Mendocino County Municipal Code Ch. 20.472 Off-Street Parking

The purpose of this Chapter is to require off-street parking spaces for all land uses in sufficient numbers to accommodate vehicles which will be congregated at a given location to minimize on-street parking, increase traffic and pedestrian safety and promote the general welfare.

(Ord. No. 3785 (part), adopted 1991)

(A) Accessible off-street parking areas shall be provided and maintained as set forth in this Chapter to provide minimum parking and maneuvering room for motor vehicles and for pedestrian safety based on the anticipated occupancy of a given building, structure or area of land or water. Where there is a combination of principal uses in any one facility, the sum of the parking requirements of these uses shall be provided unless otherwise indicated. If the calculation of parking needs results in the requirement for a fraction of a parking space, such a parking space need not be provided unless the fraction equals or exceeds fifty (50) percent This Division shall not be construed to prohibit the installation and maintenance of more parking spaces than the minimums required.

(B) At the time of initial occupancy of a site or of construction of a structure or of a major alteration or enlargement of site or structure, there shall be provided off-street parking facilities for automobiles in accordance with the regulations prescribed in this Chapter. For the purposes of this Chapter the term "major alteration or enlargement" shall mean a change of use or an addition which would increase the number of parking spaces required by more than ten (10) percent of the total number required.

(C) In any SR, RV, Or RR Residential District, no motor vehicle over three-quarter (¾) ton, boat, or recreational vehicle shall be stored or parked in any front yard setback nor any side or rear yard setback facing a street for a continuous period exceeding seventy-two (72) hours.

(D) For any use not specified in the following sections, the same number of parking spaces shall be provided as required for the most similar specified use, as determined by the Coastal Permit Administrator.

(E) Where there is a question of primary use of any given site the use requiring the most parking spaces shall be used.

(F) The required parking spaces shall be on-site except that a variance may be granted pursuant to Chapter 20.540 from the parking requirements of this Division in order that some or all of the required parking spaces be located off-site, including locations in other local jurisdictions, or that in-lieu fees or facilities be provided instead of the required parking spaces, if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The variance will be an incentive to, and a benefit for, the non-residential development.

(2) The variance will facilitate access to the non-residential development by patrons of public transit facilities, particularly guideway facilities.

(3) The variance shall not impact existing or proposed traffic patterns or parking conditions on residential or other adjacent property use types.

(G) Where an unnecessary hardship results and is inconsistent with the general purpose of this section due to the strict application of certain provisions herein, a variance may be granted by the Coastal Permit Administrator consistent with the provisions of Chapter 20.540.

(H) One of the required parking spaces for any parcel may be located in the front or side yard setback area.

(I) Parking areas shall, at a minimum, be surfaced with gravel; however, the approving authority may require a hard surface such as road oil mix, or other surfacing of a more durable type such as a bituminous plant mix, asphaltic concrete or concrete as a condition of the Coastal Development Permit.

(J) All required parking spaces shall be at least nine (9) by twenty (20) feet, unless otherwise provided for under this section.

(K) Provision shall be made for handicapped parking for all commercial uses. Such parking spaces shall be at least fourteen (14) by twenty (20) feet with appropriate identification signs. The required number of handicapped parking spaces is set forth as follows:

(Ord. No. 3785 (part), adopted 1991)

(A) Single-family detached dwelling or mobile home: two (2) parking spaces.

(B) Duplex: two (2) parking spaces for each unit.

(C) Multiple-family/apartment/condominiums: one (1) parking space up to one (1) bedroom, one and one-half (1.5) parking spaces for two (2) bedrooms, two (2) parking spaces per unit for three (3) or more bedrooms.

(D) Mobile home parks: two (2) parking spaces for each mobile home space.

(E) ADU: one (1) parking space per unit. See Chapter 20.458 (Accessory Dwelling Units).

(F) JADU: no parking required. See Chapter 20.458 (Accessory Dwelling Units).

(Ord. No. 3785 (part), adopted 1991)

(Ord. No. 4497, § 19, 11-9-2021)

(A) Auto service stations: three (3) parking spaces for each service bay plus one (1) parking space for every employee working the largest shift.

(B) Auto washes, automatic one (1) lane: ten (10) car stacking spaces plus one (1) parking space for each employee. Self-service: three (3) parking spaces for each washing bay.

(C) Barber shops and beauty parlors: one (1) space for each barber chair or beautician station plus one (1) space for every employee working on the largest shift.

(D) Coin-operated laundromats or dry-cleaning: one (1) space for each three (3) machines.

(E) Drive-in, drive-through restaurants: one (1) parking space for each one hundred (100) square feet of gross floor area with stacking capacity for five (5) vehicles (minimum ten (10) spaces).

(F) Furniture and appliance stores: one (1) parking space for every five hundred (500) square feet of gross floor area.

(G) Health clubs, gyms, similar uses: one (1) parking space for each two hundred (200) square feet of gross floor area.

(H) Hotels, motels, bed and breakfast accommodations, inns, boarding houses, private clubs with sleeping facilities and hostels: one (1) parking space for each room or in the case of a dormitory situation, one (1) parking space for each bed, plus two (2) parking spaces for the owner or manager.

(I) Motor vehicle sales: one (1) parking space for each five hundred (500) square feet of floor area plus one (1) parking space for each two thousand (2,000) square feet of outdoor area.

(J) Nurseries: one (1) parking space for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of outside area plus one (1) parking space for each three hundred (300) square feet of gross indoor sales area. (Greenhouses will be considered outside area).

(K) Restaurants, bars, including those with dancing: one (1) parking space for every three (3) persons based on capacity of fixed or movable seating area as determined by the Uniform Building Code.

(L) Retail stores, offices, commercial banks, savings and loans, food stores, drug stores and other similar uses not specifically mentioned in this section: one (1) parking space for each three hundred (300) square feet of gross floor area. Any of the above uses having drive-through or drive-up facilities shall have a stacking area for five (5) vehicles.

(Ord. No. 3785 (part), adopted 1991)

(A) Family care institutions: one (1) parking space for each five hundred (500) square feet of gross floor area (if the Family Care Institution is in a residential home, the above requirements are in addition to residential requirements).

(B) Hospitals: two (2) parking spaces per each permanent bed plus one (1) parking space for each five hundred (500) square feet gross floor area.

(C) Medical or Dental offices: three (3) parking spaces for each doctor or dentist or similar health professional plus one (1) parking space for each three hundred (300) square feet of gross floor area.

(D) Veterinary hospitals and clinics: one (1) parking space for each three hundred (300) square feet of gross floor area.

(Ord. No. 3785 (part), adopted 1991)

(A) Bowling alleys: four (4) parking spaces for each lane.

(B) Churches, synagogues, temples, and other places of worship: one (1) parking space for every three (3) persons based on Uniform Building Code capacity.

(C) Day care centers, nurseries, preschools: one parking space for every employee working on the largest shift plus one (1) space for every ten (10) persons.

(D) Exhibition halls, assembly halls, dance halls: one (1) parking space for each one hundred (100) square feet gross floor area.

(E) Funeral homes, and mortuaries: one (1) parking space for each four (4) seats in each chapel or parlor room, plus one (1) parking space for every employee working on the largest shift and vehicle kept on premises.

(F) Game rooms, arcades: one (1) parking space for each four (4) game machines.

(G) Golf courses, regulation: four (4) parking spaces per hole. Miniature, pitch and putt: two (2) parking spaces per hole. Driving ranges: one (1) parking space per tee.

(H) Libraries, museums, art galleries: one (1) parking space for each three hundred (300) square feet of gross floor area.

(I) Recreation buildings and community centers: one (1) parking space for each employee plus parking spaces equal in number to ten (10) percent of capacity in persons based on the Uniform Building Code.

(J) Recreational vehicle parks or campgrounds: two (2) parking spaces for each recreational vehicle or camping space; one (1) parking space on-site per recreational vehicle space or camping site plus one (1) additional parking space per recreational vehicle space or camping site for visitor parking, boat storage and other uses.

(K) Schools, elementary and junior high (public or private): one (1) parking space for every employee working on the largest shift plus one (1) parking space for every five (5) students.

(L) Schools, high, institutions of higher learning, trade schools, business schools, professional schools: one (1) parking space for every employee working on the largest shift plus one (1) parking space for each two (2) students.

(M) Swimming pools, commercial: one (1) parking space for each one hundred (100) square feet of pool area.

(N) Tennis courts, commercial, commercial racquetball courts, and commercial handball courts: two (2) parking spaces per court.

(O) Theaters, movie houses, and similar places with fixed seating: one (1) parking space for every three (3) seats.

(Ord. No. 3785 (part), adopted 1991)

(A) Auto salvage yards, junk yards, salvage yards: one (1) parking space for every employee working the largest shift plus six (6) parking spaces separated from enclosed storage area.

(B) Contractors and general storage yards: one (1) parking space per each two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet of site area.

(C) Feed yards, fuel yards, material yards: one (1) parking space per each one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet of site area.

(D) Public utility facilities, communication facilities, public/private: one (1) parking space for every employee working on the largest shift plus five (5) visitor parking spaces plus one (1) parking place for each vehicle operated from or on the site.

(E) Recycling Centers: one (1) parking space for each employee working the largest shift plus one (1) parking space for each three thousand (3,000) square feet of site area plus one (1) parking space for each vehicle operated from or on the site.

(F) Manufacturing, industrial use f all types: one (1) parking space for every employee working on the largest shift, plus ten (10) customer or visitor parking spaces plus parking for each of the vehicles operated from or on the site.

(G) Warehouses, storage only: one (1) parking space per each two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet of gross floor area, plus one (1) parking space for every employee working on the largest shift plus one (1) parking space for each vehicle operated from or on site.

(H) Wholesale/retail warehouses: one (1) parking space per five hundred (500) square feet of gross floor area.

(Ord. No. 3785 (part), adopted 1991)