Off-Street Parking/Sidewalks

§ 502 Off-Street Parking/Sidewalks

[Amended January 21, 2004; added December 16, 2009; 3-20-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-09]

A. Off-Street Parking Minimum Standards. Off-street parking in conformance with the following minimum requirements shall be provided and maintained for new construction, expansion of existing uses or structures, and changes of use. Where several uses occupy a single structure or lot, the total required parking shall be the sum of requirements of the individual uses. These minimum requirements will not be satisfied by street parking. Except as specifically allowable with a Special Use Permit, parking shall not be a primary use on any lot.

1. Accessory Dwelling Unit. One parking space in addition to any other off-street parking requirement for other structures and uses on the property.

2. Assembly Hall: One parking space per three seats of total available capacity. In Old Harbor Commercial Zone (OHC): One parking space per five seats.

3. Commercial/Residential Mixed Use: One parking space per dwelling unit plus the requirements contained herein for the commercial use or uses.

4. Dwelling Units: Two parking spaces per dwelling unit. In Old Harbor Commercial Zone (OHC): One parking space per dwelling unit.

5. Governmental Facilities: Anticipated need, to be located in defined areas within at least 50 feet from abutting uses.

6. Hotels and Inns: One parking space per three guest rooms; plus one employee parking space for every 10 rooms. In Old Harbor Commercial Zone (OHC): One parking space per four guest rooms, plus one employee parking space for every 10 rooms.

7. Light Assembly: One parking space per two employees based on the largest number of employees to be working at any given time. In Old Harbor Commercial Zone (OHZ): One parking space per three employees based on the largest number of employees at any given time.

8. Marina: One parking space per 10 boats plus one space per 1.5 employees; plus additional parking as required for any other facilities, uses or accessory or associated uses.

9. Professional and Business Services: One parking space per 1000 square feet of gross floor area, plus one space per 1.5 employees.

10. Restaurant, Carry-Out: Three parking spaces. In Old Harbor Commercial Zone (OHC): Two parking spaces.

11. Restaurant, General: One parking space per 10 seats. Restaurant included in Hotel or Inn: One parking space per 15 seats.

12. Retail Trade: One parking space per 500 square feet of gross floor area plus adequate employee parking. In Old Harbor Commercial Zone (OHC): One parking space per store.

13. Transportation Facility: Short term and long term parking spaces as determined by anticipated need, to be located in defined areas within at least 50 feet from abutting uses.

14. Utility Facility; Warehouse and Storage Facility: one parking space per three employees.

15. Uses Not Otherwise Specified: In the event the proposed use is not one of those specifically enumerated above, the determination of the required off-street parking shall be made by the Zoning Official using the enumerated uses as a guide and considering, as appropriate, the square footage of the use, the occupancy, capacity and number of employees associated with any structure or use, the state fire and building codes and any other sources the Zoning Official may deem appropriate to make a determination. [Amended 5-3-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-04]

B. Loading Space.

1. In connection with every commercial property requiring the receipt or distribution by vehicles of material or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained, on the same property, at least one off-street loading space.

2. Each loading space shall be not less than 10 feet in width, 25 feet in length, and 14 feet in height. Such space may occupy all or any part of any required yard or court space, subject to the following limitations.

C. Dimensional and Construction Requirements. Required off-street parking shall be in lots with spaces organized in right angle configurations where feasible in accordance with the following dimensional table of standards:

1. Aisle width shall be measured between ends of stall lines. For back-in parking aisle width may be reduced by four feet.

2. Angle parking at 45° with adjacent one-way aisles in the same direction shall be used only with sufficient barriers to prevent vehicular contact across the interlock.

3. Off-street parking shall be located on the same lot as the primary use except that the Zoning Board of Review may by Special Use Permit allow the use of off-site premises for parking when the public benefit of the proposed use so warrants.

4. Egress shall be designed to provide a safe and unobstructed 100-foot sight line to traffic in each direction.

5. Parking areas shall be designed so as not to require the backing of vehicles onto any public street.

6. In so far as practicable, parking areas shall be recessed from the road with planting that screens parked cars from the road.

7. No building, stonewall or tree row may be removed for the construction of parking spaces except where this is unavoidable.

8. Lighting of parking areas shall be located no higher than 10 feet from the ground and shall cast light downward. No spill light is permitted which causes glare on an abutting lot or to vehicles traveling on an abutting road.

D. Large Lot Parking. For parking areas of 20 spaces or more the following additional requirements shall apply:

1. Large lot parking areas must receive development plan approval pursuant to the standards set forth in § 501, Development Plan Review Standards, and the procedures set forth in § 704, Development Plan Review.

2. No large lot shall be operated as a rental facility except by a Special Use Permit pursuant to § 420, Parking Lots.

3. Large lots, except for those serving transportation facilities or located in the Old Harbor Commercial Zone shall be screened on each side facing a street or abutting property by a wall, fence or compact hedge no less than three nor more than five feet high. Parking areas serving up to 20 cars each shall be separated by planted buffers at least 10 feet wide.

E. Sidewalks. Within the OHC, NHC, and SC Zones, sidewalks shall be provided as part of site development along all principal roads to provide pedestrian access to and between public and private facilities.

F. No part of an off-street parking area or off-street loading area required for any building or use for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this chapter, shall be included as a part of an off-street parking area or off-street loading area similarly required for another building or use unless the type of structure indicates, in the opinion of the Planning Board, that the periods of usage of such buildings or uses will not be simultaneous with each other.

G. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the joint use of off-street parking or off-street loading space for two or more buildings or uses if the total of such spaces when used together shall not be less than the sum of the requirements of the various individual uses computed separately in accordance with the requirements of this article.