Belmont Zoning Code § 8.2

• (a) Landscaped Buffer for Parking Structure. A parking structure that does not incorporate ground-floor nonresidential or residential use or is not otherwise screened or concealed at street frontages on the ground level, must provide a landscaped area at least 10 feet wide between the parking garage and public street.

  • (b) Residential Districts and Institutional Premises. All open automobile parking areas containing more than four parking spaces must be effectively screened on each side adjoining or fronting on any property situated in a Residential District or any institutional premises by a wall, fence or densely planted compact hedge not less than four feet nor more than six feet in height. Screening must conform with the front and side yard setback requirements of the district in which the parking is located.

  • (c) Parking Structure Rooftop Planting . Uncovered parking on the top level of a parking structure must have rooftop planters with a minimum dimension of 24 inches around the entire perimeter of the top floor.

• 8.2.3.12 Screening . To the extent feasible, new parking areas should be screened from public streets and adjacent lots in a more restrictive district, according to the following standards.

  • (a) Height . Screening of parking lots from adjacent public streets must be three feet in height. Screening of parking lots along interior lot lines that abut residential districts shall be six feet in height, except within the required front setback of the applicable zoning district, where screening must be three feet in height.

  • (b) Materials . Screening may consist of one or any combination of the methods listed below.

    • (1) Walls . Low-profile walls consisting of brick, stone, stucco, or other quality durable material and including a decorative cap or top finish as well as edge detail at wall ends. Plain concrete blocks are not allowed as screening wall material unless capped and finished with stucco or other material.

    • (2) Fences . An open fence of wrought iron or similar material combined with plant materials to form an opaque screen. Use of chain-link or vinyl fencing for screening purposes is prohibited.

    • (3) Planting . Plant materials consisting of compact evergreen plants that form an opaque screen. The plant materials must achieve a minimum height of two feet within 18 months after initial installation.

    • (4) Berms . Berms planted with grass, ground cover, or other low-growing plant materials.

• 8.2.3.13 Lighting . Except for those facilities serving four or fewer residential units, all open parking areas must have with exterior lighting meeting the following minimums:

  • (a) The lighting system must provide not less than one footcandle and not more than five footcandles overall average illumination with a minimum of one-fourth footcandles on the parking surface.

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• (b) All lighting must be on a time clock or photo-sensor system so as to be turned off during daylight hours and during any hours when the parking area is not in use. This requirement does not apply to security lighting.

  • (c) All parking area lighting must meet applicable energy efficiency requirements of the Building Code s .

  • (d) All lighting must be designed to confine direct rays to the premises. No light fixture may emit any direct light above a horizontal plane through the fixture. No spillover beyond the lot line is permitted, except onto public thoroughfares.

• 8.2.3.14 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. The number of required electric vehicle (EV) charging stations must be consistent with the number required by applicable Building Codes and the City’s Reach Codes at the time of permit application. These spaces may be counted towards parking requirements.

  • (a) Size . Electric vehicle charging stations must be the same size as other spaces, and electric vehicle charging equipment shall not reduce the size of the space.

  • (b) Signage . Each electrical vehicle charging station must be clearly marked with a sign reading “Electrical Vehicle Charging Station” and the associated California Vehicle Code restrictions, and only a vehicle that is connected for electric charging may park in the stalls or spaces so designated.

  • (c) Equipment . Electrical vehicle charging stations must be wired for a minimum of 240 volts and 32 amps, designed to allow for future provision of higher amperage conduit, equipped with electrical outlets, and may also be equipped with card readers, controls, connector devices and other equipment, as necessary for public use.

• (a) Location . Parking must be located either underground, or behind habitable, landscaped, or public plaza space or otherwise appropriately screened from view from a public street. For purposes of this requirement, alleys are not considered public streets. Parking is not permitted to be located between a public street and a building, except on corner lots, if approved as a modification to development standards in accordance with Section 8.3.

• (b) Non-residential Uses . Required parking spaces serving commercial, office, and other non-residential uses must be located on the same lot as the use they serve, or in an offsite parking facility as provided in Subsection 8.2.5, Off-site Parking Facilities.

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Figure 8.2-4: Parking Location

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(c) Residential Uses .

• (1) R-1 and R-2 Zones . For uses in a Single (R-1) or Duplex Residential (R-2) District, the following standards apply.

  • (A) Parking and garage space accessory to dwellings must be located on the same site as the use served.

  • (B) Uncovered parking spaces may extend into the unused portion of the right-ofway up to the outside edge of street improvements, such as sidewalk, provided they would not obstruct any existing or possible future street improvements that are necessary for public use (i.e., future sidewalk, curb or gutter installation, utility needs, etc.), as determined by the Public Works Director.

  • (C) A required driveway area for a single or duplex residential dwelling may be used to satisfy the off-street uncovered parking requirement for such use(s) provided minimum stall dimensions as required Table 8.2.3-1 “Parking Dimensions” are met.

  • (D) Paving between the front of the dwelling and the front property line is limited to required driveways and one paved walkway to the front building entrance, of no more than 48 inches in width.

• (2) All other Residential Zones . Required parking for residential uses must be located on the same lot as the dwelling served, or in a common parking area not more than 400 feet from the dwellings served. Parking may not be located within a required front setback area or yard or street-facing side setback area or yard.

• 8.2.5 OFF-SITE PARKING FACILITIES. A parking facility serving one or more non-residential uses located on a site other than the location of the use(s) may be used to satisfy the use’s onsite parking requirement so long as the parking is available under an enforceable parking agreement and approved by the Director if the standards of this subsection are met.

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• (a) Location . Any off-site parking facility must be located within 1,000 feet, along a pedestrian route, of the principal entrance containing the use(s) for which the parking is required.

• (b) Parking Agreement . A written agreement between the landowner(s) and the owner of the use in a form satisfactory to the City Attorney and recorded against the parking lot property in favor of the use property, which includes:

  • (1) A guarantee among the landowner(s) for access to and use of the parking facility; and

  • (2) Reasonable notice provisions so that replacement spaces can be secured if use of the off-site parking facility is terminated.

• 8.3 PARKING EXCEPTIONS, REDUCTIONS AND ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE . The number of required on-site motor vehicle parking spaces may be modified in accordance with the provisions of this Subsection through the modification to development standards review process.

• 8.3.1 PARKING ANALYSIS. In order to evaluate a proposed project’s compliance with any the criteria within Section 8.3, the Community Development Director may require submittal of a parking analysis prepared by an independent traffic engineering professional approved by the City that substantiates the basis for granting any exception, reduction, and/or alternative compliance.

• 8.3.2 PARKING SPACES BELOW THE MINIMUM. To provide less than the minimum number of private parking spaces allowed by Table 8.2-1 or Table 8.2-2, the Community Development Director may approve the reduction, subject to the following criteria:

  • (a) The subject property is not zoned R-1;

  • (b) That adequate measures will be put in place through a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program, to the satisfaction of the Community Development Director to reduce parking demand, such as promoting use of public transit, bicycling, and walking, and allowing modified working hours and telecommuting; and

  • (c) The use will adequately be served by the proposed parking; and,

  • (d) The use proposed is compatible with the surrounding area and would enhance development in the vicinity.

• 8.3.3 REDUCTION FOR SHARED PARKING. Where a shared parking facility serving more than one use will be provided, the total number of required parking spaces may be reduced by the Community Development Director, subject to the following criteria:

  • (a) The peak hours of use will not overlap or coincide to the degree that peak demand for parking spaces from all uses will be greater than the total supply of spaces;

  • (b) The adequacy of the quantity and efficiency of parking provided will equal or exceed the level that can be expected if parking for each use were provided separately;

  • (c) In the case of a shared parking facility that serves more than one property, a parking agreement has been prepared consistent with the provisions for Off-site Parking Facilities.

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• (d) The use will adequately be served by the proposed parking; and,

• (e) The Community Development Director finds that the use proposed is compatible with the surrounding area and would enhance development in the vicinity.

• 8.3.4 PARKING SPACES ABOVE THE MAXIMUM. To provide more than the maximum number of private parking spaces allowed by Table 8.2-1 or Table 8.2-2, the Community Development Director may approve the increase in parking spaces above the maximum, subject to the following criteria:

  • (a) For Excess Parking not Intended to be Shared . That the applicant has demonstrated that the additional parking is required to meet the anticipated parking demand of the proposed uses and that the additional parking will not adversely affect transit, bicycle, or pedestrian access to the site or other adjacent uses.

  • (b) For Excess Parking to be Shared . That all such excess spaces are designed and operated to be shared and publicly accessible parking spaces available for public use at any time. Property owners may charge an hourly, daily, or monthly fee for use of any such public access parking provided in excess of the maximum off-street parking limits of this subsection.