Township of East Brandywine, PA Article XV Off-Street Parking and Loading

§ 399-103 General requirements.

A. Applicability.

(1) Off-street parking facilities shall be provided whenever:

(a) A building is constructed or a new use is established.

(b) The use of an existing building is changed to a use requiring more parking facilities, as determined by this article.

(c) An existing building is altered so as to increase the amount of parking space required, as determined by this article.

B. Decreased parking demand. When a building or structure undergoes a decrease in the number of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity, number of employees, or other unit of measure specified hereinafter as a means for determining required off-street parking or loading facilities, or when the application of the standards herein would result in a requirement for fewer total off-street parking or loading spaces than are provided on the subject site, the available off-street parking or loading facilities may, upon approval by the Board of Supervisors, be so reduced accordingly; provided, however, that existing off-street parking or loading facilities may be so decreased only when the parking or loading facilities remaining would equal or exceed the off-street parking or loading requirements resulting from application of the provisions of these standards to the entire building, activity or structure, as modified.

C. Increased parking demand. When any building or structure undergoes a change of use or any increase in the number of dwelling units, employees, gross floor area, seating capacity, or other unit of measurement specified hereinafter as a means for determining required off-street parking or loading facilities, and when such a change or increase would, through application of the provisions of these standards, result in a requirement for greater total off-street parking or loading spaces, such off-street parking or loading facilities shall be increased to equal or exceed the off-street parking or loading requirements resulting from application of the provisions of these standards to the entire building or structure, as modified in use or capacity.

D. Use of residential parking facilities. Parking facilities accessory to a residential use in any district shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles and not more than one commercial vehicle of not more than two tons' gross weight utilized by occupants of the dwelling to which such facilities are accessory, or by guests of such occupants.

E. Repair, service, or sales use of parking facilities. It shall be unlawful to utilize any required off-street parking or loading facilities for motor vehicle repair work, service, display, or sales of any kind, except as expressly permitted elsewhere in this article.

§ 399-104 Location.

A. Except as provided under the terms of §§ 399-108A(2) and 399-109 of this article, all parking spaces shall be on the same lot as the principal building which they serve.

[Amended 2-16-2023 by Ord. No. 02-2023]

B. No parking or paved area, except for permitted driveways or accessways, shall directly abut a street. Each such area shall be separated from the street by a curb, planting strip, wall, or other suitable barrier against vehicles.

C. A garage may be located wholly or partly inside the walls of the principal building, attached to the outer walls, or detached. A detached garage shall conform to all accessory building requirements; its location within any required yard area shall be as stipulated in § 399-75 of this chapter.

D. Areas devoted to surface parking may occupy no more than 50% of any required front, side, or rear yard.

§ 399-105 Size.

A. Standards.

(1) The following schedule of parking space and layout standards shall apply to all parking facilities, in accordance with this article:

[Amended 3-4-2010 by Ord. No. 03-2010]

		Angle of Parking Row to Driveway Aisle
		30º	45º	60º	90º
	Depth of parking row	17 feet	20 feet	21 feet	20 feet
	Width of parking space	10 feet	10 feet	10 feet	10 feet
	Width of aisle	11 feet (1-way)	13 feet (1-way)	18 feet (1-way)	24 feet (1- or 2-way)

(2) Parallel parking spaces shall be at least 25 feet in length and nine feet in width.

[Amended 2-16-2023 by Ord. No. 02-2023]

B. Wheel stops. The Board of Supervisors may approve the use of continuous curbs as wheel stops and thus measure the size of parking spaces to be two feet less in length than otherwise required. In such instances, the parking layout should allow for the vehicle to overhang the curb by two feet; such overhang area must be clear of all obstructions (signs, trees, etc.) and may not be regarded as required landscaped area or pedestrian circulation space.

C. Small car spaces. The Board of Supervisors may authorize the provision of up to 30% of the required parking spaces to be designed and designated for small cars for those uses of a site or lot which have little turnover and are typically occupied all day or overnight primarily by the same employees or residents, such as for nonmedical offices or multifamily dwellings. Such small car spaces may be eight feet in width if in perpendicular rows or seven feet if on an angle, and 16 feet in length if perpendicular or proportionately shorter if on an angle. Approved small car spaces shall be grouped and clearly marked for small car use, rather than being scattered simply to solve layout difficulties.

§ 399-106 Design and maintenance standards.

Compliance with the following standards may be required by the Township for any residential or nonresidential parking area with a minimum required capacity of three spaces:

A. General on-site circulation design standards.

(1) There shall be an adequate, safe, and convenient arrangement of pedestrian circulation facilities, roadways, driveways, off-street parking and loading space. Pedestrians moving between buildings shall not be unnecessarily exposed to vehicular traffic.

(2) Roads, pedestrian walks, bicycle facilities, and open space shall be designed as integral parts of an overall site design. They shall be properly related to existing and proposed buildings and appropriately landscaped.

(3) Landscaped, paved, and comfortably graded pedestrian walks, appropriate also for use by wheel chairs, shall be provided along the paths of the most intense use, particularly from building entrances to parking areas and adjacent buildings. Such walks shall have a minimum width of four feet.

(4) The materials used in the design of paving, lighting fixtures, retaining walls, fences, curbs, and benches shall be of good appearance, easily maintained, and appropriate to their function.

(5) Ramps shall be provided, giving access from parking areas to the building served, for disabled persons utilizing wheelchairs.

(6) Accessways, parking areas, and loading areas shall have clearly defined parking bays and traffic circulation lanes designated by markings, curbs, barriers, and/or landscaped islands. To assist in traffic channelization, raised islands shall be placed at the ends of parking bays so that the end of the bay adjacent to a driving aisle or ring road is clearly delineated. Such islands shall be designed and landscaped so as not to impair visibility needed for traffic flow and turning movements.

(7) The design of access and traffic control and of interior circulation shall, in all other respects, comply with the requirements of §§ 399-81 and 399-82, respectively, of this chapter.

B. General on-site parking design standards.

(1) Parking spaces shall have a dust-free, all-weather surface; this requirement shall be met by paving unless otherwise approved by the Board of Supervisors. Pervious surfaces such as porous paving, concrete lattice blocks, or gravel may be substituted if approved by the Board, e.g., for reserve or overflow parking. Parking areas shall have a minimum slope of 1% in any direction to provide for drainage, and a maximum slope of 5% in any direction for safety, user convenience, and stormwater management.

(2) All parking spaces shall be marked by durable painted lines at least four inches wide and extending the length of the space, or by curbs or other means, to indicate individual spaces. Signs or markers located on the surface within a parking lot shall be used as necessary to assure efficient and safe traffic operation.

(3) Lighting shall be provided to illuminate any off-street parking spaces to be used at night. Lighting facilities shall comply in all applicable respects with the standards in § 399-83 of this chapter.

(4) Parking area landscaping and screening shall be accomplished in accordance with § 399-79 of this chapter.

(5) Any person operating or owning a parking lot shall keep it free, as may be practical, of dust and loose particles and shall promptly remove snow and ice from the surface of the parking lot. Such person shall also keep all adjacent sidewalks free from dirt, ice, sleet, and snow and shall keep the sidewalks in a safe condition for use by pedestrians. All signs, markers, or any other methods used to indicate direction of traffic movement and location of parking spaces shall be maintained in a neat and legible condition. Any walls or landscaping, as well as surfacing and curbing of the parking lot, shall be maintained in good condition throughout their use, and the Board shall have the authority to prohibit the use of the area for parking purposes unless and until proper maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation is completed.

§ 399-107 Accessible parking.

[Amended 12-30-2004 by Ord. No. 04-23; 8-21-2013 by Ord. No. 05-2013]

The provision of accessible parking facilities shall apply to any commercial, industrial, office, institutional, multifamily residential, or other nonresidential use for which off-street parking is required by § 399-108 of this chapter. The terms of this section shall not apply to properties used for agricultural purposes. The provision of accessible parking facilities shall be in compliance with the provisions of the most recently adopted version of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code. All projects sought for permit on or after January 1, 2013, shall be in compliance with Chapter 11 and Appendix E of the 2012 International Building Code and 2009 International Code Council/American National Standards institute A117.1, and any subsequent amendments thereto that are adopted pursuant to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.

§ 399-108 Schedule of required parking.

[Amended 6-15-1999 by Ord. No. 99-03; 10-1-2015 by Ord. No. 07-2015; 8-1-2019 by Ord. No. 06-2019; 2-16-2023 by Ord. No. 02-2023]

The following shall be the minimum number of parking spaces required for each land use, activity, building, or structure permitted by this chapter. When the determination of the number of parking spaces results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction of 1/2 space or less should be disregarded and any fraction over 1/2 space shall count as one space. Parking spaces required on the basis of building floor area shall apply to gross leasable area as defined in Chapter 300, unless otherwise specified. Parking spaces required on an employee basis shall be based on the projected maximum number of employees on duty or residing, or both, on the premises at any one time, which would include any overlap of employees at a change of shift.

A. Residential and lodging uses.

(1) Except as required in Subsection A(2) below, single-family and two-family dwellings: two parking spaces for each dwelling unit.

(2) Townhouse dwellings, including in an age-qualified residential community; four-family dwellings; single-family detached and two-family dwellings in a clustered residential development; single-family detached dwellings in an age-qualified residential community: 2.5 spaces for each dwelling unit, in accordance with the following:

(a) A maximum of 2.0 spaces located on the lot, or immediately adjacent to the dwelling where no lot is created, may be included in the calculation of the required 2.5 spaces. A maximum of one of these on-lot spaces located within a garage may be included in the calculation of the required 2.0 spaces.

(b) 0.5 space per dwelling unit shall be for guest/overflow parking purposes and shall not be located on the lot. Such spaces shall be provided elsewhere on the tract. Each dwelling unit shall have reasonable access to guest/overflow parking, but in no case shall a dwelling unit be located more than 500 feet from a guest/overflow parking space.

(3) Apartment dwellings.

(a) Two spaces per each one-bedroom or two-bedroom dwelling unit.

(b) One space per each additional bedroom within the dwelling unit.

(c) 0.5 space per each dwelling unit for guest/overflow parking.

(d) All required parking shall be provided on the tract containing the apartment dwellings.

(4) Parking requirements for TND-1 and TND-2 development shall be as prescribed in §§ 399-42 and 399-36, respectively.

(5) Motel, hotel, inn: 1 2/10 parking spaces for each sleeping room or suite offered for tourist accommodation. Additional parking spaces shall be provided, equal to 60% of that which is required by this section, for restaurants or places of assembly which are available for use by the general public but are located within the hotel or motel.

(6) Nursing home: 1 1/2 parking spaces for every two beds occupied at maximum capacity.

(7) Retirement community or life care facility: 1 1/2 spaces for each dwelling unit, plus one space for each patient bed.

B. Retail and service uses.

(1) Indoor retail businesses:

(a) Parking or storage spaces for all vehicles used directly in the conduct of such business, plus six parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area and one space for the equivalent of every two full-time employees.

(b) If a single retail use or a planned village commercial center, as provided in § 399-39, will provide over 50,000 square feet of gross leasable area, exclusive of uses otherwise separately scheduled herein such as restaurants, supermarkets, or offices, the Board of Supervisors may approve a reduced parking ratio of five parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area, plus parking for vehicles used directly in the business and one space for the equivalent of every two full-time employees.

(c) For a mixed-use development as provided in § 399-45, parking requirements shall be as stipulated in § 399-111 below.

(d) For a convenience store, as defined by this chapter: one parking space per 100 square feet of gross leasable area, plus one space per employee.

(2) Theaters, recreation centers, swimming pools, skating rinks, and other public or private recreation and amusement facilities: one parking space for every three customers (or patrons), computed on the basis of maximum servicing capacity at any one time, as shall be determined by the Township, plus one additional space for every two persons regularly employed on the premises at a peak period of use. Specific provisions over and above this standard may be required for uses, such as movie theaters, involving successive changes of patrons with a corresponding overlap in parking required.

(3) Banks, credit unions, and related retail financial service organizations: one parking space per 75 square feet of floor area devoted to customer service and related circulation, plus parking for the balance of the facility used for office purposes at a ratio of one parking space per 225 square feet of gross leasable area.

(4) Restaurant, tavern, or similar use: one space per two seats or one space per 100 square feet of total floor area, whichever is greater.

(5) Carry-out, drive-in, drive-through, or other fast-food restaurant: 24 parking spaces for every 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area, plus two parking spaces for every three employees. Fast-food restaurants providing drive-through window service shall be sited in such a manner that at least 10 vehicles can stand in line awaiting such service without blocking access to otherwise required parking spaces.

(6) Automobile service stations: parking or storage space for all vehicles used directly in the conduct of the business, plus one parking space for each gas dispenser, three spaces for each service bay or similar facility, and one space for every two persons employed on the premises.

(7) Grocery store or supermarket: seven spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area, unless part of a shopping center containing an additional 50,000 square feet or more of retail space, in which case this requirement shall be considered to be met through compliance with the overall shopping center requirements, as stipulated in § 399-111.

(8) Funeral home: one space for every four seats available for persons attending memorial services, one space for every 50 square feet of gross leasable floor area, whichever is greater.

C. Offices.

(1) General offices: one parking space per 250 square feet of gross leasable area for business, professional, governmental, or institutional offices, including associated storage areas for files, equipment, or office supplies, but excluding medical or dental offices.

(2) Medical or dental offices or clinics: one parking space per 150 square feet of gross leasable floor area, including associated storage areas for files, equipment, or medical supplies.

D. Industrial and warehouse uses:

(1) One parking space for each employee on the shift of greatest employment, or one space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater.

(2) For medical marijuana growing or processing facilities, one parking space for each employee on the shift of the greatest employment, plus parking or storage spaces for all vehicles used in the facility, or one parking space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater.

E. Community service uses and places of assembly.

(1) General places of assembly. All theaters, auditoriums, churches, and other similar places of assembly, including those associated with public or private educational institutions, shall provide at least two parking spaces per five seats of the assembly or meeting space at maximum capacity. The maximum capacity shall be determined as allowed by applicable Fire Code or Building Code standards.

(2) University, college, academy, or similar institution of higher learning: one parking space for each resident student and each faculty or staff residence on the site, and 0.66 parking space for each full-time equivalent day student.

(3) Schools:

(a) Private vocational or similar adult trade school or training center: one space per student.

(b) Elementary school, nursery school: one space per 15 students.

(c) Middle or junior high school: one space per 10 students, plus one space per 10 fixed seats in an auditorium.

(d) High school: one space per four students plus one space per 10 fixed seats in an auditorium.

(e) Day-care facility: as required in § 399-102.2C.

F. Miscellaneous uses.

(1) Libraries, museums, galleries, and similar uses: parking or storage space for all vehicles used directly in the operation of such establishment, plus four parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of total floor area.

(2) Private clubs, lodges, or other organizations of a fraternal, civic, union-related, religious, or similar nature: one parking space for each four members, or one space per 50 square feet used for assembly, dining, meetings, or other specific use of the club facilities, whichever is greater, plus one additional parking space for every two persons regularly employed on the premises.

(3) Hospitals: 0.85 space per employee on duty at any one shift change, or 0.65 space per full-time equivalent total employment, whichever is greater, and additional parking spaces for visitors on the basis of 0.6 spaces per hospital bed.

(4) Research and development facility: one parking space per 350 square feet of gross leasable area occupied by research and development uses such as laboratories and testing facilities.

G. Other uses. The Board of Supervisors shall determine with which of the preceding categories of parking regulation any unlisted use shall comply.

§ 399-109 Shared parking.

Up to 50% of the parking spaces required for a theater or other place of primarily evening entertainment, for a church, for multifamily dwelling units, or for a school may be provided and used jointly by banks, offices, certain retail stores, repair shops, service establishments, and similar uses which are not normally open, used, or operated during evening hours (beyond normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) if specifically approved by the Board of Supervisors; provided, however, that written agreement assuring the retention for such purpose shall be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned and approved as to form and execution by the Township Solicitor, and shall be filed and made part of the application for a building permit. Such approval may be rescinded by the Board, and additional parking shall be obtained by the owners, in the event that the Board determines that such joint use is resulting in a public nuisance or otherwise adversely affecting the public health, safety, or welfare.

§ 399-110 Parking reserve area.

The number of parking spaces to be constructed may be less than the number required herein only where the following conditions are met to the satisfaction of the Township:

A. Evidence is submitted firmly documenting that the special nature of the proposed occupancy or use of the building requires less parking area or spaces than that required by this article.

B. The land development plan submitted by the applicant indicates that the location and layout of that portion of the required parking or loading area deemed unnecessary at the time of application can and will be constructed on the surface of the site, according to the requirements of this article, in the event that the Township determines at any time that all or any additional portion of this parking or loading is necessary and in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare.

C. In no event shall that authorized portion of the required parking area which is not to be constructed, but reserved for possible future use, be counted as open space or other non-paved area required by other provisions of this chapter.

D. The parking reserve area shall be designed so that any required minimum area of vegetative cover would be maintained in the event that the parking reserve area is subsequently developed.

E. The parking reserve area shall be landscaped according to an approved plan and in accordance with § 399-78 of this chapter.

F. The parking reserve area shall have no building, whether temporary or permanent, erected on it at any time, except as provided in § 399-111A.

§ 399-111 Parking requirements in Mixed-Use Commercial District.

A. A minimum of 4.5 spaces shall be provided for each 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area, or fraction thereof, devoted to retail and service commercial uses within a mixed-use commercial development in the Mixed-Use District. In addition, a parking reserve area, consistent with the terms of § 399-110 shall be designed and shown on the plan so that, if developed, it would yield a ratio of five spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area. If, at the end of the sixth year following full development of the tract, the parking reserve area or any part thereof has not been developed as an additional parking area, the applicant or the then present landowner may petition the Township for permission to develop or otherwise utilize the parking reserve area in accordance with the terms of this chapter.

B. A minimum of four spaces shall be provided for each 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area, or fraction thereof, devoted to office use within a mixed-use commercial development in the Mixed-Use District. An initial reduction of up to 25% of this area may be permitted by the Township, provided that sufficient land is reserved and properly identified as such to meet the full requirements of this chapter, should the Township subsequently deem it necessary.

C. For all other uses within the Mixed-Use District, the parking requirements of § 399-108 of this article shall be applicable.

§ 399-112 Off-street loading.

Adequate space shall be provided to accommodate the loading and unloading of trucks, tractors, and trailers servicing any commercial, industrial, or large-scale residential or institutional use. Loading berth space which is utilized for the location of trash collection or compaction units shall be provided for and shall be in addition to the loading space requirements provided in this section.

A. Area of loading berths or spaces.

(1) A required off-street loading berth in the Mixed-Use District shall be at least 12 feet in width and at least 65 feet in length, exclusive of aisle and maneuver space, and shall have a vertical clearance of at least 14 feet.

(2) In the Village Commercial District, loading spaces, as deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors, shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width and 35 feet unless the use will necessitate tractor-trailer deliveries, in which case the loading berth standards shall apply.

B. Access to loading area. Each required off-street loading space or berth shall be afforded appropriate means of vehicular access to a street, highway, or alley in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movement.

C. Surfacing. All open off-street loading areas shall be improved with a compacted select gravel base and surfaced with an all-weather dustless material, suitably designed for the intended use to a standard approved by the Township Engineer.

D. Screening. All loading berths or spaces and truck circulation areas which abut a residential district shall be set back at least 100 feet therefrom unless they are completely screened therefrom by building walls, or a solid fence, wall, or landscaping, or any combination thereof, not less than six feet in height; in no case shall such spaces or berths be closer than 35 feet therefrom. Screening shall further comply with the standards of § 399-79 of this chapter.

E. Number of spaces. Buildings with commercial, industrial, or storage use which exceed 6,000 square feet of gross leasable area, either individually or as part of a larger development, shall be provided with a minimum of one off-street loading space or berth [as determined under Subsection A(2), above] in the Village Commercial District and one off-street loading berth in the Mixed-Use District.

F. Location. Loading and unloading areas shall not be located between the building setback line and the street line. No delivery vehicle shall park on any sidewalk. In the Village Commercial District, a loading space may be situated so that vehicles may park parallel to the building.