304.10: PARKING AREA DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS: — Porterville Zoning Code

A. Handicapped Parking. Each lot or parking structure where parking is provided for the public as clients, guests, or employees shall include parking accessible to handicapped or disabled persons as near as practical to a primary entrance and in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

B. Compact Parking. On a site with at least ten (10) parking spaces, up to ten (10) percent of the total required parking spaces may be compact spaces, provided that the following standards are met:

In residential parking areas, all parking spaces that are required to be covered shall be standard size; and
All compact spaces are to be designated with a sign or pavement marking.

C. Size of Parking Spaces and Maneuvering Aisles. Parking spaces and maneuvering aisles shall be provided to meet the minimum dimensions required by this subsection. Screening walls, roof support posts, columns, or other structural members shall not intrude into the required dimensions for parking spaces.

Standard Parking Spaces. The minimum basic dimension for standard parking spaces is nine (9) feet by twenty (20) feet. This dimension is reduced to nine (9) feet by eighteen (18) feet where an additional two (2) feet of sidewalk or landscaped area planted with low growing plants is provided for vehicle overhang. Table 304.10(C)(1) provides the dimensions of spaces (stalls) and aisles according to angle of parking spaces.

TABLE 304.10C1: STANDARD PARKING SPACE AND AISLE DIMENSIONS

Angle Of Parking	Stall Width	Curb Length Per Stall	Stall Depth From Curb	Aisle Width
				One-Way	Two-Way
Parallel	9'0"	23'0"	9'0"	12'	20'
45°	9'0"	12'8"	20'0"	15'	20'
60°	9'0"	10'5"	21'6"	18'	20'
90°	9'0"	9'0"	20'0"	25'	25'

FIGURE 304.10C1: STANDARD PARKING SPACES

Compact Parking Spaces. The minimum basic dimension for compact parking stalls shall be seven (7) feet by sixteen (16) feet.
Parking Spaces Abutting Wall or Fence. Parking spaces shall be located a minimum of two (2) feet from any wall, fence, column, or other obstruction higher than one-half (0.5) feet.
Long-term Parking. In parking areas, or portions of parking areas, restricted to employee use rather than customer or visitor use, and in which a vehicle is not normally moved during the period of an employee’s work shift, the width of parking spaces may be reduced to eight and one-half (8.5) feet and the stall depth for standards spaces may be reduced to eighteen (18) feet.
Minimum Dimensions for Residential Carports. Each single-car carport shall measure at least eleven (11) feet wide by twenty (20) feet long. Each double carport shall measure at least twenty (20) feet wide by twenty (20) feet long. The width of the carport is to be measured from inside face of support to inside face of opposite support. The carport roof shall cover the entire twenty (20) feet length of the space.

FIGURE 304.10C5: MINIMUM DIMENSIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL CARPORTS

Minimum Dimensions for Residential Enclosed Garages. Enclosed garages serving residential uses shall be constructed to meet the following minimum inside dimensions.

a. A single-car garage shall be at least eleven (11) feet wide and twenty (20) feet long.

b. A double-car garage shall be at least twenty (20) feet wide and twenty (20) feet long.
D. Surfacing:

Residential. New residences or improvements to an existing residence of $25,000 or more within a two (2) year period shall provide a paved driveway consisting of concrete, asphalt concrete, pavers or other like material.
Non-Residential.

a. For parking, aisles, and access drives that are used on a daily basis asphalt concrete or concrete paving is required.

b. For long term parking or storage inside a secured enclosure that is not used on a daily basis any combination of asphalt concrete, concrete, pavers, decomposed granite or like material that creates a dust-free surface may be approved by the Zoning Administrator and the City Engineer.

c. Fire access roads shall be designed to carry the traffic loads anticipated.

d. Improvements to parking areas to be utilized for overflow parking or special events may be approved by the Zoning Administrator and City Engineer

E. Parking Lot Striping. All parking stalls shall be clearly outlined with striping, and all aisles, approach lanes, and turning areas shall be clearly marked with directional arrows and lines as necessary to provide for safe traffic movement.

F. Perimeter Curbing. A six (6) inch wide and six (6) inch high concrete curb shall be provided along the outer edge of the parking facility pavement, except where said pavement abuts a fence or wall. Where a parking facility abuts an area planned for a future phases of a phased development a timber barrier or other barrier not less than six (6) inches high may be installed instead of a curb.

G. Lighting. Parking areas designed to accommodate ten (10) or more vehicles shall be provided with a minimum of onehalf (0.5) foot-candle and a maximum average of three (3) foot-candles of light over the parking surface during the hours of use from one-half (0.5) hour before dusk until one-half (0.5) hour after dawn. Lighting design shall be coordinated with the landscape plan to ensure that vegetation growth will not substantially impair the intended illumination. Parking lot lighting shall, to the maximum extent feasible, be designed and installed so that light and glare is not directed onto residential use areas or adjacent public rights-of-way, consistent with Chapter 306, Performance Standards.

H. Separation From On-Site Buildings. Parking areas shall be separated from the front and side exterior walls of on-site buildings by walkways at least four (4) feet in width.

I. Landscaping. Landscaping of parking areas shall be provided and maintained according to the general standards of Chapter 303, Landscaping, as well as the standards of this subsection. The provisions of this subsection apply to all uses except Single-Family Dwellings and Duplexes.

Landscape Area Required. A minimum of ten percent (10%) of any parking lot area shall be landscaped. For the purpose of calculating required parking lot landscaping, parking lot areas are deemed to include parking and loading spaces as well as aisles, vehicle entry and exit areas, and any adjacent paved areas. Parking lot area does not include enclosed vehicle storage areas.
Minimum Planter Dimension. No landscape planter that is to be counted toward the required landscape area shall be smaller than twenty-five (25) square feet in area, or four (4) feet in any horizontal dimension, excluding curbing.
Layout. Landscaped areas shall be well-distributed throughout the parking lot area. Parking lot landscaping may be provided in any combination of:

a. Landscaped planting strips at least four (4) feet wide between rows of parking stalls;

b. Landscaped planting strips between parking areas and adjacent buildings or internal pedestrian walkways;
c. Landscaped islands located between parking stalls or at the ends of rows of parking stalls; and
d. On-site landscaping at the parking lot perimeter.

Required Landscaped Islands. A landscaped island at least six (6) feet in all interior dimensions and containing at least one (1) fifteen (15) gallon size tree shall be provided at each end of each interior row of parking stalls and between all consecutive parking stalls in the following ratios:

a. Between every eight (8) stalls in any non-residential development;
b. Between every six (6) consecutive stalls in a residential development or in a mixed-use development in which residential units overlook on-site parking areas.

Landscaped Buffer for Open Parking Adjacent to Right-of-Way. A landscaped buffer area shall be provided between any surface parking area and any property line adjacent to a public street. The landscaped buffer shall have a minimum width as listed below unless a different dimension is specified in the base district standards applicable to a site.

a. Residential Districts: Five (5) feet. Landscaped parkways or strips between the property line and the sidewalk count toward this requirement.

b. Non-residential Districts: Six (6) feet clear of overhang.

Landscaped Buffer for Open Parking Abutting Interior Lot Line. A landscaped area at least three (3) feet wide shall be provided between the outside edge of any surface parking area and any adjacent lot for the length of the parking area and a five (5) feet wide landscaped area shall be provided where commercial abuts an R district.
Trees. Trees shall be planted to result in fifty percent (50%) shading of parking lot surface areas within fifteen (15) years. In lieu of calculating shading, the applicant may provide a tree in landscaped islands between every six (6) parking spaces consistent with §304.10(I)(4).

a. Distribution. Trees shall be distributed relatively evenly throughout the parking area.
b. Species. Required trees for parking lots shall be selected from a list of recommended trees maintained by the

Community Development Department or as listed in Sunset’s Western Garden Book, suitable for Region No. 9.

c. Minimum Planter Size. Any planting area for a tree shall have a minimum interior dimension of five (5) feet. Additional space may be required for some tree species.

FIGURE 304.10I: LANDSCAPING

Protection of Vegetation.

a. Clearance from Vehicles. All landscaped areas shall be designed so that plant materials, at maturity, are protected from vehicle damage by providing a minimum two (2) foot clearance of low-growing plants where a vehicle overhang is permitted.

b. Planters. All required parking lot landscaping shall be within planters bounded by a concrete curb at least six (6) inches wide and six (6) inches high.

FIGURE 304.10I8: PROTECTION OF VEGETATION

Irrigation. All landscaped areas shall be provided with an automatic sprinkler system.
Visibility and Clearance. Landscaping in planters at the end of parking aisles may not obstruct drivers’ vision of

vehicular and pedestrian cross-traffic. Mature trees shall have a foliage clearance maintained at eight (8) feet from the surface of the parking area. Other plant materials located in the interior of a parking lot shall not exceed thirty (30) inches in height. J. Circulation and Safety

Visibility shall be assured for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists entering individual parking spaces, circulating within a parking facility, and entering or leaving a parking facility.
Off-street parking and loading areas shall be provided with sufficient maneuvering room so that all vehicles can enter and exit from a public street by forward motion only. This standard shall not apply to parking areas serving Single-Family Dwellings or duplexes served by individual driveways.
Parking lots shall be designed so that sanitation, emergency, and other public service vehicles can provide service without backing unreasonable distances or making other dangerous or hazardous turning movements.
Separate vehicular and pedestrian circulation systems shall be provided where possible. Multi-family residential developments of five (5) or more units shall be provided pedestrian access that is separate and distinct from driveways. Parking areas for commercial and mixed-use developments that are eighty (80) feet or more in depth and/or include fifty (50) or more parking spaces shall have distinct and dedicated pedestrian access from the commercial use to parking areas and public sidewalks, according to the following standards:

a. Connection to Public Sidewalk. An on-site walkway shall connect the main building entry to a public sidewalk on each street frontage. Such walkway shall be the shortest practical distance between the main building entry and sidewalk, no more than one hundred twenty-five (125) percent of the straight-line distance.

b. Materials and Width. Walkways shall provide at least five (5) feet of unobstructed width and be paved with concrete, stone, tile, brick, or comparable material.

c. Identification. Pedestrian walkways shall be clearly differentiated from driveways, parking aisles, and parking and loading spaces through the use of elevation changes, a different paving material, or similar method.

d. Separation. Where a pedestrian walkway is parallel and adjacent to an auto travel lane, it shall be raised and separated from the auto travel lane by a raised curb at least four (4) inches high, bollards, or other physical barrier. FIGURE 304.10J: CIRCULATION AND SAFETY

(Ord. 1866, 11-19-2019)