§ 25-45. AUTO AND BICYCLE PARKING AND LOADING.

The purpose of this § 25-45 is to provide parking, bicycle and loading regulations for new and expanded development and land uses in Firebaugh. This chapter will also serve to: provide accessible, attractive, secure, and well-maintained parking (auto and bicycle) and off-street loading facilities; provide parking and loading facilities that are designed to reduce traffic congestion; minimize the impact of new development on parking and loading facilities on surrounding properties; ensure the maneuverability of emergency vehicles in parking facilities and provide for loading and delivery services in proportion to the needs generated by the proposed land use which are clearly compatible with adjacent parcels and the surrounding neighborhood.

• a. No building shall be constructed or use established unless off-street auto and bicycle parking and loading spaces are provided in accordance with the provisions of this § 25-45 unless otherwise exempted by this § 25-45 .

• b. When an existing use or building is enlarged and requires additional parking and loading under the provisions of this chapter, said improvements shall be provided on the subject site or the developer shall provide an in lieu parking fee consistent with the provisions in this § 25-45 .

• c. For every 10 auto parking spaces provided for commercial and industrial uses the project shall provide one bicycle parking space.

• d. For uses not listed in this chapter, the Planning Director shall determine a parking and loading standard for the use based on the operational, size and locational characteristics of the use and the standards that similar cities apply to said use.

• e. Fractional space requirements shall be rounded up when the fractional number is 0.5 or more and shall be rounded down when the fractional number is less than 0.5.

• f. In any residential district, all inoperable motor vehicles shall be stored in a garage, carport or outside of the front yard setback area.

The minimum number of parking spaces (or stalls) required for new uses or buildings or the expansion of existing buildings or uses are detailed below, except that the number of on-site parking spaces required for uses in the C-2 District may be reduced by up to 100% of the parking requirement for the particular use, as shown in § 25-45 , Auto and Bicycle Parking and Loading; however, where the reduction results in more than 25 spaces, the use shall require a conditional use permit, consistent with § 25-51 , Conditional Use Permits.

• a. Residential uses.

  1. Single-family residence: two covered stalls per unit. "Covered" shall mean either a garage or carport.

  2. Second residential unit: one uncovered stall per unit.

  3. Condominium unit.

     • (a) One bedroom: one covered stall per unit.

     • (b) Two or more bedrooms: two covered stalls per unit.

  4. Specialized housing.

     • (a) Emergency shelters: one stall for every 10 beds.

     • (b) Group care housing: two stalls for every two clients; tandem parking is permitted.

     • (c) Transitional housing: one stall per bedroom plus one stall per employee.

     • (d) Supportive housing: one stall per bedroom plus one stall per employee.

     • (e) Single-room occupancy (SRO) units: one stall per bedroom plus one stall per employee.

     • (f) Labor camps: one stall per living unit.

     • (g) Nursing homes: one stall for every three beds.

     • (h) Family and group day-care homes: one stall for every three beds.

  5. Multiple-family units: 1.5 stalls per unit, half of which shall be covered.

  6. Senior housing: one covered stall per unit.

  7. Mobile home parks: two covered stalls per unit; tandem parking permitted, plus one guest space per two mobile homes.

  8. Trailer parks: one stall per trailer pad.

  9. Motels and hotels: one stall per room.

  10. Convalescent home: one stall per three beds.

• b. Office uses.

  1. Medical and dental offices: one stall per 250 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  2. Professional offices, including insurance, specialized consultants, law, travel, real estate, accountants, financial advisors and architects: one stall per 250 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

• c. Personal services.

  1. Banks, savings and loan, check cashing, credit unions, and similar offices: one stall per 200 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  2. Self-service laundry: one stall for every three machines, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  3. Barber/beauty shops, day spas, massage therapists and hair stylists: two stalls per station, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  4. Funeral home, mortuaries: one stall for every 50 square feet of building area.

• d. General commercial uses.

1. Retail stores including clothing, shoes, stationery, sporting goods, kitchen wares, gift shops, book stores and beauty supplies: one stall per 350 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   2. Convenience stores: one stall per 200 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   3. Furniture, hardware and applicance stores: one stall per 600 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   4. Grocery stores: one stall per 300 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   5. Antique and second-hand shops: one stall per 350 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   6. Auto parts: one stall per 500 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

• e. Eating and drinking establishments.

  1. Coffee and tea establishments, candy shops and bakeries: one stall per 100 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  2. Restaurants (other than fast food): one stall per four seats, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  3. Fast food establishments: one stall per 100 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  4. Donut shops: one stall per 100 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  5. Sandwich shops and delicatessens: one stall per 100 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  6. Sports bars: One stall per three seats, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces. 7. Bars: one stall per three seats, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

• f. Service commercial establishments.

  1. Tire, brake, radiator, and auto repair shops: one stall per 200 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  2. Multitenant auto-related shops: one stall per 200 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  3. Full-service car washes: one stall per 200 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  4. Self-service car washes: one parking stall per bay.

  5. New/used car sales: one parking space for each two employees during the time of maximum employment, plus one parking space for each 2,000 square feet of lot and building area used for the display or storage of automobiles, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  6. Oil change shops: one stall per bay, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  7. Service stations: one stall per 300 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  8. Auto glass, upholstery and stereo shops: one stall per 200 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  9. Paint and body shop: one stall per 200 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  10. Wholesale establishments: one stall per 600 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

• g. Recreation uses.

1. Health clubs: one stall per 100 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   2. Bowling alleys: one stall per 100 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   3. Dance and martial arts studios: one stall per 100 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   4. Golf courses: 1.5 stalls per tee plus one stall for every four seats, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   5. Stadiums, arenas, and other outdoor facilities: one stall for every five seats, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   6. Video arcades: one stall per 100 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   7. Rodeo and equestrian facilities: one stall for every five seats, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   8. Miniature golf course: 1.5 stalls per tee, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

• h. Miscellaneous commercial.

  1. Retail nursery/garden shops: one stall for every 1,000 square feet of outdoor display area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  2. Agricultural chemicals/sales: one stall per 500 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  3. Agricultural services, including topping, farming operations, trucking, farm maintenance, spraying, agricultural contractors, and contract farming: one stall per 500 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  4. Farm machinery, sales and service: one stall per 500 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

• i. Industrial uses.

  1. Manufacturing: one stall per 500 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  2. Fabrication: one stall per 500 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  3. Mini-storage: two stalls plus one stall for every 250 square feet of building area

  4. Warehousing: one stall per 1,000 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  5. Packing house: one stall per 750 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

• j. Institutional uses.

  1. Churches: one stall per four seats, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  2. Schools.

     • (a) Nursery and pre-schools: one stall per classroom plus one stall for every 250 square feet of nonclassroom building area, plus one bicycle space per four students.

     • (b) Elementary and middle schools: one stall per two classrooms plus one stall per staff member, plus one bicycle space per four students.

     • (c) High schools: three stalls for every two staff members, plus one bicycle space per four students.

     • (d) Colleges: one parking space for each employee plus 10 parking spaces for each classroom, plus one bicycle space per four students.

  3. Libraries, museums and art galleries: one stall per 500 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

  4. Hospitals: one stall per bed, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

• k. Government.

1. Governmental centers: one stall per 400 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

   2. Courthouses: one stall per 400 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

2. Public safety buildings: one stall per 400 square feet of building area, plus one bicycle space per 10 vehicle spaces.

3. Corporation, transporation and fuel yards: one stall per 500 square feet of building area.

4. Wastewater treatment facilities: one stall per 400 square feet of building area.

5. Water treatment facilities: one stall per 400 square feet of building area.

• a. Design dimensions. Parking lots shall be designed to be consistent with the standards, dimensions and requirements of the details contained in Exhibit 45-1. The construction of parking lots shall be consistent with the improvements standards contained in Firebaugh's Improvements Manual.

Exhibit 45-1: Parking Design

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• b. Circulation.

  1. Parking lots shall be designed so that backing into a public street from a parking stall shall be minimized in order to maintain effective traffic flow along the public street. Single-family dwellings will be exempt from this requirement. The use of alleys to access parking lots shall be encouraged.

  2. Commercial parking lots shall be designed to allow for cross parcel access (to the extent practical) to preclude vehicles from having to travel onto the street to access adjacent parcels.

• c. Paving, slope and drainage. All parking lots shall be constructed with a four-inch aggregate base and a two-inch asphalt or concrete overlay, described in the Firebaugh Improvements Manual. Parking lots shall be sloped so that stormwater runoff flows towards public streets or alleys, into on-site landscape planters or bioswales or into pervious hardscape features.

• d. Curbing and wheel stops. Concrete curbing shall be provided around all parking lots and landscape planters consistent with the Firebaugh Improvements Manual. Wheel stops may be provided in parking stalls to ensure that the overhang of a vehicle does not interfere with pedestrian movements along a sidewalk, or damage landscaping adjacent to the parking lot.

• e. Striping and symbols. Parking lot stalls and travel lanes shall be clearly marked with painted strips. Parking stalls for handicapped persons shall be stripped and provided with the appropriate symbols and signage that are consistent with the American Disabilities Act [[1]] (see Exhibit 45-2).

Exhibit 45-2: Striping and Handicap Space Design Standards

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[1] Editor's Note: See 42 U.S.C.A. § 12101 et seq.

• f. Lighting. All parking lots shall have pole lighting that property illuminates the parking lot but does not cause a nuisance for adjoining properties.

• g. Driveways. Driveways from a public street or alley shall have locations and dimensions consistent with the Firebaugh Improvements Manual. For one-way driveways the width of the driveway shall be 15 feet; two-way driveways shall have a minimum width of 25 feet.

• h. Landscaping (see also Exhibit 45-3). All parking lots shall be landscaped in accordance with the requirements in § 25-43 (Landscaping, Irrigation and Grading). Trees shall be planted within all parking lots. Tree species shall be selected that will not cause damage to the parking lot or adjacent sidewalks, driveways or curbing, and will shade more than 50% of the parking lot within 10 years. Landscape planters between the parking lots and public streets shall be planted with low hedges. As an alternative, a low wall (three feet) may be constructed and shrubs, turf or ground cover may be planted between the wall and the street.

Exhibit 45-3: Typical Parking Lot Landscaping Scheme

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• i. Location criteria. Parking lots shall be located on the same property as the building they serve, except that parking for buildings in the Central Commercial (C-2) district may be located within 300 feet of the subject property. In the C-2 district, parking lots shall be located at the rear or side of the subject building. Parking lots shall not be located on the corner where two streets intersect.

• j. Shared parking.

  1. Where two or more nonresidential uses share a single parking lot, the number of required parking spaces may be reduced by a maximum of 20%, as long as the total number of spaces is not less than the required for the use requiring the largest number of spaces.

  2. Where nonresidential uses share a single parking lot and it can be demonstrated that the uses operate at different times of the day (an evening use versus a daytime use), the required number of parking spaces may be reduced by up to 50% of the combined parking requirements of the two uses.

• k. Parking in lieu fee. For development in the downtown (generally defined as the area bounded by N Street on the west, Fourteenth Street on the south, Q Street on the east, and 8th Street on the north) the City may establish an in-lieu parking fee, whereby uses that cannot provide required parking on site can pay the City a fee for the City to use to purchase and develop public parking facilities within the area. The fee shall be established based on a study performed by the City Engineer, and adjusted annually.

• l. Bicycle parking. Commercial, industrial and public uses are subject to the following bicycle parking standards:

  1. Short-term bicycle parking. If the project will generate frequent visitor traffic (such as fast food restaurants, banks, convenience stores, supermarkets and similar uses) the project shall provide a permanently anchored bicycle rack within 200 feet of the visitors' entrance, at a ratio of one two-bike capacity rack for each 20 motorized vehicle parking spaces, with a minimum of one two-bike capacity rack.

  2. Long-term bicycle parking. Buildings with over 10 tenant-occupants or a floor area of 20,000 square feet or more shall provide secure bicycle parking at a ratio of one two-bike capacity rack for each 20 motorized vehicle parking spaces with a minimum of one two-bike capacity rack.

3. Acceptable parking facilities shall be convenient from the street and may include:

   • (a) Bicycle parking space size (eight feet long, three feet wide).

   • (b) Bike rack type (should be U-lock compatible).

   • (c) Bicycle parking shall be safe, visible, and convenient.

• m. Parking standard modifications. Parking space requirements may be modified through Firebaugh's minor deviation process. A reduction of up to 20% in a project's required parking spaces may be approved by the Planning Director if the following findings can be made:

  1. That the granting of the minor deviation will not create a safety hazard or lead to a condition where the loading of public vehicles onto public streets will interfere with the free flow of traffic on these streets.

  2. That the granting of the minor deviation will not create a safety hazard of any other condition inconsistent with the objectives of the Zoning Ordinance.

• n. Handicapped parking spaces. Handicapped parking stalls shall be provided per the Building Code. Handicapped parking stalls shall be designed consistent with the illustrations shown in Exhibit 45-2.

[Amended 12-5-2022 by Ord. No. 22-04]

• o. Loading facilities.

  1. Commercial, industrial, office, institutional, and public uses exceeding 10,000 square feet in size shall be required to install an off-street loading facility unless the Planning Director finds that due to the operational nature of the use, none or more than one off-street loading space should be required.

  2. To the extent possible, loading facilities should be located at the rear or side of the building that they are to serve.

  3. Streets and alleys shall not be used as loading or unloading areas, nor shall trucks use streets and alleys for maneuvering trailers into a loading space.

  4. Loading facilities, at a minimum, shall have a length of 25 feet, a width of 12 feet, and an overhead clearance of 14 feet. All loading surfaces shall be paved consistent with Firebaugh's Improvements Manual.

  5. Where a loading facility is near or adjacent to a residential district or other noise-sensitive land uses, noise attenuating design measures will be incorporated into the project. These design measures could include increased setback distances, the construction of a sevenfoot solid block wall, landscaping or locating the loading facilities away from noise-sensitive land uses.

  6. All loading facilities shall be lighted to provide adequate illumination of the loading area for safety and security reasons. Where a loading area is near or adjacent to a residential district or other light-sensitive uses, the lighting shall be directed away from these uses.