a “local” street as defined in this Ordinance; • Vehicular and pedestrian traffic is not completely blocked on the street, or; • The Director of Planning and Development otherwise grants approval based on a determination that adequate traffic safety measures are implemented during the period of loading and unloading.