Borough of Mechanicsburg, PA PARKING AND LOADING

Whenever a use is new development, enlarged or changed, the additional parking required to serve such enlargement or change shall be in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. Requirements for landscaping and screening shall be in accordance with Part 4.

Minimum Dimensions.

Minimum dimensions. Each parking space in a parking lot or structure shall be defined in accordance with the dimensions of § 27-802. A standard 90° space is a minimum of nine feet wide and 18 feet long. Each handicapped parking space shall be 13 feet wide by 18 feet long, including the required ADA aisle.

A parking bay, for purposes of this chapter, shall include the area within a parking lot containing an access lane(s) and the parking spaces to which the lane provides access. A double-loaded parking bay denotes parking spaces on both sides of an access lane(s).

(c)

The minimum dimension, including access lane, across a double-loaded parking bay with parking spaces at right angles to the access lane shall be 60 feet, and for a single-loaded bay, 42 feet. Where parking spaces form a 45° angle with the access lane, the dimension across a double-loaded bay shall be at least 50 feet, and across a single-loaded bay, 31 feet. Where parking spaces form a 60° angle with the access lane, the dimension across a double-loaded bay shall be at least 56 feet, and across a single-loaded bay, 36 feet.

Maximum Distances of Parking From Use.

Parking to serve any multifamily residential building shall be located so that no required space is more than 200 feet from the building such space is designed to serve.

Parking to serve any nonresidential use shall be located so that no required space is more than 400 feet from the building or use such space is designed to serve.

On-street parking in front of the subject lot shall be permitted to be credited to the requirement of parking for a lot with a nonresidential use.

Enlargement or Change of Structure or Use.

Whenever a structure or use is enlarged or changed whereby 25% or more additional parking area is required to serve such enlargement or change, all parking areas for the new portion of development shall be in accordance with this Part.

Any change from a residential to commercial or industrial use shall comply in full with the requirements of this Part.

(5)

Where a structure or lot is of mixed uses, the total parking requirements for the various uses shall be added together to determine the total parking required on the lot.

(6)

On a single-family lot or townhouse lot, a garage and the driveway to it may count as required parking areas if sized appropriately to accommodate parking. Where dwelling units and/or commercial uses share parking and/or garage space, parking designated for one dwelling or commercial use shall not block that designated for other dwellings or commercial uses.

(7)

Design of parking lots.

Parking lot surfaces shall be constructed in accordance with applicable Borough construction, subdivision and land development and stormwater management standards and approved by the Borough Engineer.

Where interconnections between parking lots of two independent developments are provided, a landowner and/or developer may be entitled to one of the following incentives upon Borough Council approval:

[1]

A 25% reduction in required parking lot landscaping.

[2]

A five-foot decreased side or front yard setback requirement.

Handicapped-accessible parking space requirements. The number of handicap-accessible parking spaces shall be in accordance with the following table, unless otherwise defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act or equivalent provisions. The percentage of van-accessible spaces shall also be provided in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act or equivalent provisions.

Table 9: Required Handicapped Spaces
Total Parking in Lot	Required Minimum Number of Accessible 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

Requirements for off-street parking. The following table outlines the requirements for calculating minimum parking for an identified use. Where identified in the table, the first 2,000 square feet of said developed building/structure square footage shall not be applicable to said calculation.

[Amended by Ord. 1131, 12/18/2012; and by Ord. 1138, 6/17/2014]

Table 10: Parking Requirements
Use		Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements
	Residential Uses
1	Apartment, conversion
2	Family care facility	1 for each 300 square feet of gross floor area dedicated to use with a minimum of 2 spaces
3	Family day-care home	2 spaces
4	Group care facility	1 for every 4 residents, plus 1 for each employee on peak shift
5	Group day-care home	2 spaces, plus 1 space for each employee on peak shift
6	Life care facility, or portions thereof	1 for every 4 residents, plus 1 for each employee on peak shift
7	Manufactured/mobile home park	2 per dwelling unit
8	Dwelling unit, multifamily	2 per dwelling unit
9	Quadplex	2 per dwelling unit
10	Rooming/boardinghouse	1 for each 2 full-time staff, plus 1 for every 2 beds
11	Dwelling unit, single-family detached	2 per dwelling unit
12	Dwelling unit, single-family attached	2 per dwelling unit
13	Dwelling unit, single-family semidetached	2 per dwelling unit
14	Dwelling unit, two-family	2 per dwelling unit
	Nonresidential Uses
1	Adult facility (adult bookstore, theater, cabaret)	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
2	Agriculture activities	Parking demand analysis required
3	Animal hospital/care facility	1 per employee and 2 per exam table for offices greater than 2,000 square feet
4	Appliance store	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
5	Art gallery	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
6	Automotive dealer	Parking demand analysis required
7	Automotive parts store, including tube/tire supply	1 space per 400 square feet of showroom space, plus 1 space for each employee
8	Automotive rental enterprise	Parking demand analysis required
9	Automotive repair shop/service station	2 per service bay
10	Banking service, with drive-through	Parking demand analysis required
11	Banking service, without drive-through	Parking demand analysis required
12	Bed and breakfast	1 space for each guest room
13	Beer and ale wholesale distribution	Parking demand analysis required
14	Billboard	1 space per billboard
15	Brew pub	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
16	Building material and garden supply store	1 per 1,000 square feet of net lot area
17	Car wash	1 for every 200 square feet of office plus 4 stacking spaces for automatic wash; 2 stacking spaces for self-service
18	Cemetery	2, plus 1 for each 2 employees
19	Club, BYOB	Parking demand analysis required
20	Club, social	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
21	Coin-operated laundries and cleaning	1 space per 3 washers
22	Common area amenity (clubhouse)	1 for every 4 members, plus the number of spaces required for a low turnover restaurant is included
23	Communication tower	1 space
24	Community garden	N/A
25	Convenience store	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
26	Financial service, other	Parking demand analysis required
27	Fitness center	1 for each 400 square feet of gross floor area
28	Forestry and related activity	N/A
29	Fuel/energy recharge station (retail)	1 for each employee and employer
30	Funeral service	25 for the first parlor, plus 10 for each additional parlor
31	Furniture and home furnishing retail store	1 space per 400 square feet of showroom space, plus 1 space for each employee
32	Grocery store	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
33	Hardware store	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
34	Hospital/medical center	Parking demand analysis required
35	Hotel	Parking demand analysis required
36	Indoor commercial recreation	2 for every 1,000 square feet
37	Library	1 per 600 square feet
38	Lumber and construction material enterprise	1 for every 2,000 square feet of net lot area
39	Manufacturing, heavy	Parking demand analysis required
40	Manufacturing, light	Parking demand analysis required
41	Market garden	Parking demand analysis required
42	Massage therapy establishment	1 space per table
43	Medical and dental laboratory/clinic	1 space per 750 square feet of gross floor area or 1 space for each employee on peak shift, whichever is greater
44	Monument sales enterprise	1 for every 200 square feet of net flooring
45	Motel	Parking demand analysis required
46	Municipal use, firehouse and/or emergency medical services	1 space per peak shift employee and one space per 800 square feet of gross floor area
47	Museum	1 for every 400 square feet of public space, plus 1 for each employee
48	Office, small-scale business, professional and/or medical	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
49	Office, large-scale business, professional and/or medical	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
50	Parking lot/structure	N/A
51	Personal service enterprise	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
52	Place of worship/place of assembly	1 for every 8 seats in the largest meeting room
53	Power laundry, family and commercial	N/A
54	Public park, playground and municipal recreation area	Parking demand analysis required
55	Repair service shop, miscellaneous	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
56	Research and development	Parking demand analysis required
58	Restaurant with drive-in facility	Parking demand analysis required
59	Restaurant without drive-in facility	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
61	School, academic	Parking demand analysis required
62	School, arts	4 spaces per classroom
63	School, commercial	1 space per employee, plus 1 space per 5 students
64	Social services office	1 space for each employee
65	Store, retail (large-scale)	1 for every 200 square feet of net flooring
66	Store, retail (small-scale)	1 for every 200 square feet of net flooring
67	Tavern/bar	1 per 500 square feet above first 2,000 square feet
68	Theater	Parking demand analysis required
69	Tattoo establishment	2 spaces per customer chair
70	Trail	Parking demand analysis required
71	Utility use	1 space for each employee on peak shift, plus 1 space per service vehicle stored on the lot
72	Uses not otherwise provided for	Parking demand analysis required
73	Warehouse	1 space for each employee on peak shift or 1/2 space per 100 square feet, whichever is greater
	Accessory uses
1	Communication antenna	N/A
2	Apartment	2 per dwelling unit
3	Heliport	2 per helipad, plus 1 per employee
4	Home-based business/occupation, low impact	1 per employee
5	Home-based business/occupation, no impact	1 per employee
6	Public recycling collection/center	1 for every 200 square feet of net flooring
7	Residential-scale wind turbine	N/A
8	Seasonal outdoors farmers' market	N/A
9	Solar energy collection	N/A

Parking Demand Analysis.

For all land developments located within the OT and CMM Districts, as well as all multitenant developments located within an R District, C-G District, or I District, the landowner and/or developer shall prepare a parking demand analysis acceptable to the Borough Engineer. The analysis shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer as part of the site plan review process. Off-street parking requirements and plan approval shall be based in part on the effectiveness of the parking demand analysis.

The purpose of the parking demand analysis shall be to:

Optimize available parking resources.

Minimize construction and maintenance costs associated with parking areas.

(c)

Enhance community character.

A parking demand analysis shall be completed by using the following process:

Step 1: Initial Development Program.

[1]

The landowner and/or developer shall inventory the development program for the subject lot. The development program shall include a listing of each land use and its subsequent square footage.

Step 2: Determine Number of Shared Parking Spaces Needed.

[1]

The landowner and/or developer shall calculate, in accordance with the ratios presented in Table 10, the minimum quantity of parking spaces needed for each of the uses on the subject lot.

[2]

The landowner and/or developer shall sum the total number of parking spaces needed.

[3]

The total number of parking spaces shall be reduced by 25%.

Uses, other than residential, located within a six-hundred-foot radius of the municipal parking lot located on the north side of Strawberry Alley may include the spaces provided in said municipal parking lot as a part of the off-street parking requirement. Nonresidential permitted uses in the CMM District shall be exempt from off-street parking requirements.

[Amended by Ord. 1130, 6/5/2012]

(5)

Agreement. The landowner and/or developer shall submit a written and notarized agreement to the Borough stating the provisions of said shared parking strategy, applicable parties and the terms, if any, which shall apply to ensuring the continual use and access of identified parking spaces on the subject lot. In the event that the land use undergoes a change of ownership or the like, the agreement shall be updated to reflect the current landowner and/or developer of the lot. No agreement shall be terminable by a landowner except upon cessation of the use.

§ 27-802 Off-Street Parking Design Standards.

[Ord. 1112, 1/19/2010]

The minimum dimensions of parking facilities to be provided shall be as follows:

Parking lot dimensions shall be not less than those listed in the following table:

Table 11: Parking Dimensional Requirements
		Aisle Width
Angle of Parking	Stall Width (feet)	Stall Depth* (feet)	One-Way (feet)	Two-Way (feet)
90°	9	18	24	24
60°	10	22	18	20
45°	10	21	15	20
30°	10	19	12	20
Parallel	8	22	12	20

NOTES:
*	Depth of stall is the perpendicular measurement from the curb or edge of the parking lot toward the interior portion of the lot to be occupied by the parking vehicles and not including any part of the drive.

All dead-end parking lots shall be designed to provide sufficient backup area for the end stalls of the parking area.

Parking areas shall be designed so that each motor vehicle may proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring the moving of any other motor vehicle.

Where more than 10 parking spaces are required, a maximum of 40% of the parking spaces may be provided for compact vehicles. Each such compact parking space shall be not less than eight feet wide by 17 feet long. All compact parking spaces shall be located in the same area and be marked to indicate spaces designated for compact parking.

Setback for parking areas shall be provided as follows:

All parking spaces shall be located at least five feet from any multifamily dwelling building, office, commercial, institutional, industrial, and other similar nonresidential buildings located on the lot. The five-foot corridor thus established between the parking area and building shall be for the purpose of providing a pedestrian access walkway.

All parking spaces shall be at least five feet from any exterior lot line, except where buffer yards are required, in which case such parking spaces may not encroach on the buffer yard area.

No off-street parking area shall be located within a public right-of-way.

Separation.

Except at entrance and exit driveways, parking areas shall be physically separated from any public and/or private streets by a minimum five-foot planting strip.

In no case shall parking areas be designed to require or encourage cars to back into a public or private street in order to leave the parking areas.

All paved off-street parking spaces shall be marked so as to indicate their location.

Unless deemed unnecessary by the Borough Engineer, pedestrian crosswalks and landscaped refuge islands to separate the parking spaces from the exit, entrance, and circulatory driveways shall be provided for and approved by the Borough Engineer. Such landscaped areas may be considered as part of the vegetative coverage requirements set forth in the applicable zoning district provisions or as provided elsewhere in this chapter.

Buffer Yards. Buffer yards and screening shall be required for parking lots for four or more vehicles located on a lot adjacent to a residential use and shall be provided on each side which faces a residential use. Such buffer yard and screening shall be in accordance with buffer yard standards set forth in Part 4.

Curb radius. No less than a five-foot radius of curvature shall be permitted for all curblines in all parking lots.

§ 27-803 Off-street Loading and Unloading.

[Ord. 1112, 1/19/2010]

Required Berths and Spaces.

Any nonresidential use requiring the delivery or pickup of products or materials shall provide adequate off-street areas for the loading and unloading of vehicles. Such areas shall be provided for as follows.

All off-street loading and unloading areas shall be provided and maintained so long as the use exists which the facilities were designed to serve.

Design Standards. Off-street loading facilities shall be designed to conform to the following specifications:

Each required berth shall be not less than 12 feet in width, 45 feet in length and 14 feet in height, exclusive of access drives and maneuvering space, and located entirely on the lot being served.

There shall be appropriate means of access to a street or alley, as well as adequate maneuvering space.

The maximum width of the driveways and sidewalk openings, measured at the street lot line, shall be 40 feet; the minimum width shall be 20 feet.

All accessory driveways and entranceways shall be graded, surfaced and drained in accordance with applicable codes and ordinances of Mechanicsburg Borough.

(5)

Maneuvering space shall be provided adjacent to the loading area, if necessary, so that vehicles may change direction and leave as well as enter the loading area moving in a forward direction. Public roads, except alleys as designated by the Borough, adjacent to a loading area shall not be used for maneuvering. Areas established for off-street parking shall not be utilized for off-street loading or vehicle repair work.

(6)

Where there are multiple uses within a development, shared loading areas shall be used among as many uses as practical. Loading areas shall be adjacent to the use or building served; except that in a group of buildings in the same use on the same lot, one building may be designated to receive and dispatch goods, provided that the total applicable floor area in all buildings on the lot is aggregated in determining the total required loading spaces.

(7)

Whenever a use is enlarged or changed, the additional loading required to serve such enlargement or change shall be in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.

(8)

Loading areas and adjacent maneuvering space shall be surfaced with a permanent all-weather material placed over at least six inches of well-compacted base course, capable of bearing the weight of vehicles ordinarily traveling over or parking upon the surface, and shall be sloped to assure positive drainage to an approved stormwater management facility.

(9)

Loading areas may be lighted, but such lighting shall not create glare conditions on adjacent residential properties or streets and lighting shall not exceed zero footcandles at any lot line.

Access to the loading area on any lot shall be via a road or lane at least 12 feet in width for one-way traffic or 22 feet wide for two-way use, with a clearance of at least 14 feet six inches its entire length. In the OT or CMM District, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., alleys may be permitted for loading use.

When a loading area is to occur on a lot that abuts a residential use, the edges of such loading area between the residential zone and the loading area uninterrupted by buildings or screening topography shall be planted in accordance with the buffer yards defined by this chapter. A solid fence or wall at least 6 1/2 feet in height may be constructed in lieu of hedging as required by the buffer yard requirements, provided that such fence or wall is maintained in good condition.

(c)

Nothing in this section shall compel uses existing prior to passage of this chapter to comply with these loading requirements, except that any additions or intensifications of use upon the same lot shall be provided with loading areas in accordance with these requirements.

(10)

Required berths and spaces.