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Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-i Article 6. Parking and Loading Table of Contents page Sec. 601. Purpose of Article 6. 6-1 Sec. 602. Definitions related to parking and loading. 6-1 DIVISION I. OFF-STREET PARKING. 6-2 Sec. 603. Off-street parking; when required. 6-2 Sec. 604. Number of parking spaces required. 6-2 Sec. 604.01. Parking for residents, employees, customers and visitors. 6-2 Sec. 604.02. Parking for company-owned vehicles not included. 6-2 Sec. 604.03. Maneuvering lanes not considered parking. 6-3 Sec. 604.04. Dedication to parking use. 6-3 Table 6.1: Minimum Off-Street Parking Spaces Required by Use 6-3 Sec. 604.05. Handicap accessible parking spaces. 6-8 Table 6.2: Handicap Accessible Spaces 6-8 Sec. 605. Shared parking. 6-8 Sec. 605.01. Shared parking between day and night users. 6-8 Sec. 605.02. Mixed use developments. 6-8 Table 6.3: Percentage of Required Parking Spaces by Time Period 6-9 Sec. 605.03. Availability of shared spaces. Sec. 605.04. Recordation of shared parking agreement. Sec. 606. Proximity of off-street parking spaces to use. 6-10 Sec. 606.01. Location of parking spaces. Table 6.4: Location of Parking Spaces Sec. 606.02. Off-site parking. Sec. 607. Design requirements for parking lots and driveways. 6-11 Sec. 607.01. Off-street parking lots for automobiles. Sec. 607.02. Off-street truck parking areas. Sec. 607.03. Parking lot aisles and access driveways. Sec. 607.04. Setback requirements. Sec. 607.05. Lighting of parking areas. Sec. 607.06. Waiver from off-street parking requirements for intermittent, occasional, temporary uses. 6-13 Sec. 608. Inter-parcel access. 6-13 Sec. 608.01. Internal access easements required. Sec. 608.02. Access easement provisions. Sec. 608.03. Relief. Sec. 609. Improvement of parking areas. 6-14 Sec. 609.01. Surfacing and curbing; permanent lots. Sec. 609.02. Landscaping. Sec. 609.03. Temporary parking lots. Sec. 609.04. Maintenance. Sec. 609.05. Permit required. Sec. 609.06. Time limit. ---PAGE BREAK--- Article 6 Table of Contents 6-ii Oconee County Unified Development Code DIVISION II. TRUCK LOADING. 6-16 Sec. 610. Off-street truck loading; where required. 6-16 Sec. 611. Location of truck loading areas. 6-16 Sec. 612. Improvement of truck loading areas. 6-16 Sec. 612.01. Surface and curbing of truck loading areas. 6-16 Sec. 612.02. Screening of truck loading areas. 6-16 DIVISION III. TRUCK PARKING AND TRAFFIC PROHIBITIONS. 6-17 Sec. 613. Truck loading on any streets restricted. 6-17 Sec. 614. Truck traffic restrictions. 6-17 Sec. 614.01. Prohibition on through trucks. 6-17 Sec. 614.02. Prohibition on travel in residential subdivisions. 6-17 Sec. 614.03. Overnight stay. 6-17 Sec. 615. Prohibited parking. 6-17 Sec. 615.01. Parking prohibitions for trucks. 6-17 Sec. 615.02. Parking prohibitions for boats and recreational vehicles. 6-17 Sec. 615.03. Parking prohibition on streets. 6-18 ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 601 Purpose of Article 6. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-1 Article 6. Parking and Loading Sec. 601. Purpose of Article 6. This Article sets out the requirements and restrictions on the provision of automobile parking spaces for each development to accommodate its residents, employees, customers and visi- tors, and for adequate truck parking to serve any business or industrial building, hospital, institution, or hotel. The provisions of this Article apply equally to each designated use without regard to the zoning district in which it is located. Sec. 602. Definitions related to parking and loading. Axle: assembly of a vehicle consisting of two or more wheels whose centers are in one hori- zontal plane, by means of which a portion of the weight of a vehicle and its load, if any, is continually transmitted to the roadway. An axle is any such assembly whether or not it is load-bearing only part of the time. For example, a single-unit truck with a steering axle and two axles in a rear-axle assembly is a truck even though one of the rear axles is a so-called dummy, drag, tag, or pusher type axle. Floor Area, Gross: The total area of all floors of a building measured from the exterior faces of the exterior walls or from the centerline of common walls separating two buildings, but not including attic space providing headroom for less than 7 feet; unusable basement or cellar space; uncovered steps or fire escapes; open porches; accessory water or cooling towers; and accessory off-street parking spaces or accessory off-street loading berths within the building. Floor Area, Gross Leasable: The gross floor 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. Gross Floor Area (GFA): See “Floor Area, Gross.” Gross Leasable Area (GLA): See “Floor Area, Gross Leasable.” Heavy Truck: Any vehicle, except recreational vehicles, vehicles displaying restricted plates, buses used in transportation of chartered parties, and government owned vehicles, used for the transportation of persons for hire or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property and which is: 1. A power unit having a gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds; 2. A power unit having three or more axles, regardless of weight; or 3. Used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. Intermodal Container: A six-sided container used for the storage and/or transportation of goods and designed for transport or capable of being transported by a variety of trans- portation modes, i.e. on semi-trailer beds, rail cars or ships. Loading Space: A space within the main building or on the same lot, providing for the stand- ing, loading, or unloading of trucks and other carriers. Parking Aisle: The traveled way, which is not the private street or public right-of-way, by which cars directly enter and depart parking spaces. Parking Bay: Three or more parking spaces adjacent to one another and aligned side-by- side. Parking Lot: Any public or private area at grade used for the express purpose of temporarily parking automobiles and other vehicles otherwise in operation for personal or business use. Parking Lot Island: A landscaping strip located in a parking lot. Such islands must be sized to allow the plants and trees located within it to grow to their mature size. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 603 Off-street parking; when required. 6-2 Oconee County Unified Development Code Parking Space: A space identified and set aside for the temporary parking of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Pervious Pavement: A hardened surface capable of supporting automobiles and light trucks, constructed of cast-in-place concrete or precast modular concrete pavers, which contains voids that are filled with pervious materials such as sand or grass turf. Porous Pavement: A hardened surface capable of supporting automobiles and light trucks, which is composed of specialized asphaltic or concrete materials such that the pavement will allow for infiltration of stormwater through the pavement. Residential Subdivision: See “Subdivision, Residential.” Semi-Trailer: A trailer with a set or sets of wheels at the rear, the forward portion of which is designed to be supported by the truck tractor or towing vehicle. For the purpose of this definition, flatbeds designed to be hauled by truck tractors are included as semi-trailers. Subdivision, Residential: An area with streets designed primarily for residential and acces- sory traffic that are primarily interior subdivision streets and specifically including all res- idential areas platted and regulated under this Development Code. Truck Tractor: A heavy motor vehicle consisting of a truck cab designed to tow semi-trailers. DIVISION I. OFF-STREET PARKING. Sec. 603. Off-street parking; when required. Permanent off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of this Article whenever any of the following occurs: a. At the time of the establishment of any use, or erection of any building. b. At the time of occupancy of a building by a new use. c. At the time any principal building is enlarged or increased in capacity by adding dwelling units, guest rooms, seats or floor area. Sec. 604. Number of parking spaces required. Sec. 604.01. Parking for residents, employees, customers and visitors. a. Parking required. Off-street automobile storage or parking spaces shall be provided to serve every property that contains a principal use with vehicular access to a street or alley, and shall be equal to at least the minimum requirements for the specific land use set forth herein. b. Minimum number of parking spaces required. The minimum number of outdoor off-street parking spaces to be provided for residents, employees, customers and visitors for each type of land use shall be determined according to Table 6.1Table 6.1, rounded up to the nearest whole parking space. Additional spaces may be provided for residential and lodging uses within fully enclosed garages. c. Maximum number of parking spaces allowed. The maximum number of parking spaces allowed on a nonresidential property for em- ployees, customers and visitors shall not exceed 110 percent of the minimum number of parking spaces as determined for the type of land use by Table 6.1. Additional parking spaces may be approved as an administrative variance as outlined in the Appeals article of this Development Code. Sec. 604.02. Parking for company-owned vehicles not included. Every business that stores vehicles owned by the business on site overnight (such as a com- pany 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 ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 604 Number of parking spaces required. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-3 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. Sec. 604.03. 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. Sec. 604.04. Dedication to parking use. a. Parking spaces provided to meet the 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. b. Parking spaces provided to meet the requirements of this Article shall not be used to meet the parking requirements of any other use, except as provided for shared parking, below. c. Parking spaces provided to meet the minimum requirements of this Article shall not be reduced in number nor otherwise lose their functional ability to serve the land use for which they were required. Table 6.1: Minimum Off-Street Parking Spaces Required by Use Use Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Required for each: a. RESIDENTIAL & LODGING 1. Single-Family and Two Family Residence 2.0 3.0 Per dwelling unit of 1,000 square feet or less* Per dwelling unit over 1,000 square feet *For single-family dwelling units, all available driveway spaces may be used in meeting these requirements. 2. Multi-Family Residences 2.0 3.0 Per dwelling Unit under 1,000 square feet Per dwelling unit over 1,000 square feet 3. Manufactured Home or RV Park 1.0 Per space + 1 for resident manager or owner 4. Fraternity & Sorority Houses, Rooming/Boarding House 1.0 Per guest room + 1 for resident manager or owner 5. Nursing Care Facility 1.0 For each 4 beds + 1 space for staff or visiting doctor, + 1 space for each 2 employees 6. Retirement Community 1.0 Per dwelling unit 7. Personal Care Home 1.0 For each 2 residents or beds 8. Bed and Breakfast Inn 1.0 Per guest room + 1 for resident manager or owner 9. Hotel or Motel: Convention Hotel 1.5 Per Guest room Hotel or Motel w/Restaurant/Lounge 1.5 Per Guest room Hotel or Motel w/out Rest/Lounge 1.0 Per Guest room 10. Short term rental 1.0 Per room qualifying as a bedroom for short-term rental b. COMMERCIAL 1. All Retail Sales or Commercial Services Establish- ments not listed below 1.0 Per 300 square feet of gross floor area ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 604 Number of parking spaces required. 6-4 Oconee County Unified Development Code Table 6.1: Minimum Off-Street Parking Spaces Required by Use Use Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Required for each: 2. Adult Entertainment 1.0 Per 100 square feet of gross floor area 3. Agricultural Produce Stand 3.0 Per stand 4. Amphitheaters 1.0 For each 4 seats 5. Amusement Centers, recreational attraction, skat- ing rinks, dance halls, pool rooms or other places of amusement or assembly without fixed seating 5 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area or ground area used for amusement or assembly 6. Automotive Repairs 3.0 1.0 Per Service Bay, plus Per 250 square feet of retail space 7. Auto Salvage and Wrecking 2.0 Acre 8. Auto, Truck, Manufactured Home & Utility Structure Sales 2.0 1.0 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of sales area, plus Per 2,500 square feet of outdoor display, plus Per Service Bay 9. Banks 4.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 10. Billiard and Pool Hall 2.0 Per pool table 11. Bio-Medical Waste 4.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 12. Bowling Alley 3.0 Per lane 13. Bus Station 3.3 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 14. Car Wash (principal use) 1.0 5.0 Per car wash bay, plus Per 1,000 gross square feet of retail space 15. Community Fair 1.0 Per 2,000 square feet of activity area 16. Day Care Facilities 1.0 Per employee 17. Driving Range 1.5 5.0 For each tee, plus Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area (pro shop/club house) 18. Eating & Drinking Establishments, includes restau- rants, bars, cafes, taverns, lunch coun- ters, etc.1 Quality Restaurant 10 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Family Restaurant 9.5 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Fast Food w/drive-in window 10 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Fast Food w/out window 10 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Drive-In (service directly to autos) 4.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area (for employees) 19. Emissions Inspections 1.0 Per Service bay 20. Exterminators 1.0 Per 700 square feet of gross floor area, plus 1 space per em- ployee 21. Farm & Garden Supply incl. Farmer's Market 2.0 2.0 Per 1,000 gross square feet of gross floor area, plus Per acre of outside sales area 1 See Glossary for definitions. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 604 Number of parking spaces required. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-5 Table 6.1: Minimum Off-Street Parking Spaces Required by Use Use Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Required for each: 22. Flea Market 1.0 Per 2,000 of sales area 23. Fuel & Ice Dealer 2.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 24. Full Svc Gas Station 3.0 5.0 Per Service Bay, plus Per 1,000 square feet of retail space 25. Funeral Home, mortuaries 15.0 1.0 Per Viewing Room or Per 4 seats, whichever is greater 26. Furniture Repair 1.0 Per 200 square feet of gross floor area 27. Furniture/Carpet Store 1.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 28. Golf Course 5.0 5.0 For each hole, plus Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area (pro shop/club house) 29. Greenhouse, Nursery 2.0 2.0 Per 1,000 gross square feet of gross floor area, plus Per acre of outside sales area 30. Heavy Vehicle Repair 3.0 5.0 Per Service Bay, plus Per 1,000 square feet of retail space 31. Horse Riding Stable or Riding Academy 1.5 For each Stable stall 32. Veterinary Clinic/Animal Hospital, Kennels 1.5 1.0 Per 400 square feet of waiting room area, plus Per each 2 employees 33. Medical/Dental offices and clinics 1.0 Per 300 square feet of gross floor area 34. Movie Theater 1.0 For each 4 Seats 35. Newspaper Publishing 4.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 36. Offices - General 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 37. Radio/TV Station 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 38. Research & Development 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 39. Service Stations, Gas Stations, Auto Repair Shop or Garage 3.0 5.0 Per Service Bay, plus Per 1,000 square feet of retail space 40. Shopping Center (not including stand-alone “out” lots): Less than 100,000 square feet of gross leasa- ble area 3.0 3.0 10.0 5.0 Per 1,000 square feet of total gross leasable area, plus Per 100 seats in a movie theater, plus Per 1,000 square feet of food service area OR Per 1,000 square feet of total gross leasable area 100,000 to 199,999 of gross leasable area 3.0 3.0 6.0 5.0 Per 1,000 square feet of total gross leasable area, plus Per 100 seats above the initial 450 seats in a movie theater, plus Per 1,000 square feet of food service area OR Per 1,000 square feet of total gross leasable area 200,000 to 399,999 of gross leasable area 3.0 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of total gross leasable area, plus Per 100 seats above the initial 750 seats in a movie theater ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 604 Number of parking spaces required. 6-6 Oconee County Unified Development Code Table 6.1: Minimum Off-Street Parking Spaces Required by Use Use Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Required for each: 400,000 to 599,999 of gross leasable area 3.0 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of total gross leasable area, plus Per 100 seats above the initial 750 seats in a movie theater 600,000 or more of gross leasable area 3.5 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of total gross leasable area, plus Per 100 seats above the initial 750 seats in a movie theater 41. Sports Club/Health Spa 4.5 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 42. Supermarket—Food stores 1 Per 300 square feet of gross floor area 43. Vending Machine Sales and Service 2.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area c. INDUSTRIAL - INCLUDING STORAGE, WHOLESALE AND MANUFACTURING 1. Asphalt Plant 1.0 Per Acre of developed site 2. Brick or lumber yard or similar area 2.0 1.0 Per 1.000 square feet of sales area, plus Per 2,500 square feet of outdoor display 3. Chemical Plant or Storage 2.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 4. Composting Plant 2.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 5. Concrete Plant 1.0 Per Acre of developed site 6. Contractor with equipment or storage 3.0 1.0 Per 1,000 square feet gross floor area, plus Per 2,500 square feet of outdoor storage 7. Contractor's office (no equipment or storage) 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet gross floor area 8. Dairy 2.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 9. Dry Cleaning Plant 2.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 10. Freight Terminal 1.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 11. Machine Shop 2.5 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 12. Manufacturing and industrial establishments: Manufacturing operations - multi-shift 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Manufacturing operations - single shift 2.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 13. Open storage of sand, gravel & petroleum 1.0 Per Acre of developed site 14. Recycling Center 1.0 1,000 square feet of developed site area 15. Tire Retreading and Recapping 2.5 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 16. Trans. Equip. Storage/Maint. 1.0 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 17. Truck Terminal 1.0 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 18. Utility Facility 0.5 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 19. Warehouse & enclosed storage 0.5 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 20. Warehouse with commercial sales 5.0 0.5 1,000 square feet sales or office, plus 1,000 square feet storage area 21. Wholesale establishments: Wholesale Sales--with customers 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Wholesale Trade/Dist.--without customers 2.0 Per 1,000 square feet gross floor area ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 604 Number of parking spaces required. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-7 Table 6.1: Minimum Off-Street Parking Spaces Required by Use Use Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Required for each: d. INSTITUTIONAL AND OTHER 1. Auditoriums, churches, theatres, stadiums, and other places of assembly 1.0 Per 4 Seats of assembly 2. Cemetery, crematory or mausoleum 3.0 1.0 1.0 Per 1,000 square feet of office space, plus Per 3 seats, plus Per acre of site area 3. Civic Clubs, Museums, Fraternal Lodges, libraries etc. 1.0 Per 500 square feet gross floor area 4. Private clubs, lodges and fraternal buildings not providing overnight accommodations 1.0 Each 5 active members 5. Community Center 3.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 6. Cultural Facilities 2.5 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 7. Hospitals 1.0 1.0 1.0 Per 4 Beds Per visiting doctor or staff Per 2 employees 8. Private Park 1.0 Per 3,000 square feet of site area 9. Private Schools: Pre-school or Kindergarten, Elementary School 1.0 Per employee Elementary & Middle Schools 2.0 Per Classroom Senior High Schools 5.0 Per Classroom General and Special Ed. 6.0 Per Classroom Technical College 10 Per Classroom Colleges (see above for dormitories and office buildings) 5.0 Per Classroom 10. Recreation Grounds (sports center) 6.0 1.0 Per 1,000 square feet of active sports area, plus Per acre of total site 11. Shelter (homeless) 1.0 For each 3 residents or beds 12. Private neighborhood recreation centers & amenity areas 1.0 For each 5 lots 13. Event venue 3.0 1.0 Per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, plus Per 3,000 square feet of site area designated for event venue use ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 605 Shared parking. 6-8 Oconee County Unified Development Code Sec. 604.05. Handicap accessible parking spaces. a. Handicapped spaces are to be provided as required by the federal Americans with Disa- bilities Act for all multi-family and nonresidential uses. Handicap accessible spaces shall be provided in each parking lot in relation to the total number of spaces otherwise pro- vided for the use as shown on Table 6.2. b. Handicap accessible parking spaces shall be counted as part of the total number of parking spaces required under this Article. c. Handicap accessible parking spaces shall have an adjacent aisle 5 feet wide, and one in every 6 handicapped spaces shall be adjacent to an aisle 8 feet wide and the space 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. d. Handicap accessible parking spaces shall be lo- cated on a surface with a slope not exceeding 1 vertical foot in 50 horizontal feet (1:50). e. Wheelchair ramps shall be provided at locations appropriate to normal travel routes from the parking lot to the principal use. f. In addition to the requirements of this subsection, all handicapped parking shall comply with the requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the Georgia Ac- cessibility Code. Sec. 605. Shared parking. The parking spaces provided for separate uses may be combined in one parking lot, but the required spaces assigned to each use may not be assigned to another use, except as follows: Sec. 605.01. Shared parking between day and night users. One-half of the off-street parking spaces required by a use whose peak attendance will be at night may be shared with a use that will be closed at night or on Sunday. Sec. 605.02. Mixed use developments. Parking spaces may be shared by more than one use if the Director of Planning finds that the total number of spaces will be adequate at the peak hours of the uses they serve. The ratios on Table 6.3 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 6.2: Handicap Accessible Spaces Required Total Spaces Provided 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 Ac- cessibility Guidelines. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 605 Shared parking. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-9 Table 6.3: Percentage of Required Parking Spaces by Time Period Weekdays Weekends Nighttime Type of Use 6 am to 5pm 5pm to 1am 6 am to 5pm 5pm to 1am 1am to 6am 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: Example: 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 Family 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 Spaces Required applying the Peak Demand Percentages to the Example: Nighttime 6 am--5pm 5pm--1am 6 am--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 Family 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) Weekdays Weekends ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 606 Proximity of off-street parking spaces to use. 6-10 Oconee County Unified Development Code Sec. 605.03. Availability of shared spaces. Parking spaces that are proposed to be shared among two or more uses must be clearly avail- able 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. Sec. 605.04. Recordation of shared parking agreement. Shared parking arrangements must be committed to writing in an instrument acceptable to the Planning Director, and approved by the owners of each of the affected properties or uses. The instrument must be approved by the Planning Director and shall be recorded with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and a copy of the recorded document must be supplied to the Planning Director. The document must be written to survive future changes in ownership in perpetuity, unless the agreement is dissolved with approval by the Board of Commissioners. Sec. 606. Proximity of off-street parking spaces to use. Sec. 606.01. 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 shown on Table 6.4. Table 6.4: 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 pe- destrian 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 pedes- trian 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 pedes- trian 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 pe- destrian 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 pe- destrian 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 pedes- trian route. Sec. 606.02. Off-site parking. If the required automobile off-street parking cannot be reasonably provided on the same lot with the principal use or building, such required spaces may be provided on other property subject to the following: ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 607 Design requirements for parking lots and driveways. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-11 a. The parking spaces must be located on a property that has the same zoning classification as the property that the spaces serve, or a less restrictive zoning classification. b. No required parking spaces may be located across any arterial, major collector, or minor collector road from the use they are intended to serve. c. An executed easement (or other recordable instrument satisfactory to the Planning Direc- tor) dedicating the off-site parking to the property that the spaces serve shall be submit- ted with the application for a building permit and shall be recorded with the Clerk of the Superior Court prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. A copy of the recorded easement shall be provided to the Planning & Code Enforcement Director. The document must be written to survive future changes in ownership in perpetuity, unless the agree- ment is dissolved with approval by the Board of Commissioners. d. Off-site parking spaces shall be located in proximity to the use that the spaces serve, in accordance with the locational requirements of Table 6.4Table 6.4, or transportation ser- vices acceptable to the Planning Director shall be provided that adequately serve the peak hour ridership demand of the use that the spaces serve. Sec. 607. Design requirements for parking lots and driveways. The following specifications set forth the required plan and design standards for off-street parking in Oconee County. The provisions of this Section apply to all off-street parking spaces and parking areas, whether 1) the parking is provided to serve a particular development or 2) the parking lot is operated as a principal use on a property and not dedicated to serving a particular development. Sec. 607.01. Off-street parking lots for automobiles. The provisions of this Sec. 607.01 apply only to parking lots provided for residents, employees, customers and visitors under the requirements of Sec. 604.01. Parking lots for company- owned vehicles, such as car sales lots, fleet parking and rental car storage lots, may be de- signed to the specifications of the business or property owner. a. Automobile parking spaces. Each automobile parking space shall not be less than 9 feet wide and 19 feet deep, except parking spaces that are designated for compact vehicles or large vehicles: A maximum of ten percent of required off-street parking spaces for commer- cial developments may measure 8 feet wide and 16 feet deep in order to accommodate compact vehicles. A maximum of ten percent of required off-street parking spaces for commer- cial developments may measure 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep in order to accommodate large vehicles. A maximum of 18 inches of the required depth may overhang a grassed or mulched area. This overhang cannot be over a sidewalk or right-of-way and must be ar- ranged in such a way as to allow adequate front-to-front parking. Adequate interior driveways shall connect each parking space with a public right- of-way. Each parking space shall be clearly demarcated by a painted stripe no less than 3 inches wide running the length of each of the longer sides of the space or by curbing or by other acceptable method which clearly marks and delineates the parking space within the parking lot. b. Layout and circulation. No automobile 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 of an arterial or major collector street. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 607 Design requirements for parking lots and driveways. 6-12 Oconee County Unified Development Code All off-street automobile parking spaces and drives (except those on single-family dwelling lots), shall be so arranged that vehicles can easily turn around on the space and/or drives and not have to back into the street upon leaving. c. Location of automobile parking lots. Automobile parking areas are encouraged to be located in the side and rear yards of buildings. Required front yard setbacks may be waived or modified as a special exception variance if required parking areas are located in the side or rear yard area. See the Ap- peals Article of this Code for procedures. Sec. 607.02. Off-street truck parking areas. a. Parking areas for trucks and tractor-trailers should be located only to the rear or non- street side of the buildings and not adjacent to any interstate highway, arterial, or major collector road. However, if there is no other location available, the Planning Director may allow an alternate location and may impose special requirements based on the unique characteristics of the site. b. All truck parking areas shall be effectively screened from any adjacent property and all streets or highways. Such screening shall meet the minimum standards required for ve- hicle use area screening in the Landscaping and Buffers Article of this Development Code, except that the landscape visual screen shall be provided to a minimum height of six feet above the elevation of the vehicle use area. The location and detail of all landscape buffers and screening shall be depicted on the required landscaping/tree protection plan. See the Landscaping and Buffers Article of this Development Code for details. Sec. 607.03. Parking lot aisles and access driveways. a. Interior parking lot aisles when used with 90-degree-angle parking shall be not less than 24 feet wide; when used with 60 degree-angle parking, not less than 12 feet wide with one-way traffic; when used with parallel parking, not less than 10 feet for one-way traffic and not less than 20 feet for two-way traffic. b. Interior driveways that are not associated with designated automobile parking spaces shall be not less than 20 feet wide for two-way traffic, and 12 feet wide for one-way traffic, measured from edge-of-pavement to edge-of-pavement, excluding curbs and gut- ters. c. One-way traffic aisles must be clearly marked with directional arrows on the pavement at each intersection with another aisle. d. Adequate fire apparatus access and circulation within each development shall conform to the requirements of the Oconee County Fire Marshal and Public Works Department, based on applicable AASHTO standards and requirements of the NFPA and International Fire Code. Minimum turning radius for fire apparatus shall be 47 feet, or greater as determined by the Fire Marshal for ladder truck access to buildings of 3 or more stories. e. Ingress and egress to parking areas shall be by means of driveways from the adjoining street. See also the Driveways and Development Entrances Section of the Project Design and Construction Standards Article of this Development Code. Sec. 607.04. Setback requirements. a. Unenclosed off-street parking for single-family and two-family dwellings shall not be lo- cated within the minimum front yard setback, nor between the minimum front yard set- back and the front of the principal building except on a paved driveway. b. Off-street parking for all other uses, including multi-family residential, commercial, indus- trial, and institutional uses, shall be set back from the front property line by at least 10 feet and from side and rear property lines by 5 feet. A 5-foot setback from any, landscape buffer required under the Landscaping and Buffers Article of this Development Code along a side or rear property line shall also be maintained. c. The required setback area between the front property line and the parking area shall be used for landscaping as required in the Landscaping and Buffers Article of this Code. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 608 Inter-parcel access. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-13 Sec. 607.05. Lighting of parking areas. If the off-street parking facilities are to be used at night, they shall be properly illuminated for the safety of pedestrians and vehicles and for policing. a. Illumination devices such as, but not limited to, flood or spot lights shall be so placed and so shielded as to prevent the rays or illumination therefrom being cast into neighboring dwellings and approaching vehicles. b. A lighting plan and details shall be submitted to the Planning Director showing light tem- plates (lighting footprints) for the proposed fixtures for review and verification of compli- ance with this provision. c. Any lights used to illuminate a parking area shall be arranged, located or screened to direct light away from any adjoining residential use and shall not cause glare on any abutting property or street. “Shoe box” recessed lighting fixtures or similar full cutoff lighting devices shall be utilized for this purpose. d. Lighting fixtures on the underside of a canopy shall be installed in such a manner that the lighting fixture is recessed or flush with the canopy surface and the source of the light is not directly visible from any abutting street or residential use. e. Parking areas shall not be illuminated between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 A.M. if the uses on the property are not open for business and employees are not on the premises, although temporary activation by motion detectors may be allowed to provide security lighting for periods not to exceed 15 minutes. Sec. 607.06. Waiver from off-street parking requirements for intermittent, occasional or tempo- rary uses. An administrative special exception variance may be granted from certain requirements of this Article for buildings or uses which are only subject to incidental, occasional or temporary park- ing needs, such as cemeteries, recreation facilities, or other buildings and uses where parking is not required on a regular or daily basis. See the Appeals Article of this Code for procedures. a. Said variance may: Allow substitution of gravel or similar hard surface material in lieu of asphalt or concrete; and Waive the requirement for striping on the interior of the lot; and Waive the requirements for lighting. Provided, however, that the minimum area and number of parking spaces and driveways required by this Development Code shall be met and provided that said required parking area and drives shall be properly graded, surfaced and maintained so as to provide safe vehicular and pedestrian access and to prevent erosion, silta- tion and movement of mud, soil or debris and excessive or detrimental storm water runoff onto public or private lands. Prior to issuance of a special exception variance under this exemption, the applicant for building permit, subdivision plat or zoning amendment shall first submit for Planning Department approval, the appropriate site development plan(s) required by this Development Code. Said plan shall show the proposed layout, dimensions, grading, and access for the parking area for which exemption(s) are sought and shall indicate all requested exemptions and proposed improvements. Sec. 608. Inter-parcel access. Inter-parcel access shall be required as follows: Sec. 608.01. Internal access easements required. For any office or retail sales or services use, the property owner shall grant a “cross” or internal access easement as described in this Subsection to each adjoining property that is zoned or used for an office or retail sales or services use. The purpose of the easement is to facilitate ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 609 Improvement of parking areas. 6-14 Oconee County Unified Development Code movement of customers from business to business without generating additional turning movements on the public street, thus increasing public safety. Sec. 608.02. Access easement provisions. The internal access easement shall permit automobile access from the adjoining property to driveways and parking areas intended for employee, customer or visitor use on each property; but parking spaces may be restricted to use by each owner’s employees, customers and visi- tors only. a. Inter-parcel vehicle access shall be required between contiguous properties only when the parking areas are or will be in reasonable proximity to one another. b. All internal access easements shall be no less than 28 feet in width and shall be improved to a minimum paved width of 24 feet in order to accommodate two-way vehicular traffic to and from the adjoining properties. c. The granting of an internal access easement on a property shall be effective only upon the granting of a reciprocal easement by the adjoining property owner. d. Upon the availability of access to driveways and parking areas of the adjoining lot, the pavement or other surfacing of each owner’s driveways and parking areas shall be ex- tended by each owner to the point of access on the property line. Sec. 608.03. Relief. Where the proposed land use is such that adverse impact of the required easement on use of the property would outweigh the reduced impact on the public street provided by the reciprocal easements, the Planning Director may waive the requirement for the access easements, in whole or in part, as an administrative special exception variance. Sec. 609. Improvement of parking areas. Sec. 609.01. Surfacing and curbing; permanent lots. a. In the AG and AR zoning districts, all minimum required off-street parking areas and all access drives for single-family and two-family dwellings shall be improved with an asphalt surface, triple surface treatment (TST) or concrete surface at least 8 feet wide. See also Sec. 607.06 for exemptions in the AG district. b. Except in the AG or AR zoning districts, all minimum required off-street parking areas and all access drives for single-family and two-family dwellings shall be improved with a con- crete surface at least 4 inches thick and no less than 8 feet wide. c. All off-street parking areas and all access drives for uses other than single-family and two-family dwellings shall be improved with a permanent load-bearing surface consisting of one or more of the following: Pavement consisting of a minimum of a 4-inch graded aggregate base overlaid with a 2-inch Type E or F asphalt surface. Pavement consisting of a minimum 5-inch course of 3,500 psi concrete applied on a stabilized subgrade consisting of at least 150 pounds of stone per square yard mixed in 4 inches deep and compacted. Porous asphalt or concrete pavement installed to the manufacturer’s specifications on a 95% compacted subbase. Pervious paving materials installed to the manufacturer’s specifications on a 95% compacted subbase. d. For any multi-family or nonresidential use, and for any parking lot operated as a principal use, curb and gutter meeting County specifications for public streets shall be installed around the periphery of every paved parking lot containing more than 5 spaces. The curb and gutter shall also extend along both sides of every access drive between the paved parking lot or loading area and the street or another parking lot or loading area, as appli- cable. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 609 Improvement of parking areas. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-15 Sec. 609.02. Landscaping. See the Parking Lot and Loading Area Landscaping Division of the Landscaping and Buffers Article of this Development Code for landscaping requirements for parking areas. Sec. 609.03. Temporary parking lots. Temporary parking lots may be approved for clearly temporary purposes for up to two years. Such lots shall have paved driveway aprons from the street to the right-of-way line, but may have a rolled and compacted gravel surface and need not be landscaped. At the end of the two-year period, the temporary lot must be removed from the property or replaced with a permanent parking lot meeting the requirements of this Section. Sec. 609.04. Maintenance. Off-street parking areas shall be maintained in proper repair with a dust-free surface. Sec. 609.05. Permit required. a. Parking lot construction. Construction of a new parking lot or loading area, or expansion of an existing parking lot or loading area, requires issuance of a development permit in accordance with the Proce- dures and Permits Article of this Development Code. b. 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 Public Works Director, prior to the issuance of a development permit. Sec. 609.06. Time limit. All required off-street parking areas shall be ready for use, including the surfacing and striping requirements of this Article, before occupancy of the property (in the case of a new building or addition) or within 45 days after the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy (in the case of a change of occupancy in an existing building). An extension of time may be granted by the Planning Director due to adverse weather conditions if the base course has been installed. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 610 Off-street truck loading; where required. 6-16 Oconee County Unified Development Code DIVISION II. TRUCK LOADING. Sec. 610. 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 the 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 free- dom of vehicular traffic or pedestrian movement on the public streets and sidewalks. Sec. 611. Location of truck loading areas. In all zoning districts, the following provisions shall apply: a. Loading and unloading areas shall be in the rear or non-street side yard. No truck loading areas may be located in any yard adjacent to any interstate highway, major arterial, or minor arterial. However, if there is no other location available, the Planning Director may permit an alternate location and may impose special requirements based on the unique characteristics of the site. b. In any event, off-street truck loading areas shall be set back from a front property line by at least 10 feet. An additional 10-foot setback from any landscape buffer required along a side or rear property line shall also be maintained. c. Loading shall be done into or from those doors, loading docks or other parts of the build- ings that are at least eighty feet from any street or into or from approved outside storage areas. Sec. 612. Improvement of truck loading areas. Sec. 612.01. Surface and curbing of truck loading areas. a. In areas used for loading docks, for the parking of commercial trucks and other commer- cial equipment, and for the storage of intermodal containers, the following surface is re- quired: A 8-inch graded aggregate base, overlaid with a 2-inch Type B binder and a 1½- inch Type E asphaltic concrete wearing surface.; or, A 10-inch graded aggregate base, overlaid with a 12-inch course of 3,000 P.S.I. concrete. b. Curb and gutter meeting County specifications for public streets shall be installed around the periphery of every paved loading area containing 5 or more spaces, and extend along both sides of every access drive between the paved parking lot or loading area and the street or another parking lot or loading area, as applicable. Sec. 612.02. Screening of truck loading areas. The screening of truck loading areas from any adjacent property and all streets and highways is required. Such screening shall meet the minimum standards for screening of off-street truck parking areas as set forth in Section 607.02 of this Article. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 613 Truck loading on any streets restricted. Oconee County Unified Development Code 6-17 DIVISION III. TRUCK PARKING AND TRAFFIC PROHIBITIONS. Sec. 613. Truck loading on any streets restricted. The loading or unloading of business merchandise, supplies, goods or freight within a public or private street is prohibited in all zoning districts. Loading or unloading of furniture, equip- ment, or fixtures for the purpose of a home or business relocation may be allowed within a street right-of-way if: a. The street is classified as a “local” street as defined in this Development Code; and, b. Vehicular and pedestrian access is not completely blocked on the street; or, c. The Public Works Director otherwise grants approval based on a determination that ade- quate traffic safety measures will be implemented during the period of loading or unload- ing. Sec. 614. Truck traffic restrictions. Sec. 614.01. Prohibition on through trucks. a. It shall be unlawful for any heavy truck to travel certain County roads unless the vehicle trip originates or ends on such road or is made for the purpose of making a delivery to a site on such road. All such roads shall be posted with signs at each end of said road that state, “No Through Trucks”. At the Board of Commissioners' discretion such signs may also be posted at the intersection of any such road with other roads. b. This Section shall apply to roads specifically authorized by the Board of Commissioners and as later added to and deleted from by Resolution of the Board. A list of roads so designated shall be kept on file with the County Clerk. Sec. 614.02. Prohibition on travel in residential subdivisions. No heavy truck shall enter, travel or park on a street in a residential subdivision in Oconee County, except for the purpose of delivering goods to houses or points within such residential subdivision for short periods of time during daylight hours. See Sec. 613. Sec. 614.03. Overnight stay. No heavy truck or tractor trailer shall enter, travel or park on a street in a residential subdivi- sion or park on a right-of-way in Oconee County for the purpose of an overnight stay by the driver or operator. Sec. 615. Prohibited parking. Sec. 615.01. Parking prohibitions for trucks. The following parking prohibitions apply to heavy trucks, as defined in this Development Code: a. In the AG and AR zoning districts, no person shall be allowed to park any heavy truck, truck tractor, truck body, or semi-trailer over 24 feet in length, except that one truck tractor cab may be parked on three acres or more of land, provided it is parked in the rear yard behind a single-family dwelling and at least one hundred feet from any property line. Farm equipment on an agricultural property is exempt from these restrictions. b. In the R-1, R-2, R-3 and M-H zoning districts, no person shall be allowed to park any heavy truck, truck tractor, truck body, or semi-trailer over 24 feet in length except for loading purposes. No semi-trailer, truck body, or truck tractor cab shall be parked or stored unless otherwise authorized by this Development Code. Sec. 615.02. Parking prohibitions for boats and recreational vehicles. Except on a property occupied by a business offering boats or recreation vehicles for sale or lease, boats and recreation vehicles shall be located only in a side or rear yard of a property or within an enclosed garage. ---PAGE BREAK--- Sec. 615 Prohibited parking. 6-18 Oconee County Unified Development Code Sec. 615.03. Parking prohibition on streets. a. Trucks. No heavy truck, truck tractor, truck body, semi-trailer, or roll-off container shall be parked within a public or private street except for the temporary loading or unloading of the truck (such as a moving van) subject to the provisions of Sec. 613. b. Automobiles and other motorized vehicles. No automobile or other motorized vehicle (such as a or boat) shall be parked within a public or private street that is offered for sale by its owner or is inoperable, for a period of 24 hours or longer. Parking on street shoulders. No truck, automobile or other motorized vehicle shall be parked on the shoulder or other portion of a public or private street except in an emergency situation or oth- erwise at the direction of an authorized public safety official (such as a Georgia State Patrol officer or Sheriff’s deputy).