[Ord. No. 08-31, 10-7-2009]
No land shall be used or occupied and no structure shall be erected or used unless the off-street parking spaces required herein are provided. Uses and structures, which are nonconforming by parking, are controlled by § 16-8, While it is the intent of this article to require minimum off-street parking and loading facilities, excessive paving of land that supplies significantly more than the minimum numbers of spaces is discouraged.
(a) 
Location of required parking spaces. The off-street parking spaces required by this appendix shall be on the same lot as the structure or use they are intended to serve, or on an abutting lot.
(b) 
Shared parking. No part of an off-street parking area required for any building or use for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this article shall be included as a part of an off-street parking area similarly required for another building or use unless allowed by the Zoning Board of Review pursuant to subsection 18-4(e).
[Ord. No. 08-31, 10-7-2009]
(a) 
Minimum size of parking spaces. Each parking space shall be marked by painted lines and contain the following minimum dimensions affecting the width and length of individual parking stalls and the width of aisles in all districts, exclusive of necessary drives and other access ways. A driveway may be considered a required parking space only for a detached single- or two-family dwelling and need not contain painted lines.
In addition, all nonresidential land uses shall provide handicapped parking spaces which meet the design standards specified in accordance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
Parking Space Dimensions
Minimum width
9 feet
Minimum length
18 feet
Minimum aisle width:
90° angle
24 feet
60° angle
18 feet
45° angle
13 feet
30° angle
11 feet
0° (parallel parking)
12 feet
(b) 
Setbacks of parking spaces. No parking space or aisle (back-up space) shall be less than 10 feet from any front or corner side yard line. No parking space or aisle shall be less than five feet from any building, except where greater setbacks are required. Parking spaces less than 10 feet from any building shall be separated from such building by raised curb, bumper or wheel guards. The requirements of this subsection shall not apply to detached single or two-family dwellings.
(c) 
Entrance and exit. Each parking space shall be designed with adequate off-street area for approach, turning and exit without the need or ability to use any part of a street. In all districts except residential districts, driveways shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width for each lane of traffic using such driveway and the width of any driveway shall not exceed 30 feet.
(d) 
Construction requirements. Every parcel of land which, after the effective date of this appendix or any amendment thereto, is changed which includes a parking area for more than 10 vehicles, or to a drive-in business or motor vehicle sales or service establishment, shall be developed as follows, subject to the approval of plans thereof by the Building Official.
(1) 
Such parking area shall be treated with bituminous or other suitable surfacing and shall have appropriate bumper or wheel guards where needed. However, use of pervious materials such as gravel, is allowed and encouraged within 200 feet of the Blackstone River or other water bodies and wetlands. The use of "best management practices" (BMP's) to control the volume and quality of stormwater run-off shall be required.
(2) 
The interior of parking areas shall be suitably landscaped with trees, shrubs, vegetation or ground cover. At least one landscaped area shall be provided for every 20 parking spaces. Such areas shall be appropriately located to prevent long, uninterrupted rows of parking spaces. Landscaped areas shall be separated and protected from parking areas by curbing or other means.
(3) 
Any light used to illuminate said parking area should be so arranged as to reflect the light away from adjoining premises and streets.
(4) 
Border screening using dense shrubbery or solid fence of at least four feet in height shall be required wherever parking areas abut residential uses or A or R zones.
(5) 
On commercial and industrial properties, parking shall be located and designed in accordance with Appendix B(L)(3).
[Ord. No. 08-31, 10-7-2009]
The minimum number of off-street parking spaces required for each use shall be as set forth in the following table. Where the resulting number of spaces includes a fraction thereof, the required number of spaces shall be rounded up to the next highest integer. All uses, whether considered accessory or not, must comply with the following requirements:
Parking Requirements by Use
Use
Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Residential:
Dwelling Unit
2 spaces per D.U.
Elderly housing
1 space per D.U.
Nursing home, assisted living
1 space per 4 beds, plus 1 space for every 2 employees (largest shift)
Rooming house
1 space per 2 rooms
Office:
1 space per 300 square feet GFA
Service:
Business and commercial General service
1 space per 300 square feet GFA
Hotel/Motel
1 space per bedroom
Funeral home
2.5 spaces per 300 square feet of assembly area, or 10 spaces per parlor, whichever is greater
Theater and auditorium
1 space per 4 seats
Indoor commercial recreation
1 space per 200 square feet GFA
Outdoor recreation facility
1 space per 5 persons at maximum capacity, plus 1 space per 500 square feet GFA within enclosed buildings.
Gas and service station
1 space per employee (largest shift), plus 4 spaces per bay
Retail:
Restaurant
1 space per 4 seats or 1 space per 300 square feet GFA, whichever is greater
Fast food
1 space per 2 seats or 1 space per 150 square feet GFA, whichever is greater
Convenience store
1 space per 300 square feet GFA
New and used vehicle sales
1 space per 300 square feet GFA
Furniture, appliance or carpet sales
1 space per 300 square feet GFA
Video rental store
1 space per 300 square feet GFA
Other retail uses
1 space per 300 square feet GFA, plus 1 space per employee (largest shift)
Transportation and Utility:
Public and private utilities
1 space per 300 square feet GFA
Commercial vehicle terminal
1 space per 400 square feet GFA
Transportation Center
Spaces adequate for employees, passengers and others as determined by the Building Official
Institutional:
Place of worship
1 space per 3 seats plus 1 per room
Pre-school or Day Care
1 space per employee (largest shift) plus 1 space per 12 children.
Primary or junior high school
3 spaces per classroom
High school
1 space per 5 students
Post secondary school or college
1 space per 3 students
Hospital
1 space per 2 beds, plus 1 space for every 2 employees (largest shift)
Nursing home
1 space per 2 beds
Convalescent home
1 space per unit
Recreation:
Theater and auditorium
1 space per 4 seats
Indoor commercial recreation
1 space per 200 square feet GFA
Outdoor recreation facility
1 space per 5 persons at maximum capacity, plus 1 space per 500 square feet GFA within enclosed buildings.
Library, museum
1 space per 500 square feet GFA
Industrial:
Wholesale business, storage space and warehouses
1 space per employee (largest shift) plus 1 space for each company vehicle
Manufacturing, processing, assembly or packaging
1 space per employee (largest shift) plus 1 space for each company vehicle
[Ord. No. 08-31, 10-7-2009]
No land shall be used or occupied and no structures shall be erected or used for commercial or industrial purposes unless the off-street loading spaces required herein are provided. Off-street loading spaces as specified in this article shall be provided subject to the requirements of this section for any enlargement or alteration to any such existing structure or use.
(a) 
Location of required loading spaces. The off-street loading spaces required by this article shall be in all cases on the same lot or parcel of land as the use or structure they are intended to serve. In no case shall any required off-street loading space be part of an area used to satisfy the off-street parking requirements of this article. Each loading area shall be designed with adequate off-street area as required for parking spaces by this article. To the extent possible, loading areas shall be to the rear of any building, or shall be screened.
[Ord. No. 08-31, 10-7-2009]
For each commercial and industrial enterprise of over 2,500 square feet of gross floor or ground area in which commodities are sold, displayed, serviced, repaired, altered or fabricated as the principal use of the enterprise, the first off-street loading space shall be required for the first 10,000 square feet of gross floor area. Thereafter, one off-street loading space shall be required for every additional 40,000 square feet of gross floor area. Each off-street loading space shall consist of the following dimensions:
Length
60 feet
Width
14 feet
Clearance
15 feet
Additional off-street loading spaces shall be required by the Building Official when necessary to provide adequate area for off-street loading. Detailed plans for off-street loading space provision and use may be required before the issuance of any building permit.
[Ord. No. 08-31, 10-7-2009]
The expansion or change of use of a lawfully established use of a building, structure or land that does not meet the parking requirements of this article (nonconforming by parking), is governed by § 16-8. Relief from the required number of parking and/or loading spaces in all other circumstances may be provided by the Zoning Board of Review as a dimensional variance under the provisions of Article 18.