Chapter 18.20 — OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
Corte Madera Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · Corte Madera
Chapter 18.20 - OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
Sections:
18.20.010 - Purposes. ¶
Requirements and standards for off-street parking facilities and off-street loading facilities are established by this chapter to achieve the following purposes:
(1)
To alleviate or progressively prevent traffic congestion and shortage of curb spaces;
(2)
To ensure that off-street parking and loading facilities are provided incidental to new land uses and major alterations and enlargements of existing land uses in proportion to the need for such facilities created by the particular type of land use;
(3)
To ensure that off-street parking and loading areas are designed in a manner that will ensure maximum efficiency, protect the public safety, and where appropriate, insulate surrounding land uses from their impact.
(Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994)
18.20.020 - Basic requirements for off-street parking and loading.
The following requirements shall apply:
(1)
At the time of initial occupancy of a site or construction of a structure, off-street parking facilities and offstreet loading facilities shall be provided in accord with this chapter, except as prescribed in overlay districts.
(2)
Except for residential property, no existing use of land or structures shall be deemed to be nonconforming solely because of the lack of off-street parking or loading facilities required by this chapter; provided, that facilities being used for off-street parking and loading as of April 30, 1958, or as of the date of construction of the parking or loading facility, whichever is later, shall not be reduced in number to less than that required by this chapter.
(3)
Except for residential, the number of parking spaces or loading berths required for an enlargement of an existing use or structure, or for a change of use, shall be in addition to the number of spaces or berths existing before the enlargement or change of use unless the number of spaces on the site equals or exceeds the number required by this chapter for both the existing use and the change in use or enlargement. Requirements for additional parking shall be based on new additions to square footage only.
(4)
If a residential property contains the off-street parking spaces required by this chapter at the time of construction, or if its deficiency of parking spaces is a legal, nonconforming condition, a project to increase the size of the residence need not provide any additional spaces unless the proposal would cause the
residence to violate the height, lot coverage, floor area ratio or other regulation for the zone that effectively limit's the residence's size.
(5)
A parking lot may provide required parking for more than one use if the lot contains at least the sum of the required spaces for the individual uses. Where uses on the same site have different hours of operation, the same parking spaces may be considered to provide required parking for both uses.
(6)
This chapter's requirements for off-street loading facilities may be satisfied by a common truck loading facility; provided, that the total number of berths provided on the site shall not be less than the sum of the individual requirements, and; provided, that an executed copy of a contract between the parties agreeing to joint use of the common truck loading facility is filed with the Community Development Director.
(7)
If, in calculating required parking spaces or loading berths, a fractional number is obtained, one parking space or loading berth shall be provided for a fraction of one-half or more, and no space or berth shall be required for a fraction of less than one-half.
(8)
Each off-street parking area having ten or more spaces shall have landscaped areas equivalent to at least ten percent of the area of the parking lot. Additional landscaping may also be required as is appropriate to the design and function of the parking area.
All landscaped areas shall be equipped with an automatic irrigation system. A landscape plan, showing the locations and varieties of plant materials and specifying provisions for maintenance, shall be submitted for design review approval as prescribed in Chapter 18.30, Design Review.
(Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994)
(Ord. No. 1038, § 19, 7-16-2024)
18.20.030 - Required number of parking spaces. ¶
Subject to the provisions of Section 18.20.020, off-street parking spaces shall be provided at least in accord with the following schedule:
| Use | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Accessory Dwelling Unit | Unless otherwise specifed in chapter 18.31 or as required by state law, one on-site parking space shall be required for the accessory dwelling unit in addition to those required for the primary residence. The required parking space for the accessory dwelling unit shall be provided in a location permitted pursuant to chapter 18.31. |
| Automobile car wash | Spaces or reservoir (line-up) parking and drying area equivalent to fve times the capacity of the car wash |
| Automobile sales and service | One space per 200 square feet of enclosed sales and ofce agency area |
| --- | --- |
| One space per 600 square feet of area used for repairs and services | |
| One space per 4,000 square feet of area used for outdoor sales | |
| For auto sales, fve square feet of exterior vehicle storage space, exclusive of parking, per square foot of gross foor area |
|
| All customer parking shall be clearly marked and not be used for parking of unregistered vehicles |
|
| No damaged, wrecked or abandoned cars shall be stored in any exterior area for more than two weeks |
|
| Bank, fnancial institution, public or private utility ofce not in a shopping center |
One space for each 180 square feet of gross foor area |
| Bowling alley | Five spaces for each lane |
| College, art, craft, music or dancing; business, professional or trade school |
One space per 200 square feet of gross foor area |
| Commercial amusement device or establishment games | One vehicular parking space for each fve devices or games |
| Commercial service enterprise, repair shop, wholesale establishment, commercial recreation, retail store handling only bulky merchandise such as furniture household appliances or motor vehicles |
One space for each 400 square feet of gross foor area, except for foor area used for storage or truck loading |
| Convalescent hospital, rest home or sanitorium | One space for each three patient beds |
| Day school or nursery | One space for each three school care center employees plus one space for each ten students |
| Drive-through restaurant | One space for each 100 square feet of gross foor area, plus one additional space for each three employees. |
| Food store, grocery store, delicatessen, supermarket, or similar use, not in a shopping center |
One space for each 150 square feet of gross foor area |
| Hospital | Two spaces for each patient bed |
| Hotel, motel, apartment hotel or private club providing sleeping accommodations |
One space for each guest room or rental unit, plus one for each 900 gross square feet of public meeting area |
| Library, museum, art gallery or similar use | One space per 300 square feet of gross foor area |
| Medical or dental ofce | One space per 150 square feet of gross foor area |
| Multiple dwelling | One and one-half spaces, one of which is located in a garage or carport, for each efciency or one-bedroom unit |
| Two spaces, one of which is located in a garage or carport for each two-bedroom unit |
|
| One space per ten dwelling units, for the purpose of guest parking, for projects containing ten or more units - these spaces need not be located in a garage or carport |
|
| Notwithstanding the above requirements, parking spaces for multiple dwellings in a non-residential district need not be located in a garage or carport, and at least 50 percent of the parking spaces shall be |
|
| considered; within the meaning of Section 18.20.020(4), as having diferent hours of operation than non-residential uses |
|
| --- | --- |
| Recreational vehicle storage as may be prescribed by the planning commission |
|
| Nursing home, philanthropic or eleemosynary institution or religious institution providing sleeping accommodations |
One space for each two beds |
| Other business ofce, technical service ofce or administrative ofce |
One space for each 250 square feet of gross foor area |
| Personal service establishment, including barber or beauty shop, cleaning or laundry agency, or similar use, not in a shopping center |
One space for each 200 square feet of gross foor area |
| Place of public assembly including church, community center, private club or lodge, auditorium (including school or college auditorium) or gymnasium |
One space for each four seats in the principal assembly area or room, or one space for each 40 square feet in the principal assembly area or room if fxed seats are not provided |
| Plant nursery or similar outdoor sales and display establishment |
Five spaces, plus one additional space for each 1,000 square feet of outdoor sales, display or service area |
| Psychiatrist, psychologists and other mental health professionals, engaged in individual therapy |
One space per 200 square feet of gross foor area |
| Public building | One space for each 200 square feet of gross foor area |
| Public utility structure | One space for each three employees, plus such additional spaces as may be prescribed by the planning commission |
| Restaurant, soda fountain, bar, cocktail lounge or similar establishment for sale and consumption of food or beverages on the premises, not in a shopping center |
One space for each 75 square feet of gross foor area, plus one additional space for each three employees |
| Shopping center, retail store or service establishment in the C-1, C-2, C-3, or C-4 commercial districts under 20,000 square feet in size |
One space for each 200 square feet of gross foor area except for foor area used exclusively for truck loading |
| Shopping center retail store or service establishment in the C-1, C-2, C-3 or C-4 commercial districts 20,000 square feet or over in size |
One space for each 250 square feet of gross foor area except for foor area used exclusively for truck loading |
| Use | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Single-family dwelling | Two spaces per dwelling unit containing less than 4,000 square feet of gross habitable area, one of which must be covered, and one additional covered space for dwelling units containing over 4,000 square feet of gross habitable area |
| Theater | One space for each three seats |
| Warehouse or other storage, building or facility combined with a retail store, commercial service enterprise, repair shop, or wholesale establishment |
One space for each 800 square feet of gross foor area except for foor area used exclusively for truck loading, plus such additional spaces as may be prescribed by the planning commission |
For a use not specified in the schedule, the same number of off-street parking spaces shall be provided as are required for the most similar specified use.
Additional off-street parking spaces may be required by the planning commission for any use upon a finding that the additional spaces are needed to relieve a shortage of curb spaces, to provide adequate offstreet parking for a specific use, to facilitate the free flow of traffic on a street, or to reduce a hazard.
(Ord. 898 § 9, 2007: Ord. 886 § 4, 2004: Ord. 877 § 15, 2003: Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994; Ord. No. 961, § 7, 12-6-16; Ord. No. 976, § 5, 6-19-2018)
(Ord. No. 992, § 7, 1-21-2020; Ord. No. 1038, § 19, 7-16-2024)
18.20.040 - Required number of off-street bicycle parking spaces.
Bicycle parking spaces shall be required for all new commercial developments or multifamily residential developments, or for additions of over two thousand square feet to existing developments. Required bicycle parking shall be calculated on the basis of new or added square footage only. All bicycle parking spaces to be used after six p.m. shall have adequate security lighting. Bicycle parking spaces shall have minimum dimensions of two feet by six and one-half feet, and shall be designed to permit convenient locking of bicycles.
Bicycle parking spaces shall be provided at least in accord with the following schedule:
| Use | Required bicycle parking spaces |
|---|---|
| Lodginghouse, hotel, motel, apartment or private club providing sleeping accommodation |
0.2 spaces per unit, with a minimum of two spaces |
| Place of public assembly including church, community center, private club or lodge, auditorium (including school or college auditorium) or gymnasium |
One space per 500 square feet |
| School | 0.2 spaces per person |
| Theater | One space per 500 square feet |
| Medical or dental ofce | One space per 1,000 square feet |
| Other business ofce, technical service ofce, or administrative ofce |
One space per 1,000 square feet |
| Retail stores and service establishments | One space per 1,000 square feet |
| Restaurant, soda fountain, bar, cocktail lounge, or similar establishment for the sale and consumption of food or beverages on the premises, not in a shopping center |
One space per 400 square feet |
| Food store, grocery store, delicatessen, supermarket or similar use not in a shopping center |
One space per 1,000 square feet |
| Shopping center, retail store or service establishment in the C-1, C-2, C-3, or C-4 |
One space per 1,000 square feet |
| commercial districts under 20,000 square feet in size |
|
| --- | --- |
| Commercial amusement device establishment | One space per two commercial amusement devices |
| Shopping center, retail store or service establishment in the C-1, C-2, C-3, or C-4 commercial districts over 20,000 square feet in size |
One space per 2,000 square feet |
| Commercial service enterprise, repair shop, wholesale establishment, commercial recreation, retail store handling only bulky merchandise such as furniture, household appliances or motor vehicles |
One space per 2,000 square feet |
| Warehouse or other storage building or facility combined with a retail store, commercial service enterprise, repair shop or wholesale establishment |
One space per 3,000 square feet |
| Manufacturing plant or other industrial use | One space per 2,000 square feet |
| Public building | One space per 1,000 square feet |
(Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994) ;hn0; (Ord. No. 910, § 29, 4-21-2009) 18.20.050 - Standards for off-street parking facilities.
Unless specified differently elsewhere in this title, off-street parking facilities provided in accord with this chapter shall be subject to the following conditions, and shall conform with any development standards for parking facilities adopted by resolution of the planning commission consistent with this chapter:
(1)
Except for residential districts, each parking space shall conform to the following minimum dimensions: nine feet by twenty feet for full-size, eight and one-half feet by eighteen feet for compact. No more than thirty percent of total required parking spaces shall be for compact cars. See Figure 16 for parking lot standards.
(2)
Unless otherwise provided, each parking space shall be individually accessible from a street or alley. Tandem parking does not satisfy off-street parking requirements unless tandem parking is expressly authorized by this code.
(3)
Entrances and exits shall be provided at locations approved by the town engineer.
(4)
If the parking area is illuminated, lighting shall be deflected away from neighboring residential sites and adjacent streets.
(5)
In a residential district, a parking area shall not be located in a required front yard, in a required side yard on the street side of a corner lot, or in a required rear yard on a double frontage lot. Required uncovered parking for a residence, multiple dwelling, lodginghouse or apartment hotel may be located in any other required side or rear yard if an equivalent amount of open area at ground level, in addition to the area of the required yard spaces, is provided elsewhere on the site.
(6)
In a professional and administrative office district or in a local commercial, highway commercial or service commercial district, a parking area shall not be located in a required front yard, in a required side yard adjoining the street on a corner lot, or in a required rear yard on a double frontage lot.
(7)
As required by the Uniform Building Code, special provisions for access by the physically handicapped shall be included.
(8)
Notwithstanding subsection (9) of this section, the planning commission may permit a property owner to designate a portion of his required off-street parking area as a "parking reserve" and to place improvements such as landscaping, tennis courts, and the like in the area which are compatible with the future use of the reserve as a parking lot. If the planning commission finds that the reserve is needed for off-street parking for users of the site, the owner shall improve the reserve as a parking lot within one hundred twenty days from the date the finding is made by the planning commission.
(9)
All off-street parking spaces, parking lots and access drives required by this chapter shall be maintained for the duration of the use requiring the parking. No repair work or servicing of vehicles, except for emergency service of stalled vehicles, shall be conducted on any parking space, parking lot or access drive.
(Ord. 886 § 5, 2004; Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994)
18.20.060 - Off-street parking and loading facilities located on another site. ¶
In a residential district or a professional and administrative office district, off-street parking facilities required by this chapter shall be located on the same site as the use for which the spaces are required.
In a commercial district, light industrial district or public facilities district, off-street parking facilities shall be located on the same site or shall be located no more than eight hundred feet from the site and with reasonable access from the use for which the spaces are required.
In a commercial district, when off-street parking facilities or off-street loading facilities are provided on a site other than the site to be served by the parking or loading facilities, an indenture shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder designating the off-street parking facility or the off-street loading facility and the use or structure to be served, with legal descriptions of both sites, and certifying that the off-street parking facility or the off-street loading facility shall not be used for any other purpose unless the restriction is removed by resolution of the planning commission.
No certificate of occupancy shall be issued until an attested copy of the recorded indenture has been filed with the planning director. Upon submission of satisfactory evidence that other off-street parking facilities or off-street loading facilities have been provided in compliance with the requirements of this chapter or that the use has ceased or the structure has been removed or altered so as to no longer require the offstreet parking facility or the off-street loading facility, the planning commission shall, by resolution, remove the restriction.
(Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994)
18.20.070 - Required number of off-street loading berths. ¶
Off-street loading facilities shall be provided in accord with the following minimum schedule:
| Use | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Retail store, commercial service enterprise, repair shop, wholesale establishment, warehouse, storage facility, manufacturing plant or other industrial use with gross foor area of |
5,000—30,000 square feet, one berth 30,0001— 60,000 square feet, two berths 60,001—90,000 square feet, three berths 90,001—120,000 square feet, four berths |
| (additional berths may be prescribed by the planning commission for more than 120,000 square feet) |
|
| Additional area for short-term customer drop-of and pick-up, as may be required by the planning commission |
|
| Any other use which requires the recurring receipt or distribution of goods or equipment by truck |
One berth plus such additional number as may be prescribed by the planning commission |
(Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994)
18.20.080 - Standards for off-street loading facilities. ¶
Off-street loading facilities provided in accord with this chapter shall be subject to the following conditions and shall conform to any development standards for loading facilities:
(1)
Each loading berth shall be individually accessible from a street, alley or driveway.
(2)
Entrance and exits shall be provided at locations approved by the town engineer.
(3)
If the loading area is illuminated, lighting shall be deflected away from residential sites, and the light source shall not be visible from off-site.
(4)
A loading area shall not be located in a required front, side or rear yard in any district.
(5)
All loading areas shall be screened from residential districts and from professional and administrative office districts. In addition, the planning commission or zoning administrator may require such screening as is necessary to screen loading facilities from off-site viewing.
(6)
All off-street loading facilities and areas required by this chapter shall be maintained for the duration of the use requiring such areas. No repair work or servicing of vehicles shall be conducted on any loading facility or area.
(Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994)
18.20.090 - Location of off-street loading facilities. ¶
Off-street facilities prescribed in this chapter may be located on the same site with the use for which the berths are required, or may be located on an adjoining site.
Figure 17
Parking lot layout
==> picture [408 x 178] intentionally omitted <==
Space Size
Width of Space "A" Length of Space "B"
| Full-sized car | 9 feet | 20 feet |
|---|---|---|
| Compact car | 8.5 feet | 18 feet |
Angle of Parking Space to Aisle Width of Aisle "C"
| Angle of Parking Space to Aisle | Width of Aisle "C" | Width of Aisle "C" |
|---|---|---|
| One-way | Two-way | |
| More than 80 degrees | 24 feet | 24 feet |
| 71 degrees to 80 degrees | 22 feet | 22 feet |
| 61 degrees to 70 degrees | 18 feet | 20 feet |
| 56 degrees to 60 degrees | 15 feet | 20 feet |
| 53 degrees to 55 degrees | 14 feet | 20 feet |
| 46 degrees to 52 degrees | 13 feet | 20 feet |
| 45 degrees or less | 12 feet | 20 feet |
(1)
Compact parking spaces shall not exceed thirty percent of the total parking spaces provided.
(2)
Parallel (to the curb) parking spaces shall be twenty feet long by eight feet wide.
(3)
Backout areas shall be provided to accommodate parking spaces located at the end of a parking area, where required for maneuvering.
(Ord. 785 § 3(b) (part), 1994)
18.20.100 - Vehicle parking and storage. ¶
In all residential zoning districts no vehicles of any type whatsoever including but not limited to cars, pickup trucks, motorcycles, personal watercraft or any other vehicle or vessel described in Section 10.40.062 of this code shall be parked or stored in the front yard of a residential lot/site except in approved or permitted driveways, parking aprons, parking decks, garages and/or carports.