Chapter 17.34 — OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING

The purpose of this chapter is to establish regulations for parking and loading to ensure that vehicle movement and loading activities do not interfere with circulation on public rights-of-way or within required parking areas.

(Ord. 12-95)

Except as otherwise provided in subsections A and B of this section, the regulations of this chapter apply to every building hereinafter erected, reconstructed, structurally altered, or used for another purpose, and these regulations shall be the minimum requirements for all off-street parking and loading.

• A. Exception for Single-Family Residence. Any single-family dwelling which does not conform to the provisions of this chapter shall be made to comply only at such time as additions or alterations which increase the original floor area by more than 25% or 500 square feet, whichever is greater, are carried out. In the case of existing garages that are legal nonconforming due to interior dimensions that fall within a 10% deviation of the requirements of Section 17.34.110(C) , such addition or alteration shall not cause the garage dimensions to be brought into compliance with the City's standard garage dimensions.

• B. Exception for Downtown Plaza District. The Downtown Plaza District means the geographic area consisting of all of the properties located within the eight block area bounded on the north by Maple Avenue, on the south by Almond Avenue, on the east by Grand Street and on the west by Lemon Street. The parking requirements of this chapter may be satisfied for new development projects, new structures, or the addition of new square footage to existing buildings (including the utilization of any outdoor area on private property for business purposes such as outdoor display, sales or dining) on properties in the downtown plaza district, which create the need for additional parking, by the payment of fees as provided in Section 17.34.025 , in lieu of providing all or part of the required off-street parking.

• (Ord. 8-98; Ord. 14-00; Ord. 5-13, 2013)

• A. For each new development project, new structure, or addition of new square footage to existing buildings (including the utilization of any outdoor area on private property for business purposes such as outdoor display, sales or dining) in the downtown plaza district requiring additional parking as specified in Section 17.34.060 , the parking requirements of Section 17.34.060 may be satisfied by a one-time payment in-lieu of providing all or part of the required off-street parking. Such payments shall be called "in-lieu parking replenishment fees" and shall be established and may be adjusted, from time to time, by resolution of the City Council in accordance with the requirements of the Mitigation Fee Act (commencing with Section 66000 of the Government Code of the State of California).

• B. For each new development project, new structure, or addition of new square footage to existing buildings (including the utilization of any outdoor area on private property for business purposes such as outdoor display, sales or dining) in the downtown plaza district that would eliminate existing required parking spaces, the parking requirements may be satisfied by the provision of replacement parking in accordance with Section 17.34.060 or by a one-time payment in-lieu of providing all or part of the required off-street parking. Such payments shall be called "in-lieu parking replacement fees"

and shall be established and may be adjusted, from time to time, by resolution of the City Council in accordance with the requirements of the Mitigation Fee Act (commencing with Section 66000 of the Government Code of the State of California).

• C. Each development project, new structure, or addition of new square footage to existing buildings (including the utilization of any outdoor area on private property for business purposes such as outdoor display, sales or dining) in the Downtown Plaza District, which both increase the parking requirement and eliminate existing required parking spaces, shall be required to pay an in-lieu parking replenishment fee and an in-lieu parking replacement fee.

• D. All existing structures within the Downtown Plaza District, as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section, together with any parking provided therefor, shall be deemed to have met the parking requirements of Section 17.34.060 and, in the event of a change of use in such existing structures (or any portion thereof) which would create the need for additional parking, neither the parking requirements of Section 17.34.060 nor the in-lieu parking fees shall apply to any additional parking spaces that may be required by a change of use.

• E. The Community Development Director of the City shall determine whether any person, firm or corporation shall have the in-lieu parking fee option available. In-lieu parking fees shall be applicable to a maximum of 20 parking spaces, unless approved by the City Council.

• F. In-lieu parking fees shall be paid prior to the issuance of a building permit for a new development project, new structure, or addition of new square footage to existing buildings in the downtown plaza district.

• G. All in-lieu parking fees received by the City shall be deposited and maintained in a special fund, separate and apart from other city funds, and shall be administered, used and expended exclusively for the improvement of existing off-street parking facilities serving the downtown plaza district or the acquisition and development of off-street parking facilities located within or serving the downtown plaza district.

• H. This Section 17.34.025 shall not be or become effective unless and until the City Council has adopted the resolution (or resolutions) identified in subsections A and B of this section.

• (Ord. 8-98)

Parking facilities which are required by this chapter shall be made permanently available and permanently marked and maintained for parking purposes only. The storage of materials or other objects on required off-street parking areas shall be prohibited. (Ord. 12-95)

• A. Spaces to Be Made Available. All parking spaces required by this chapter shall be made permanently available for automobile parking not only for employees working at the location, but also for customers and guests having lawful reason to be at the location. In the absence of prior approval from the Community Development Director, it is unlawful for any owner, lessee, tenant, or any person having control of the operation of any premises for which parking is required to prevent, prohibit, or restrict authorized persons from using parking provided for such persons. On residential property, required parking spaces shall not be subject to a fee, charge, or payment from the property owner or leasing household.

• B. Approval Required for Access Obstruction. Restricting entry to required parking areas by means of gating, fencing, or other access obstruction may be permitted subject to minor site plan review, in accordance with Section 17.10.060(D) . Any such approval shall be based on incorporation of safety design features including, but not limited to, adequate sight distance, stacking area, emergency access, and turnaround areas.

• C. Enclosed Parking Stalls. Parking spaces located within a fully enclosed structure may be counted toward the parking requirement only in the residential districts. In all other zoning districts, required parking spaces shall not be located within structures that are or can be fully enclosed in a manner that prohibits access. This section is not intended to prohibit the use of parking structures or covered parking, so long as access to all required parking spaces is provided as required in subsections (A) and (B) of this section.

(Prior code 17.76.030, 17.78.030; Ord. 34-59; Ord. 15-65; Ord. 20-82; Ord. 4-87; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95; Ord. 12-98; Ord. 12-21, 2021)

A plan of all proposed parking facilities shall be approved prior to construction by the Community Development Department. The plan shall clearly indicate the proposed development, including a summary of required parking, location, size, shape, design, curb cuts, curbs, lighting, landscaping, signs, and other features of the proposed parking facility. (Ord. 12-95)

Tables 17.34.060(A) and 17.34.060(B) indicate the minimum required number of parking spaces which shall be provided. The Community Development Director may authorize up to a 20% required parking space deviation for any single nonresidential land use upon receipt of a parking analysis satisfactory to the director demonstrating adequate on-site parking will exist indefinitely to support the use. Approval shall be specific to the land use intensity detailed in the description provided with the parking analysis. If the director observes an intensification of the land use that creates a parking deficiency for the property, as a term of approval, the operator shall work with the Community Development Department to remedy the situation. All approved deviations shall terminate with the specific business or use but replacement uses of like kind may request a continuation of the deviation. The Director may also require additional parking for any nonresidential land use where evidence suggests additional parking is merited. The following regulations shall apply to the calculation of required number of parking spaces:

• A. Fractional Numbers. Whenever the computation of the number of required parking spaces results in a fractional parking space, one additional parking space shall be provided for one-half or more fractional space, and any fractional space less than one-half shall not be counted.

• B. Company-Owned Vehicles. The number of required parking spaces does not include parking spaces for company-owned vehicles. Parking for company-owned vehicles shall be provided in excess of the code requirements for a particular land use.

• C. Handicapped and Special Status Parking. Parking spaces for handicapped persons shall be provided in accordance with federal and state requirements, and may be included as required parking. Specially designated parking spaces for individuals other than those eligible for handicapped parking per federal and state requirements will not be counted toward the parking required for an individual use.

• D. Tandem parking, mechanical lifts, or other similar parking solutions may be allowed in multi-family residential developments and in small lot subdivisions in cases where tandem or vertical parking spaces are assigned to the same unit and meet required findings for site plan review. Tandem parking, mechanical lifts, or other similar parking solutions may be approved through a minor site plan review process described in Section 17.10.060(D) of this title. Mechanical lifts and other similar equipment shall be user-friendly, maintained in good operating condition, and enclosed within a structure that is visually compatible with the primary structure(s) on the site.

review. Tandem parking, mechanical lifts, or other similar parking solutions may be approved through a minor site plan review process described in Section 17.10.060(D) of this title. Mechanical lifts and other similar equipment shall be user-friendly, maintained in good operating condition, and enclosed within a structure that is visually compatible with the primary structure(s) on the site.

Key:

SF = Square feet GFA = Gross floor area

Notes:

• Downtown Plaza District includes properties within the eight block area bounded by Maple Avenue, Grand Street, Almond Avenue and Lemon Street.

Figure 17.34.060(B)

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(Prior code 17.76.040; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95; Ord. 8-98; Ord. 17-08; Ord. 06-13, 2013; Ord. 08-15, 2015; Ord. 05-16, 2016; Ord. 02-17, 2017; Ord. 06-17, 2017; Ord. 03-21, 2021; Ord. 12-21, 2021; Ord. 15-21, 2021; Ord. 15-23, 11/14/2023; Ord. 11-25, 6/24/2025)

Where the parking requirements for a particular use are not set forth in Tables 17.34.060(A) and 17.34.060(B), the parking requirements for such use shall be determined by the Community Development Director. The director's determination shall be based on the most comparable use specified in the tables. (Prior code 17.76.050; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95)

All new construction of residential and nonresidential uses requiring over 10 parking spaces shall provide parking and locking facilities for bicycles and motorcycles in the numbers specified in Table 17.34.080. Bicycle and motorcycle facilities shall be located within proximity to entrances. Bicycle racks are defined to be storage facilities with locking capabilities for a minimum of five bicycles.

(Prior code 17.76.060; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95)

In the case of mixed uses in a building or on a lot, the total number of required parking spaces shall be the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately. Off-street parking facilities provided for one use shall not be considered as providing required parking for any other use except as specified hereinafter for shared use.

(Prior code 17.76.090; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95)

The owner or lessee of any property may apply via the conditional use permit process to establish shared parking facilities. Property owner permission is required for a shared use application. Additionally, any nonresidential use for which the Community Development Director does not have the authority to adjust the parking rate may provide a parking demand study via the conditional use permit process to justify an alternate parking rate. The application shall be considered by the Planning Commission, subject to review of the following information:

• A. The applicant shall provide a description of the proposed and existing uses and the project relationship to the surrounding area.

• B. The applicant shall provide an assessment of the square footage and/or number of rooms/seats for all uses within the project.

• C. The applicant shall provide an assessment of the individual land uses and a sum of parking demand. Observed peak demands of different uses should offset each other to demonstrate that they reduce the amount of parking required, at any given time of day.

• D. The applicant shall reference the most current edition of "Shared Parking" published by the Urban Land Institute and the Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation Manual to determine which mix of uses warrants shared parking based on various time-of-day factors.

• (Prior code 17.76.100; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95; Ord. 12-21, 2021)

The following minimum parking area regulations are illustrated by Figure 17.34.110. Variations in parking design criteria may be permitted subject to a conditional use permit approved by the Planning Commission.

• A. Open Parking Stall. Open parking stalls shall be not less than nine feet wide and 18 feet long, except when adjacent to a wall which requires a ten-foot wide stall. Open parking stalls provided in excess of required parking spaces may be eight and one-half feet wide and 18 feet long.

• B. Parallel Parking Stall. Parallel parking stalls shall be not less than nine feet wide and 24 feet long.

• C. Residential Garages. Residential garages shall maintain an unobstructed minimum interior dimension of 10 feet by 20 feet per space.

• D. Residential Carports. Residential carports/covered parking shall consist of a solid roof structure or building overhang, or combination of both, that completely covers a parking stall. Minimum vertical clearance shall be eight feet. Carports shall be screened from public view by screening materials not less than 42 inches in height. Screening may consist of solid walls, wood lattice work, or other architectural treatments. Carports adjacent to common property lines shall have solid walls as specified in the Uniform Building Code.

• E. Parking Structures. Parking stalls within parking structures shall not be less than nine feet wide and 18 feet long and such spaces shall be clear of posts or walls. When spaces are adjacent to a wall, they shall be 10 feet wide.

• F. Drive Aisle Widths. Drive aisles to and from parking stalls shall be not less than:

  1. 13 feet wide for 30-degree parking with one-way circulation.

  2. 15 feet wide for 45-degree parking with one-way circulation.

  3. 19 feet wide for 60-degree parking with one-way circulation.

  4. 25 feet wide for 90-degree parking.

  5. One-way drive aisles shall be a minimum of 12 feet wide. However, one-way drive aisles providing back up area for 90-degree parking shall be a minimum of 25 feet wide.

  6. Two-way drive aisles shall be a minimum of 25 feet wide.

• G. Drive Aisles Accessing Arterial Highway. Drive aisles which obtain direct access from an arterial highway shall have a minimum width of 30 feet for conventional type entrances (reference City Standard Plan No. 115) and a minimum width of 20 feet for radius type entrances (reference City Standard Plan No. 114). In addition, the length of the entry aisle, as measured from the back of the sidewalk, shall be a minimum of 30 feet long to allow storage space for two vehicles.

• H. Curb Side Loading. Wherever a curb side loading area is required, the width of the affected drive aisle shall be increased by 10 feet to allow traffic to circulate around vehicles parking in the loading zone. (See Sections 17.34.150 through 17.34.180 of this chapter for applicable loading requirements.)

• I. Interior Circulation Requirements. Circulation within a parking area shall be designed such that:

  1. A vehicle entering the parking area need not enter a street to access another aisle.

2. A vehicle is not permitted to enter a street backwards except within residential developments containing three or fewer units. However, in no case shall a vehicle be permitted to back onto an arterial as determined by the City's Master Plan of Arterial Highways.

   3. All parking spaces and garages shall be accessible and usable. Tandem parking is prohibited, except within the MH (Mobile Home) District.

   4. Driveways and/or turnaround aisles serving 10 or more parking spaces shall not be dead-end aisles unless a turn-around or back-up area is provided to the satisfaction of the Community Development Director.

   5. For all public and private parking areas, the design of all entrances and exits shall be subject to the approval of the Community Development Director.

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(Prior code 17.76.070; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95; Ord. 17-08; Ord. 10-09, 2009; Ord. 12-21, 2021)

The following locational requirements shall apply to parking areas:

• A. Residential Uses. For all residential uses, all parking facilities shall be located on the same lot or building site as the building they are required to serve. The parking facilities shall not extend into any required yard area abutting a public street.

• B. Nonresidential Uses. For all nonresidential uses, required off-street parking shall be provided on the same lot or parcel of land as the use the parking spaces are required to serve, on a contiguous site, or on a site located within 300 feet of the subject use. Where parking is provided on a site other than the site of the use served, a recorded document stipulating the reservation of the site for parking purposes, for the duration of the use, shall be filed with the Department of Community Development prior to the issuance of building permits. The document shall be signed by the owners of the alternate site, and shall be approved by the City Attorney as to form and content prior to recording in the office of the Orange County Recorder.

• (Ord. 12-95)

Areas.

Every lot used as a permanent public or private parking area shall be developed and maintained in the following manner:

• A. Surfacing. Off-street parking areas and driveways shall be surfaced with asphalt or concrete surfacing or other such materials as approved by the City Engineer in accordance with standards on file in the office of the City Engineer. The parking area and driveways shall be graded and drained in a manner to dispose of all surface water. Surfacing and drainage shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer.

• B. Border and Fencing. Every parking area which abuts property located in any R (Residential) zone district shall be separated from such property by a view-obscuring masonry wall at least six feet in height but no greater than eight feet in height. An administrative adjustment may be considered per Section 17.10.050 . Wall height shall be measured from the grade of the finished surface of the parking area closest to the contiguous R-zoned property or from the high grade side of the parking lot. However, the wall shall not exceed 42 inches in height in any required front yard area. Also, no wall is required where the elevation of the parking area along the property line immediately adjacent to the R- zoned property is six feet or more below the elevation of the R-zoned property.

• C. Curbs. A six-inch curb shall be provided wherever the parking area abuts a public walkway, landscaped area, street, or alley.

• D. Lighting. Lights used to illuminate the parking area shall be directed away from any adjoining property located in any R-zone in accordance with Section 17.12.030 .

• E. Striping. All required parking shall be clearly outlined on the surface of the lot with paint or easily distinguishable material. Stripes shall be a minimum of four inches wide and in double stripe formation with a 14 inch space between stripes (Figure 17.34.130(E)). Parking stall widths shall be measured from the centerline between the double striping.

Figure 17.34.130.E

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• F. Wheel Stops. Wheel stops are only required for angled or perpendicular parking spaces abutting pedestrian walkways but may also be used elsewhere. When used, wheel stops shall be placed a minimum of 34 inches from the front end of the parking stall.

• G. Directional Arrows. All parking facilities having more than 21 spaces shall provide directional arrows for all drive aisles and maneuvering areas located within the parking area.

• H. Landscaping. In addition to required landscaped setbacks, a minimum of 10% of the parking lot area shall be landscaped and shall incorporate special design features which effectively screen the parking lot areas from view from a public street. Design features may include landscaped berms, decorative walls, planting screens, raised planters, or similar screening devices which meet the intent of this provision. Landscape borders, planters, and islands shall be surrounded by a six-inch high curb to control drainage and prevent erosion onto surrounding surfaces, and shall have a minimum width of four feet, as measured from the interior of the curbing. Landscaped areas shall be distributed throughout the parking area, and landscaping shall be maintained in a neat and healthy condition. Landscape plans shall comply with the City's Landscape Standards and Specifications (See Orange Municipal Code Chapter 16.50 ).

• I. Overhang. A two-foot vehicle overhang may occur over landscaped areas and walkways and count as part of the required parking stall length when the following are provided:

  1. The landscape area or walkway is six feet or wider.

  2. There is no vehicle travel lane immediately adjacent to the opposite side of the walkway.

  3. Parking stalls are configured at 90 degrees.

  4. No trees, shrubs, utilities, or other obstructions are located in the two-foot vehicle overhang area and the planting area consists of low-growing groundcover.

5. Walkway clearance continues to meet accessibility requirements even with vehicle overhang.

(Prior code 17.76.080; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95; Ord. 17-08; Ord. 12-21, 2021; Ord. 19-21, 2022)

Every lot used as a temporary public or private parking area shall require a conditional use permit approved by the Planning Commission and shall be evaluated by the following criteria:

• A. Definition. A temporary parking lot shall mean any area other than a street, alley, or other public property which is intended for the parking needs of private enterprises or made available for use by the transient public for the parking of vehicles on an overflow basis until permanent facilities are available.

• B. Time Limit on Use of Lot. The Planning Commission, in reviewing requests for temporary parking lots, shall limit its approval to two years. An extension of up to one additional year to allow for completion of permanent facilities may be granted by the Planning Commission only if evidence is provided that the permanent facilities are near completion. A decision by the Planning Commission to deny a request for a temporary lot or an extension may be appealed to the City Council, in accordance with Section 17.08.050 .

• C. Site Plan Required. Requests for temporary parking lots shall be accompanied by a site plan. The site plan shall consist of a fully-dimensioned, scaled plot plan for the entire property showing all existing structures and uses and the proposed location of the proposed parking lot.

• D. Development Standards. The following features shall be required by the Planning Commission for temporary parking lots:

  1. Landscaping. A landscaped street setback shall be installed and maintained for the duration of the temporary parking lot use. The depth of the landscaped setback shall be consistent with that prescribed by the underlying zone. A reduction of setback may be considered when the adjacent parcels and the parcels across the street from the temporary lot are under common ownership with the subject parking lot. Landscaping shall include turf or other suitable ground cover and a minimum of one 15-gallon tree for each 45 feet of street frontage.

  2. Pavement Section and Grading Plan. The paving section and grading plan requirements shall be determined by the City Engineer and shall be based upon the anticipated length of time the lot will

be needed, the existing soil conditions, and the anticipated daily traffic the lot will receive.

3. Lighting. Lighting shall be provided for lots used after dark and shall be maintained to a minimum level as required by the Crime Prevention Bureau and consistent with Section 17.12.030 . The lighting shall operate from dusk until one hour past the close of business for which the lot provides parking. Parking lot lighting shall be directed so as to not shine onto neighboring residential properties. The use of temporary light standards is acceptable.

4. Fencing. No parking lot fencing is required. However, consideration shall be made for common property lines with residentially zoned parcels as specified in Section 17.18.140(A) of the Orange Municipal Code.

(Prior code 17.76.080; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95; Ord. 12-21, 2021)

In addition to off-street parking areas, off-street loading spaces shall be provided as set forth in Sections 17.34.160 through 17.34.180 .

(Ord. 12-95)

Loading zone areas shall be provided for all new construction of nonresidential projects. The required length of linear curb space for loading shall be as set forth in Table 17.34.160. Loading area requirements may be modified through the site plan or conditional use permit process where it can be shown that the requirements are inconsistent with the proposed use.

The following exceptions shall apply:

• A. Churches, chapels, religious facilities, cemeteries, and mortuaries shall provide 50 lineal feet of curb side loading area.

• B. Hotels and motels shall supply 50 lineal feet of curb side loading area. (Prior code 17.76.070; Ord. 32-89; Ord. 12-95)

Loading areas shall be required only for senior citizen housing developments, as defined by Section 17.04.038 of this title. Loading area shall be provided as specified in Table 17.34.160. (Ord. 12-95; Ord. 2-08)

Loading areas shall be located as follows:

• A. For day care centers, nursery schools, medical offices, hospitals, senior housing, and similar uses, loading areas shall be located as close as possible to the main building entrance.

• B. For retail, service commercial and professional office uses, loading areas shall be located as close as possible to a back or service entrance.

• C. For industrial uses, loading areas shall be located to provide adequate maneuvering area between loading doors and parking stalls, as determined by site plan review, and shall not face onto a public street unless screened from view.

• D. The use of parking spaces for a loading zone during off-peak periods may be considered for single land uses with on-site parking facilities through the site plan or conditional use permit process.

• E. In no case shall loading areas occupy back-up areas for required parking.

• F. No loading area shall be situated in a manner that requires a vehicle to back onto a street to enter or leave the loading area.

• (Ord. 12-95; Ord. 12-21, 2021)

Landscaping shall be provided as required by Orange Municipal Code Chapter 16.50 (Landscaping Standards and Specifications).

(Ord. 12-95; Ord. 12-21, 2021)

New commercial and industrial developments resulting in employment greater than 100 persons are required to have a transportation demand management program. Such program can include provisions on parking lot design and layout that reduce the impact of traffic on the City's transportation system (Chapter 10.83 ).

(Prior code 17.77; Ord. 12-95; Ord. 12-21, 2021)