It is the intention of this chapter that all buildings, structures and land uses be provided with a sufficient amount of off-street motor vehicle parking to meet the present and future needs of persons employed at or making use of such facilities, and sufficient off-street loading and unloading facilities to meet the needs of such structures or land uses.
The plans for any new building or any expansion of an existing building, when submitted for a zoning permit, shall show specifically the location, size, and type of improvements of the off-street parking or loading space required to comply with this chapter, and the means of access to such space from the public streets or highways. Except for one- and two-family residences, no zoning permit shall be issued until such plan for parking and loading space and access to it and required improvement is approved by the Planning Board as part of the site plan or special permit review procedure. The Planning Board shall determine that traffic access, traffic circulation, and general layout of the parking facility are adequately planned with regard to safety on the public street, and safety, convenience and adequacy of access for cars and pedestrians using the parking facility. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any building or land use until the required off-street parking space has been established.
A. 
Structures and land uses in existence, or for which zoning permits have been approved, at the time of the adoption of this chapter shall not be subject to the parking or loading space requirements of this chapter, except that any parking and loading facilities then existing to serve such structures or uses shall not, in the future, be reduced except where they exceed such requirements, in which case they shall not be reduced below such requirements. Required parking and loading facilities shall, however, be provided as a condition for the issuance of any zoning permit for any enlargement of such structures or uses in the future.
B. 
In case of exceptional difficulty or unusual hardship to such properties, arising out of the requirement of Subsection A, the Planning Board may reduce the parking requirements, but shall require such degree of compliance as it may deem reasonable.
C. 
Required off-street parking facilities which, after development, are later dedicated to and accepted by the town shall be deemed to continue to serve the uses or structures for which they were originally provided.
A. 
Off-street parking spaces shall be provided as follows, except as may be modified in the provisions of this article, or where additional parking requirements may be made as a condition of the issuance of a special permit under § 155-18, in which case, provisions of that section shall apply.
Use
Number of Spaces
Bowling alley or other center of public amusement, the capacity of which cannot be measured in terms of seats
5 spaces for each bowling lane; all others, one space for each 200 square feet of floor space devoted to patron use
Church or other place of worship, theater, auditorium, athletic field, or other place of public assembly
1 space for each 3 seats
Garage or automobile repair shop
At least 10 spaces, plus 1 space for each person working in such establishment
Hospital, clinic, sanitarium or convalescent home
1 space for each two patient beds, excluding bassinets
Motel
1 space for each motel unit, plus 1 space for each 2 persons working in such establishment, plus 2 spaces for each permanent residence
Multifamily dwelling for three or more families
2 spaces for each dwelling unit
Office for business or professional use
2 spaces for each separate office or suite of offices of any given tenancy, plus 1 space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area
One- and two-family dwellings
2 spaces for each dwelling unit
Professional or medical office building; professional office or home occupation permitted in a residential zone as an accessory use
6 spaces for each professional or practitioner, in addition to spaces required for residential units
Restaurant or place dispensing food or drink
1 space for each 100 square feet of gross floor area
Retail or commercial service business
1 space for each 200 square feet of customer or retail floor area or one space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater
Senior citizen housing
[Added 5-6-1997 by L.L. No. 1-1997]
1 space minimum per dwelling unit
Tourist or rooming house
1 space for each guest sleeping room, plus two spaces for each residential unit
Wholesale, storage, utility or other similar use
1 space for each person for which the building or use is designed plus 1 space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
B. 
Reasonable and appropriate off-street parking requirements for structures and land uses which do not fall within the categories listed above shall be determined in each case by the Planning Board, which shall consider all factors entering into the parking needs of each such use.
C. 
Where two or more different uses occur on a single lot, the total amount of parking facilities to be provided shall be the sum of the requirements for each individual use on the lot, except that the Planning Board may approve the joint use of parking space by two or more establishments on the same or on contiguous lots, the total capacity of which space is less than the sum of the spaces required for each, provided said Board finds that the capacity to be provided will substantially meet the intent of the requirements by reason of variation in the probable time of maximum use by patrons or employees among such establishments, and provided such approval of such joint use shall be automatically terminated upon the termination of the operation of any of such establishments.
Required off-street parking facilities may be enclosed in a structure, or may be open, provided that all required parking facilities shall be graded, surfaced, and drained to the satisfaction of the Planning Board to the extent necessary to avoid nuisances of dust, erosion, or excessive water flow across public ways or adjacent lands. In nonresidential development, the plan shall show suitable marking to indicate individual parking spaces, maneuvering area, entrances and exits.
Required off-street parking facilities shall be maintained as long as the use or structure exists which the facilities are designed to serve. Required parking areas developed for specific structures and uses shall be reserved at all times to those persons who are employed at or make use of such structures and land uses, except when dedicated to and accepted by the town as public parking areas. The Planning Board may permit the maintenance, as additional open space and/or landscaping, or up to 50% of the parking area and spaces required by this chapter provided suitable guaranties are provided to the Planning Board that such parking area and spaces will be provided upon a determination of need by the Planning Board at any time.
A. 
Off-street loading and unloading facilities, as defined in this chapter, and located on the same site with the use to be served, shall be provided as follows:
(1) 
For retail and service business establishments, restaurants and other places serving food and beverages: one space for the first 4,000 square feet of floor area, or major portion thereof, used for business purposes, and one additional space for each 40,000 square feet, or major portion thereof, in excess of 4,000 square feet.
(2) 
For wholesale business, storage warehouses, and other similar commercial establishments: one space for the first 10,000 square feet, or major portion thereof, used for such purposes, and one additional space for each 40,000 square feet, or major portion thereof, in excess of 10,000 square feet.
B. 
Reasonable and appropriate off-street loading requirements for structures and land uses other than those stated in Subsection A(1) and (2) shall be determined, in each case, by the Planning Board, which shall consider all factors entering into the loading and unloading needs of such uses.