SEC. 156. PARKING LOTS.

(See Interpretations related to this Section.)

(a) Definition. For purposes of this section, a “parking lot” is defined as an off-street open area or portion thereof solely for the parking of passenger automobiles. Such an area or portion shall be considered a parking lot whether or not on the same lot as another use, whether or not required by this Code for any structure or use, and whether classified as an accessory, principal or Conditional Use.

(b) Conditional Use.

(1) Where parking lots are specified in Articles 2, 7, or 8 of this Code as a use for which Conditional Use approval is required in a certain district, such Conditional Use approval shall be required only for such parking lots in such district as are not qualified as accessory uses under Section 204.5 of this Code. The provisions of this Section 156 shall, however, apply to all parking lots whether classified as accessory, principal, or Conditional Uses.

(2) In considering any Conditional Use application for a parking lot for a specific use or uses where the amount of parking provided exceeds the amount classified as accessory parking in Section 204.5 of this Code, the Planning Commission shall consider the criteria set forth in Section 303(t).

(c) Screening.

(1) Any vehicle use area that is less than 25 linear feet adjacent to a public right-of-way or is a parking lot for the parking of two or more automobiles which adjoins a lot in any R District, or which faces a lot in any R District across a street or alley, shall be screened from view therefrom, except at driveways necessary for ingress and egress, by a solid fence, a solid wall, or a compact evergreen hedge, not less than four feet in height.

(2) Any vehicle use area that has more than 25 linear feet adjacent to a public right-of-way or is a parking lot for the parking of 10 or more automobiles shall be screened in accordance with the standards described in Section 142, Screening and Greening of Parking and Vehicle Use Areas.

(3) Any parking lot approved pursuant to zoning categories .25, .27 and .29 of Sections 813 through 818 of this Code shall be screened in accordance with the standards described in Section 142, Screening and Greening of Parking and Vehicle Use Areas except where this requirement would prevent otherwise feasible use of the subject lot as an open space or play area for nearby residents.

(d) Artificial Lighting. All artificial lighting used to illuminate a parking lot for any number of automobiles in any District shall be arranged so that all direct rays from such lighting fall entirely within such parking lot.

(e) Dead Storage, Dismantling, or Repair. No parking lot for any number of automobiles shall have conducted upon it any dead storage or dismantling of vehicles, or any repair or servicing of vehicles other than of an emergency nature.

(f) Parking Lots in the CMUO, MUR, C-3, and NCT Districts. No permanent parking lot shall be permitted in the CMUO, MUR, C-3, and NCT Districts. New temporary parking lots may be approved as Conditional Uses, except as provided in subsections (f)(1)-(2), pursuant to the provisions of Section 303 for a period not to exceed five years from the date of approval.

(1) No new parking lots may be approved in the C-3-O(SD) District; however, existing parking lots may receive Conditional Use approval for a two-year extension pursuant to this subsection (f), provided that the parking lots meet the requirements of subsection (h).

(2) No new parking lots may be approved in the CMUO and MUR Districts; however, upon the expiration of a Public Parking Lot’s ability to operate pursuant to Section 184(d), existing Public Parking Lots may receive Conditional Use approval for a five-year extension pursuant to this subsection (f), provided that the parking lots meet the requirements of subsection (h).

(g) Interior Landscaping and Street Trees.

(1) All permanent parking lots are required to provide one tree per five parking spaces in a manner that is compliant with the applicable water use requirements of Administrative Code Chapter 63 and a minimum of 20% Permeable Surface, as defined in Section 102 of this Code. The trees planted in compliance with this subsection (g) shall result in canopy coverage of 50% of the parking lots’ hardscape within 15 years of the installations of these trees. Permeable Surfaces and grading shall be coordinated so that stormwater can infiltrate the surface in areas with less than 5% slope.

(2) All parking lots shall meet the street tree requirements specified in Section 138.1(c)(1) of this Code.

(h) Extension of Existing Parking Lots in the C-3-O(SD), CMUO, and MUR Districts. The conditions of approval for the extension of an existing parking lot in the C-3-O(SD) District and the extension of an existing Public Parking Lot in the CMUO and MUR Districts shall include the following:

(1) a minimum of one parking space for car sharing vehicles meeting all of the requirements in Section 166 for every 20 spaces in said lot;

(2) a minimum of two Class 2 bicycle parking spaces for every 50 linear feet of frontage in a highly visible area on the property adjacent to a public sidewalk or approval attained from the appropriate City agencies to install such bicycle parking on a public sidewalk on the same block;

(3) interior landscaping compliant with the requirements in subsection (g) above, provided that if a site permit has been approved by the Planning Department for construction of a building on the subject lot that would replace the parking lot in less than two years, the trees may be planted in movable planters and the lot need not provide Permeable Surfaces described in subsection (g).

(Amended by Ord. 414-85, App. 9/17/85; Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87; Ord. 115-90, App. 4/6/90; Ord. 72-08, File No. 071157, App. 4/3/2008; Ord. 84-10, File No. 091453, App. 4/22/2010; Ord. 182-12 , File No. 120665, App. 8/8/2012, Eff. 9/7/2012; Ord. 56-13 , File No. 130062, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 232-14 , File No. 120881, App. 11/26/2014, Eff. 12/26/2014; Ord. 22-15, File No. 141253, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015; Ord. 99-17, File No. 170206, App. 5/19/2017, Eff. 6/18/2017; Ord. 40-25, File No. 241173, App. 4/3/2025, Eff. 5/4/2025)

AMENDMENT HISTORY

Division (h) amended; division (l) added; Ord. 182-12 , Eff. 9/7/2012. [Former] divisions (c), (d), (f), and (k) amended; former divisions (l)(A)-(C) redesignated as [former] (l)(1)-(3); Ord. 56-13 , Eff. 4/27/2013. Division (a) amended; former division (b) amended and redesignated as (b)(1), former division (c) redesignated as (b)(2); former division (d) amended and redesignated as (c)(1); former division (e) redesignated as (c)(2); former division (f) amended and redesignated as (d); former division (g) redesignated a (e); former division (h) amended and redesignated as (f); former division (i) redesignated as (g); former divisions (j), (k), and (l) amended and redesignated as (h)(1), (h)(2), and (i); Ord. 232-14 , Eff. 12/26/2014. Division (i) amended; Ord. 22-15, Eff. 3/22/2015. Divisions (a)- (b)(2) amended; division (c)(3) added;

divisions (e) and (f) amended; former division (g) deleted; former divisions (h) and (i) redesignated as divisions (g) and (h); current divisions (g)(1), (g)(2), and (h)(3) amended; Ord. 99-17, Eff. 6/18/2017. Division (f) amended as (f)-(f)(1); division (f)(2) added; divisions (h) and (h)(3) amended; Ord. 40-25, Eff. 5/4/2025.

SEC. 157. [REPEALED.]

(Added by Ord. 443-78, App. 10/6/78; Ord. 112-08, File No. 080095, App. 6/30/2008; repealed by Ord. 99-17, File No. 170206, App. 5/19/2017, Eff. 6/18/2017)