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Stephenson County, IL
 
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The purpose of this article is to alleviate or prevent the congestion of the public streets and so promote the safety and welfare of the public by establishing minimum requirements for the off-street parking and loading and unloading of motor vehicles in accordance with the use to which property is put.
A. 
Scope of regulations. The off-street parking and loading provisions of this chapter shall apply as follows:
(1) 
For all buildings and structures erected and all uses of land established after the effective date of this chapter, accessory parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required by the regulations of the district in which such buildings or uses are located. However, where a permit has been issued prior to the effective date of this chapter, and provided that construction is begun within one year of such effective date, and diligently prosecuted to completion, parking and loading facilities as required hereinafter need not be provided.
(2) 
When the intensity of use of any building, structure or premises shall be increased through the addition of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity or other units of measurement specified herein for required parking or loading facilities, parking and loading facilities as required herein shall be provided for such increase in intensity of use.
(3) 
However, no building or structure lawfully erected or use lawfully established prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be required to provide such additional parking or loading facilities unless and until the aggregate increase in units of measurement shall equal not less than 15% of the units of measurement existing upon the effective date of this chapter, in which event parking or loading facilities as required herein shall be provided for the total increase.
(4) 
Whenever the existing use of a building or structure shall be changed hereafter to a new use, parking or loading facilities shall be provided as required for such new use. However, if the building or structure was erected prior to the effective date of this chapter, additional parking or loading facilities are mandatory only in the amount by which the requirements for the new use would exceed those for the existing use if the latter were subject to the parking and loading provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Existing central business districts of municipalities subject to the provision of this chapter shall be exempt from the off-street parking requirements herein.
C. 
Permissive parking and loading facilities. Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to prevent the voluntary establishment of off-street parking or loading facilities to serve any existing use of land or buildings, provided that all regulations herein governing the location, design, improvement and operation of such facilities are adhered to.
D. 
Damage or destruction. For any conforming or legally nonconforming building or use which is in existence on the effective date of this chapter, which subsequent thereto is damaged or destroyed by fire, collapse, explosion or other cause, and which is reconstructed, reestablished or repaired, off-street parking or loading facilities equivalent to any maintained at the time of such damage or destruction shall be restored or continued in operation. However, in no case shall it be necessary to restore or maintain parking or loading facilities in excess of those required by this chapter for equivalent new uses or construction.
E. 
Control of off-site parking facilities. When required parking facilities are provided on land other than the zoning lot on which the building or use served by such facilities is located, they shall be and remain in the same possession or ownership as the zoning lot occupied by the building or use to which the parking facilities are accessory. No such off-site parking facilities shall be authorized and no certificate of zoning compliance shall be issued where the plans call for parking facilities other than on the same zoning lot until and unless the Board of Appeals has reviewed the plans and heard the applicant and made findings that the common ownership or possession of the zoning lot and the site of the parking facilities are reasonably certain to continue and that the off-site parking facilities will be maintained at all times during the life of the proposed use of the building.
[Amended 7-10-1973]
F. 
Submission of plot plan. Any application for an improvement location permit for a certificate of occupancy where no permit is required shall include therewith a plot plan, drawn to scale and fully dimensioned, showing any parking or loading facilities to be provided in compliance with this chapter.
[Amended 7-10-1973]
A. 
Use of residential parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities accessory to a residential dwelling in a residential zoning district may park outdoors no more than two commercial vehicles owned or used by the resident of the dwelling not to exceed 10,000 pounds per vehicle. No more than two additional commercial vehicles shall be parked or stored inside of a permitted structure.
[Amended 8-11-2016 by Ord. No. 16-08-1451]
(1) 
Commercial vehicle; definition: any motor vehicle or trailer typically used for business, industrial, office or institutional purposes. For purposes of this section the phrase "commercial vehicle" shall include self-propelled vehicles, vehicles that are not self-propelled such as utility trailers and other types of trailers designed or used to store or haul equipment and materials and the combination of self-propelled vehicles and vehicles that are not self-propelled.
B. 
Joint parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities for different buildings, structures or uses, or for mixed uses, may be provided collectively in any zoning district in which separate parking facilities for each constituent use would be permitted, provided that the total number of spaces so located together shall not be less than the sum of the separate requirements for each use.
C. 
Computation. When determination of the number of off-street parking spaces required by this chapter results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction of 1/2 or less may be disregarded, while a fraction in excess of 1/2 shall be counted as one parking space.
D. 
Size. A required off-street parking space shall be at least nine feet in width and at least 20 feet in length, exclusive of access drives or aisles, ramps, columns or office or work areas. Such space shall have a vertical clearance of at least seven feet.
E. 
Access. Each required off-street parking space shall open directly upon an aisle or driveway of such width and design as to provide safe and efficient means of vehicular access to such parking space. All off-street parking facilities shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movements. No driveway across public property nor curb cut shall exceed a width of 40 feet.
F. 
In yards. Off-street parking required for uses permitted in residential districts may be located in a required rear yard only. Off-street parking for permitted uses in manufacturing, industrial or business districts may be located in a required rear or side yard, except the 10 feet adjacent to the rear or side lot line adjacent to a residential district.
G. 
Open and enclosed parking spaces. Accessory parking spaces located on the same lot as occupied by the use served may be open to the sky or enclosed in a building. Accessory parking spaces located in a residence district elsewhere than on the same lot occupied by the use served shall be open to the sky except when otherwise allowed.
H. 
Screening and landscaping. All open automobile parking areas containing more than four parking spaces shall be effectively screened on each side adjoining or fronting on any property situated in a residence district or any institutional property by a wall, fence or densely planted compact hedge not less than five feet nor more than seven feet in height. Such required screening shall conform with the front yard requirements of the district in which the parking is located.
I. 
Surfacing. All open off-street parking areas, except a single parking space accessory to a one-family dwelling, shall be improved with a compacted macadam base or equal, not less than four inches thick, surfaced with asphaltic concrete or some comparable all-weather dustless material.
J. 
Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be directed away from residential properties in such a way as not to create a nuisance.
K. 
Signs. Accessory signs are permitted on parking areas.
L. 
Repair and service.
(1) 
No motor vehicle repair work of any kind shall be permitted in conjunction with accessory off-street parking facilities provided in a residence district.
(2) 
The sale of gasoline and motor oil in conjunction with accessory off-street parking facilities is not permitted in any residence district.
M. 
Floor area exemptions. When two or more uses are located on the same zoning lot, only one exemption in terms of floor area, as set forth in the Schedule of Parking Requirements below, shall be taken.
The location of off-street parking spaces in relation to the use served shall be as prescribed hereinafter. All distances specified shall be walking distances between such parking spaces and a main entrance to the use served.
A. 
Uses in a residence district. Parking spaces accessory to dwellings shall be located on the same zoning lot as the use served. Spaces accessory to uses other than dwellings may be located on a lot adjacent to, or directly across a street or alley from, the lot occupied by the use served, but in no case at a distance in excess of 300 feet from such use.
B. 
Uses in business and manufacturing districts. All required parking spaces shall be within 500 feet of the use served, except for spaces accessory to dwelling units (except those located in a transient hotel), which shall be within 300 feet of the use served. However, no parking spaces accessory to a use in a business or manufacturing district shall be located in a residence district, except that private, free, off-street parking accessory to such uses and municipal parking lots may be allowed by special use permit in accordance with the administrative section, within 200 feet of and adjacent to any business or industrial district.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. IV).
For the following uses, accessory off-street parking spaces shall be provided as required hereinafter. Parking spaces required on an employee basis shall be based on the maximum number of employees on duty, or residing, or both, on the premises at any one time.
A. 
Residential uses, as follows:
(1) 
One-family dwellings and two-family dwellings: One parking space shall be provided for each dwelling unit.
(2) 
Multiple-family dwellings (including apartment-hotels): Three parking spaces shall be provided for every two dwelling units. For lodging rooms located in an apartment-hotel, one parking space shall be provided for each two lodging rooms.
(3) 
Tourist courts, tourist homes, motels and motor hotels: One parking space shall be provided for each dwelling unit or lodging room, plus one space for the manager and each employee, plus parking as required herein for other ancillary uses such as restaurants and meeting rooms.
(4) 
Hotels, transient: One parking space for each dwelling unit and one parking space for each two lodging rooms shall be provided.
(5) 
Lodging houses: One parking space shall be provided for each two lodging rooms, plus one space for the owner or manager.
(6) 
Private clubs and lodges: One parking space shall be provided for each 200 square feet of floor area.
(7) 
Mobile home parks: One parking space shall be provided for each trailer plus one space for each employee, plus parking for visitors equal to 10% of the number of mobile homes.
B. 
Retail and service uses, as follows:
(1) 
Retail stores and banks:
(a) 
One parking space shall be provided for each 200 square feet of floor area.
(b) 
Drive-in banks or other similar drive-in establishments shall provide three stacking spaces per teller or customer service window.
(2) 
Automobile service stations: One parking space shall be provided for each employee.
(3) 
Automobile laundries: Twenty stacking spaces shall be provided for each wash rack, plus one parking space for each employee.
(4) 
Bowling alleys: Five parking spaces shall be provided for each alley, plus such additional spaces as may be required herein for affiliated uses, such as bars, restaurants and the like.
(5) 
Establishments dispensing food or beverages for consumption on the premises: One parking space shall be provided for each 200 square feet of floor area.
(6) 
Furniture and appliance stores, household equipment or furniture repair shops: One parking space shall be provided for each 600 square feet of floor area.
(7) 
Motor vehicle sales and machinery sales: One parking space shall be provided for each 300 square feet of floor area.
(8) 
Theaters (indoor): One parking space shall be provided for each three seats.
(9) 
Undertaking establishments, funeral parlors: Twenty parking spaces shall be provided for each chapel or parlor, plus one parking space for each funeral vehicle kept on the premises; in addition, there shall be provided stacking space for not less than 10 automobiles for funeral procession assembly.
(10) 
Offices, business, professional and governmental: One parking space shall be provided for each 200 square feet of floor area.
(11) 
Wholesale establishments (but not including warehouses and storage buildings other than accessory): One parking space shall be provided for each 600 square feet of floor area.
(12) 
Establishments engaged in production, processing, cleaning, servicing, testing or repair of materials, goods or products: One parking space shall be provided for each employee, plus one parking space for each vehicle used in the conduct of the enterprise.
(13) 
Warehouses and storage buildings: One parking space shall be provided for each employee, plus one parking space for each vehicle used in the conduct of the enterprise.
C. 
Community services uses, as follows:
(1) 
Church, school, college and other institutional auditoriums: One parking space shall be provided for each three auditorium seats. Adequate space shall also be provided for buses used in connection with the activities of the institution, and all loading and unloading of passengers shall take place upon the premises.
(2) 
Colleges, universities and business, professional and trade schools: One parking space shall be provided for each three employees, and one parking space shall be provided for each four students, based on the maximum number of students attending classes on the premises at any one time during any twenty-four-hour period.
(3) 
Health centers, government-operated: Three parking spaces shall be provided for each staff and visiting doctor.
(4) 
Hospitals: One parking space shall be provided for each two hospital beds, plus one parking space for each two employees, other than the staff doctors, plus one parking space for each doctor assigned to the staff.
(5) 
Libraries, art galleries and museums, public: One parking space shall be provided for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
(6) 
Municipal or privately owned recreation buildings or community centers: One parking space shall be provided for each employee, plus one space for each 300 square feet of floor space.
(7) 
Public utility and public service uses: One and one-half parking spaces shall be provided for each employee, plus one space for each vehicle used in the conduct of the enterprise.
(8) 
Schools, nursery, elementary, and high: One parking space shall be provided for each employee, plus 10 spaces for each 100 pupils.
D. 
Places of assembly, as follows:
(1) 
Stadiums, arenas, auditoriums (other than church, school, college, or other institutional auditoriums), convention halls, exhibition halls, and other similar places of assembly: Parking spaces equal in number to 50% of the capacity in persons shall be provided.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. IV).
E. 
Miscellaneous uses, as follows:
(1) 
Fraternities sororities and dormitories: One parking space shall be provided for each five active members, plus one parking space for the manager thereof.
(2) 
Mental health institutions: One parking space shall be provided for each staff doctor, plus spaces adequate in number, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, to serve the visiting public.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. IV).
(3) 
Rest homes or nursing homes: One parking space shall be provided for each four beds, plus one parking space for each two employees (other than staff doctors), plus one parking space for each doctor assigned to the staff.
(4) 
Sanitariums, convalescent homes or institutions for the aged or for children: One parking space shall be provided for each four beds, plus one parking space for each two employees (other than staff doctors), plus one parking space for each doctor assigned to the staff.
(5) 
Theaters, automobile drive-in: Reservoir parking space equal to 10% of the vehicle capacity of such theaters shall be provided.
F. 
For the following uses, parking spaces shall be provided in adequate number, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, to serve persons employed or residing on the premises as well as the visiting public:
(1) 
Airports or aircraft landing fields; heliports.
(2) 
Convents and monasteries.
(3) 
Crematories and mausoleums.
(4) 
Fraternal or religious institutions.
(5) 
Outdoor amusement establishments, such as fairgrounds, permanent carnivals, kiddie parks, and other similar amusement centers.
(6) 
Penal and correctional institutions.
(7) 
Rectories and parish houses.
(8) 
Swimming pools.
G. 
Mixed uses. When two or more uses are located on the same zoning lot within the same building, parking spaces equal in number to the sum of the separate requirements for each use shall be provided. No parking space or portion thereof shall serve as a required space for more than one use unless otherwise authorized by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
H. 
Other uses. For uses not listed heretofore in this schedule of parking requirements, parking spaces shall be provided on the same basis as required for the most similar listed use, or as determined by the Zoning Administrator.
A. 
Location. All required loading berths shall be located on the same zoning lot as the use served. No loading berth for vehicles over two tons' capacity shall be closer than 50 feet to any property in a residence district unless completely enclosed by building walls, or a uniformly painted solid fence or wall, or any combination thereof, not less than six feet in height. No permitted or required loading berth shall be located within 25 feet of the nearest point of intersection of any two streets.
B. 
Size. Unless otherwise specified, a required loading berth shall be at least 10 feet in width by at least 25 feet in length, exclusive of aisles and maneuvering space, and shall have a vertical clearance of at least 14 feet.
C. 
Access. Each required off-street loading berth shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movements.
D. 
Surfacing. All open off-street loading berths shall be improved with a compacted macadam base, not less than seven inches thick, surfaced with not less than two inches of asphaltic concrete or some comparable all-weather dustless material.
E. 
Repair and service. No motor vehicle repair work or service of any kind shall be permitted in conjunction with loading facilities provided in any residence or business district.
F. 
Space allocated to any off-street loading berth shall not, while so allocated, be used to satisfy the space requirements for any off-street parking facilities or portions thereof.
G. 
For special uses other than prescribed for hereinafter, loading berths adequate in number and size to serve such uses, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, shall be provided.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. IV).
H. 
Uses for which off-street loading facilities are required herein but which are located in buildings of less floor area than the minimum prescribed for such required facilities shall be provided with adequate receiving facilities off any adjacent alley, service drive or open space on the same lot which is accessible by motor vehicle.
For the uses listed in the following table, off-street loading berths shall be provided on the basis of the gross floor area of buildings or portions thereof devoted to such uses in the amounts shown herein:
Schedule of Loading Requirements
Use
Gross Floor Area
(square feet)
Required Number of Berths
Minimum Horizontal Dimensions of Berths
(feet)
Hospitals, sanitariums and other institutional uses
Hotels, clubs and lodges, except as set forth in "Establishments dispensing food or beverages for consumption on the premises" below
Hotels, clubs and lodges, when containing any of the following: retail shops, convention halls, auditoriums, exhibition halls or business or professional offices (other than accessory)
10,000 to 200,000
1
10 x 25
For each additional 200,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 25
10,000 to 20,000
1
10 x 25
20,000 to 150,000
1
10 x 25
For each additional 150,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 50
Retail stores
Establishments dispensing food or beverages for consumption on the premises
Motor vehicle and machinery sales
Wholesale establishments (but not including warehouse and storage buildings other than accessory)
5,000 to 10,000
1
10 x 25
10,000 to 25,000
2
10 x 25 each
25,000 to 40,000
2
10 x 50 each
For each additional 200,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 50
Auditoriums, convention halls, exhibition halls, sports arenas, stadiums
Bowling alleys
10,000 to 20,000
1
10 x 25
20,000 to 100,000
1
10 x 25
For each additional 100,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 50
Banks and offices, business, professional and governmental
10,000 to 100,000
1
10 x 25
For each additional 100,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 25
For each additional 500,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 25
Establishments engaged in production, processing, cleaning, servicing, testing or repair of materials, goods or products
Warehouses and storage buildings
5,000 to 10,000
1
10 x 25
10,000 to 40,000
1
10 x 50
40,000 to 100,000
2
10 x 50 each
For each additional 100,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 50
Theaters
8,000 to 25,000
1
10 x 50
For each additional 50,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 25
Undertaking establishments and funeral parlors
8,000 to 100,000
1
10 x 25
For each additional 100,000 or fraction thereof
1 additional
10 x 25