Anderson — Parking

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Anderson's off-street parking, loading and parking-layout rules are set primarily in Chapter 17.46 (Off‑Street Parking Requirements) and supplemented by district chapters (for example, the Mixed Use / Downtown standards in Chapter 17.15). The code sets minimum parking ratios by use, detailed stall and aisle dimensions, passenger‑loading sizing and location rules, and Downtown form‑based exceptions that favor rear/side parking and shared parking solutions. See the controlling text at § 17.46.010–§ 17.46.050 and the Downtown mixed‑use parking rules in Chapter 17.15 for downtown‑specific exceptions and preferred parking types.

(Links to related topics: the city zoning overview, development standards, design review, overlay districts, ADUs, California Building Standards Code, and landscaping and screening appear in context below.)

Key City Rules (what the ordinance actually says)

• Purpose and applicability: The off‑street parking chapter applies to all new buildings, changes of use, and expansions after the ordinance effective date; required parking is generally to be provided on the same lot as the use unless the code provides otherwise. See § 17.46.010 and § 17.46.020.

• Off‑street minimums by use: Minimum required parking ratios for many specific uses (retail, office, schools, religious assembly, medical, restaurants, etc.) are tabulated in § 17.46.040; if a use is not listed the Planning Department determines the appropriate requirement. Shared reductions for combined uses are allowed (up to 25%, subject to the Design Review Committee). See § 17.46.040(A–B).

• Exceptions and downtown rules: The Downtown / Mixed‑Use area (Chapter 17.15) reduces or waives many off‑street minima, encourages rear/side parking, on‑street parking and shared parking, and provides Table 17‑8 (allowed parking types by street/zone) and downtown parking ratios. Downtown exceptions to the standard parking schedule are spelled out in Chapter 17.15 / Table 17‑8 and in § 17.46.050(B) (exceptions for the downtown business district).

• Parking stall & aisle geometry: Stall widths, compact stall lengths, and aisle widths (including special widths when stalls abut walls/columns) are specified in Table 17.46.030 and accompanying notes (e.g., standard stall width minimum 9 ft, minimum length 18 ft; compact minimum length 14 ft; where adjacent to a structure minimum width increases to 10 ft). See § 17.46.030 and Table 17.46.030 notes.

• Passenger loading: A passenger loading/unloading space must be 10 ft x 20 ft marked and dedicated; loading facilities should be located at the rear and screened; they must be offset from driveway openings to allow safe maneuvering. See § 17.46.014 (Passenger Loading Spaces) and the Downtown/loading guidance.

• Surfacing, curbing and drainage: Public parking and loading areas must be paved per Public Works construction standards (typical minimum: 2 in asphalt over 6 in compacted base rock) and provide drainage to city storm system or gutter. See § 17.46.014 (Paving & Drainage).

• Landscaping & screening: Parking areas require landscaping (shade canopy target 50% at maturity for parking tree canopy), perimeter planters, and screening for lots visible from streets. Larger lots must be broken into smaller connected lots and provide minimum landscape area percentages (five percent of gross parking area in some districts). See the landscape and screening rules incorporated in the parking chapter and district chapters.

• Access, curb cuts, and back‑out prohibition: Access points must be approved by the Director of Public Works; back‑out parking onto public streets is prohibited for commercial, industrial and multi‑family developments (except single‑family/duplex). See § 17.46.014 (Access & Back‑out Parking).

• Compact car allowance: For lots with more than 10 spaces, up to 20% of spaces may be compact (signed/identified). See § 17.46.014 (Compact Car Parking).

• Loading and service location: Loading facilities must be at the rear and screened by walls and/or planting; they must be offset from driveways. See Downtown guidance and the general parking standards.

District-by-district (what to expect by zone)

Below are the districts that reference off‑street parking rules and how they tie into Chapter 17.46. Every district calls back to the Chapter 17.46 minima; where a district adds or modifies standards I show that too.

• R‑1 (Low Density Residential) — purpose & typical uses: single‑family dwellings and accessory buildings. Key parking rule: off‑street parking minima are those in Chapter 17.46 (see § 17.08.070). Expect typical lot standards (minimum area, setbacks) to govern where stalls/driveways may be placed. Verify front/side/rear yard placement rules before siting driveways.

• R‑2 (Medium Density Residential) — multi‑family and duplex uses; off‑street minima required per Chapter 17.46 (see § 17.10.070). The code also requires one covered and one uncovered space per unit in some planned projects—see project-specific chapters (e.g., Lau Condominiums requirements in § 17.35.050). Verify applicable project conditions and design review standards.

• R‑3 (High Density Residential) — off‑street parking is required per Chapter 17.46; multifamily design standards (garage placement, alley access, tree canopy targets) appear in specific multifamily or specific plan chapters and the Vineyards SP. See § 17.12.010 and multifamily provisions (e.g., rear garages, alley access guidance).

• MU‑C / MU‑R (Mixed Use – Downtown: Commercial & Residential Emphasis) — Downtown has its own form‑based rules: parking requirements are reduced, shared parking and on‑street parking are encouraged, and specific allowed parking types and ratios are shown in Table 17‑8 (Downtown parking types and ratios). The code prohibits locating parking between the front property line and the storefront (parking should be rear or side) and allows downtown exceptions to Chapter 17.46 minima (see Chapter 17.15 — Parking; Table 17‑8 and § 17.46.050(B)). If developing downtown, expect design review and possible payment‑in‑lieu/off‑site options within 300 ft.

• C‑1 / C‑2 / C‑3 (Commercial districts) — usual rule is "provide off‑street parking not less than Chapter 17.46"; specific uses may have their own ratios in § 17.46. Some commercial zones reference special landscape setbacks and parking area landscaping (for example, § 17.18.070 and § 17.24.070). See district chapters for front/setback interplay with parking placement.

• M‑1 / M‑2 (Industrial / Heavy Industrial) — off‑street parking per Chapter 17.46; Landscaping minimums and five percent landscape of parking area appear in these chapters; design review may be required for parking and landscaping. See § 17.24.070 and § 17.26.070.

• P‑SP (Public / Semi‑Public) — public parking lots are an allowed use; off‑street parking still governed by Chapter 17.46 (§ 17.28.070) and the public parking chapter lists special fencing, lighting, paving, planters, and layout requirements for public lots. See § 17.28.020–§ 17.28.070.

• Planned Development / Specific Plans (PD / Vineyards SP) — the Vineyards SP contains village‑center tables that set parking targets and permit shared parking and structured parking solutions; refer to the Vineyards SP Chapter and § 17.33 for PD‑specific parking policies (shared parking encouragement, landscape canopy targets).

Quick Standards Table (decision‑relevant at a glance)

Checklist

• Confirm applicable zoning district (R‑1, R‑2, MU‑C, MU‑R, C‑1, M‑1, P‑SP, etc.) and whether the Downtown Mixed‑Use Chapter 17.15 applies (Mixed‑Use downtown rules can alter minima). Verify with zoning map.
• Calculate required spaces using § 17.46.040 table for your specific use; if use not listed, consult Planning Department as authorized by the code.
• Provide stall/aisle geometry to match Table 17.46.030 (stall widths, lengths, aisle widths, compact percentage limits).
• Locate parking behind/side of buildings in Downtown per Table 17‑8 and Downtown parking standards; front‑yard parking between storefront and property line is prohibited in Downtown.
• Show passenger loading (10'×20') and any required service/loading screening; locate loading at rear where possible.
• Provide surfacing, wheel‑stops/bumper curbs, drainage, curbs and paving sections per Public Works standards and § 17.46.014.
• Include parking lot landscaping: planter widths, tree species/spacing to meet 50% canopy at maturity and required percentage of landscaped area. See landscaping standards.
• If proposing shared, off‑site, or reduced parking (including downtown options), prepare the justification and request per § 17.46.050 (and expect design review/Planning Commission review).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Anderson requires most new buildings and changes of use to provide off‑street parking using the formulas in Chapter 17.46 (use‑specific ratios, stall sizes and construction rules). Downtown (Mixed‑Use) is an exception: it intentionally reduces parking minima, pushes parking to the rear/sides, and encourages shared or on‑street parking; downtown projects should check Table 17‑8 and Chapter 17.15 for the preferred parking approach. Always verify stall dimensions, surfacing, loading size, and landscaping with Planning and Public Works before final design.

Source References

• § 17.46.010 — Off‑street parking chapter purpose and applicability.
• § 17.46.020 — Required parking location (same lot unless otherwise provided).
• § 17.46.030 — Parking space size standards and Table 17.46.030 (stall widths/lengths, notes on compact stalls, fire turning radii).
• § 17.46.040 — Off‑street parking requirements and use table (minimums by use; Planning Director authority for unlisted uses).
• § 17.46.050 — Exceptions to parking requirements, including Downtown exceptions (payment into parking fund/off‑site within 300 ft).
• Chapter 17.15 — Mixed Use (Downtown) parking policies, Table 17‑8 (allowed parking types, downtown ratios and form‑based parking rules).
• District chapters calling back to Chapter 17.46 (representative examples): § 17.08.070 (R‑1), § 17.10.070 (R‑2), § 17.18.070 (C‑1), § 17.24.070 (M‑1).
• Parking layout, surfacing, back‑out prohibition, passenger loading and paving standards: Chapter 17.46 (paving/wheel stops/drainage; passenger loading 10×20) and public parking rules.
• Landscaping and screening requirements (50% canopy target, planters and screening for lots): parking chapter and Vineyards SP / multifamily guidance.

If you need copies of the exact table rows or a plotted excerpt for a specific parcel or proposed use, request the parcel APN and the proposed use and I will extract the controlling rows and precise table entries from the ordinance text. Verify all parcel‑specific interpretations with the City of Anderson Planning Department.

Retrieved passages

• Anderson Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (Section addresses) High relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (Section 21155) Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (Section 17.44.040.) Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (Chapter 17.46.) Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (Chapter 17.46.) Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Anderson Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• § 17.46.010 — Off‑street parking chapter purpose and applicability. (§ 17.46.010)
• § 17.46.020 — Required parking location (same lot unless otherwise provided). (§ 17.46.020)
• § 17.46.030 — Parking space size standards and Table **17.46.030** (stall widths/lengths, notes on compact stalls, fire turning radii). (§ 17.46.030)
• § 17.46.040 — Off‑street parking requirements and use table (minimums by use; Planning Director authority for unlisted uses). (§ 17.46.040)
• § 17.46.050 — Exceptions to parking requirements, including Downtown exceptions (payment into parking fund/off‑site within 300 ft). (§ 17.46.050)
• Chapter 17.15 — Mixed Use (Downtown) parking policies, Table **17‑8** (allowed parking types, downtown ratios and form‑based parking rules). (Chapter 17.15)
• District chapters calling back to Chapter 17.46 (representative examples): **§ 17.08.070 (R‑1)**, **§ 17.10.070 (R‑2)**, **§ 17.18.070 (C‑1)**, **§ 17.24.070 (M‑1)**. (Chapter 17.46)
• Parking layout, surfacing, back‑out prohibition, passenger loading and paving standards: Chapter 17.46 (paving/wheel stops/drainage; passenger loading 10×20) and public parking rules. (Chapter 17.46)
• Landscaping and screening requirements (50% canopy target, planters and screening for lots): parking chapter and Vineyards SP / multifamily guidance. (chapter and)
• Anderson_ZoningCode.md

• Official Anderson code library