City of Taneytown, MD Article VI Off-Street Parking and Loading

§ 205-36 General requirements.

[Amended 8-13-1990 by Ord. No. 12-90]

A. Off-street parking shall be required in accordance with the provisions of this section as a condition precedent to the occupancy of any building or use so as to alleviate traffic congestion on streets. Parking facilities shall be provided whenever:

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

(2) The use of an existing building is changed to a use requiring more parking facilities.

(3) An existing building or use is altered or enlarged so as to increase the amount of parking space required.

B. Adequate off-street loading and unloading space shall be provided on the same premises with every building erected or occupied for any use which involves the receipt or distribution of materials or merchandise by motor vehicle. This space shall be so placed and arranged as not to interfere with the free movement of vehicles and pedestrians over a public road. The Board of Appeals may grant a special exception where hardship would result when an existing use is expanded and the off-street loading and unloading requirements of this chapter would otherwise have to be met.

C. Existing buildings located in the Downtown Business District[1] are exempt from parking requirements.

[Added 8-9-1999 by Ord. No. 8-99]

[1] Editor's Note: The Local Business District was changed to the Downtown Business District 3-10-2003 by Ord. No. 1-2003. See § 205-19.

D. No major recreational equipment shall be parked or stored on any lot in a residential district in such a way that it will impair the sight distance along any street or access to any street, or within any front yard, beyond the limits of a driveway, of a residential lot. No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot or in any location not approved for that use. For purposes of these regulations, "major recreational equipment" is defined as including boat trailers, enclosed or open trailers, cases or boxes which may be used for transporting recreational equipment whether occupied by that equipment or not, and recreational vehicles such as but not limited to travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, pop-up or hi-low campers, coaches or other motorized dwellings.

[Amended 5-9-2011 by Ord. No. 2-2011]

E. All parking facilities designed for more than five vehicles shall not be closer than five feet to any property line or right-of-way line.

F. All parking spaces for dwellings in the R-7,500 and R-10,000 Districts shall be designed so that no parking space greater than one vehicle width shall be positioned in the area between the front of the dwelling and the sidewalk and/or street.

[Amended 8-9-1999 by Ord. No. 8-99]

§ 205-37 Schedule of required off-street parking spaces.

[Amended 9-23-1985 by Ord. No. 7-85; 10-9-1989 by Ord. No. 11-89]

A. Residential: three spaces for each dwelling unit.

B. Institutional.

(1) Church: one space for each four seats of permanent seating.

(2) School: one space for each two teachers, employees or administrators and, in high schools, one space for each 10 students.

(3) College: one space for each two teachers, employees or administrators and one space for each five students.

(4) Municipal building and offices: one space for each 200 square feet of office floor area plus one space for each employee on the largest shift.

(5) Hospital: one space for each three beds plus one space for each employee on the largest shift.

(6) Convalescent home: one space for each four guest rooms or apartment unit plus one space for each employee.

(7) Medical or dental clinic: three spaces for each professional or paraprofessional using the premises.

(8) Cultural, civic, educational, social or community service buildings, theaters, auditoriums and skating rinks: one space for each three seats or one space for each 100 square feet of gross floor area, whichever requires the greater number of spaces.

(9) Public libraries and senior citizens centers: one space for each 200 square feet of floor area.

C. Commercial.

(1) Stores for the retailing or maintaining of goods: one space for each 400 square feet of usable floor area.

(2) Personal service shops and offices: one space for each 200 square feet of usable floor area.

(3) Motel and hotel: one space for each rental unit plus one additional space for every two full-time employees.

(4) Banks and financial institutions: one space for each 100 square feet of gross floor area.

(5) Shopping center: one space shall be provided for each 200 square feet of floor area comprising the shopping center.

(6) Eating and drinking establishments: one space for each 100 square feet of gross floor area or one space per three seats, whichever requires the greater number of spaces.

(7) Automobile, trailer or implement sales and service, auto service station and car washes: one space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area.

(8) Club: one space for each four seats in the building or one space for each 60 square feet of floor area devoted to patron use, whichever is greater.

(9) Bowling alley: four spaces per bowling lane.

(10) Swimming club: one space for each 30 square feet of water surface.

(11) Golf course: one space for each acre of land.

(12) Professional offices and buildings: one space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area.

(13) Commercial sports facility: one space per three persons maximum occupancy.

[Added 3-8-2010 by Ord. No. 2-2010]

D. Industrial: one space for each two employees in the largest working shift. Additional parking to be provided for visitors shall be determined by the industry.

§ 205-38 Additional regulations.

[Amended 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 3-89]

A. Parking spaces shall be on the same lot as the principal building or open area, except when authorized as a special exception by the Board of Appeals.

B. The Board of Appeals may authorize as a special exception a reduction in the number and size of off-street parking spaces in cases where the applicant can justify the reduction and still provide adequate facilities.

C. For any specific building or use which is not described in § 205-37, the Zoning Administrator shall apply the unit of measurement deemed to be the most similar to the proposed building or use.

D. One or more parking lots may be designed to serve a multiple number of commercial, industrial or institutional uses so long as the total requirements shall be equal to the sum of the requirements of the component uses computed separately.

E. All parking facilities and all loading areas and access drives shall have an asphalt, concrete or similar all-weather surface in accordance with City specifications. Appropriate bumper guards or curbs shall be provided in order to define such parking spaces or limits of paved areas and to prevent vehicles from projecting into required yards. All curbs and bumper guards shall be constructed in accordance with standards established by the City through the office of the City Engineer.

F. Parking and loading areas shall be illuminated whenever necessary to protect the public safety. This illumination shall be designed and located so that the light sources are shielded from adjoining residences and residential streets and shall not be of excessive brightness or cause a glare hazardous to pedestrians or drivers.

G. The treatment of surface water shall be handled by accepted engineering practices in accordance with City specifications.