§14-1403. Parking in Commercial Districts.
(1) Dwelling Units, Non-Residential Uses Permitted in
Certain Residential Districts and Commercial Uses That Require Parking in
Commercial
Districts:
[281] (a) Parking spaces
for any newly-erected dwellings in Commercial Districts or any newly erected
non-residential uses permitted in certain Residential Districts, which are
erected in Commercial Districts after the effective date of this ordinance shall
be in accordance with the requirements of § 14-1402.
(b) Accessory
parking spacers required or provided in any commercial district or by Section
14-312 or Section 14-313 shall meet the requirements of that district or those
Sections as well as the requirements contained in this
Section.
[282] (2) Types of Parking:
Parking spaces provided in a Commercial District may be in:
(a) A
garage, which shall be considered as part of the occupied area of the lot,
and/or
(b) An open-air area which shall not be considered as part of
the occupied area of the lot.
(c) Provided, that nothing in this
section shall be interpreted as allowing the construction of an above ground
garage or a parking lot in the "C-4" or "C-5" Commercial Districts in areas of
the City where a Special Use Permit is required or in areas of the City where
such uses are
prohibited.
[283] (3) Area of Parking
Space.
[284] (a) The minimum
dimensions of each individual parking space in any Commercial District shall be
not less than eight and one-half (8½) feet by eighteen (18) feet;
provided,
(.1) For parking facilities which contain twenty-five (25)
or more parking spaces, no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the parking
spaces may be not less than eight feet by sixteen feet; provided, that such
spaces are each clearly designated to be limited to use by compact and/or
subcompact
automobiles.
[285] (4) Open-Air
Parking Provisions. Where the parking spaces in any Commercial District are in
an open-air area, the open-air parking area
shall:
[286] (a) In the case of all
parking areas:
(.1) Be situated on ground which does not contain any
grades in excess of 10%, namely, changes of grade of one foot for each 10
feet;
(b) In cases where three (3) or more parking spaces are required
or provided:
(.1) Comply with the provisions of subparagraph (a)
above;
(.2) Comply with the applicable provisions of Section 9-601 of
The Philadelphia Code, and a Certificate of Approval issued by the Department of
Streets, said Certificate to become part of the zoning
application;
(.3) Be paved with a hard top surface of cement concrete,
bituminous concrete, or asphalt, including all accessways and/or driveways from
the street;
(.4) Open-air parking shall comply with the screening
requirements set forth in § 14-1403(6).
(c) In cases where ten
(10) or more parking spaces are required or provided:
(.1) Comply with
the provisions of subparagraphs (a) and (b) above;
(.2) Be provided
with adequate lighting facilities for use at night, which lights shall be
focused so as to prevent glare on any dwelling;
(.3) Contain
permanent, substantial barriers around the area, for the protection of
surrounding buildings and pedestrians, constructed of metal or masonry. If
constructed of masonry, the wall shall be not less than two feet above the
ground, and if constructed of metal or masonry posts, the posts shall be not
less than four inches nor more than six inches in diameter, placed not more than
five feet apart, nor less than 30 inches above the ground and connected by metal
pipes, rods, fencing or chains.
(.4) Comply with the requirements for
aisles, driveways, pedestrian walkways, landscaping, screening, and lighting set
forth in § 14-1403(6).
(5) Location of Parking. Parking structures
which are attached to the building in any Commercial District shall be governed
by the same provisions as the building itself. Open-air parking and parking in
detached garage structures shall be governed by the provisions set forth
below:
[287] (a) When open-air
parking or parking in a detached garage is provided:
(.1) To the rear
of the building, it shall be located between the building and the required rear
yard;
(.2) To the side of the building, it shall be located between
the building and the required side yard;
(.3) In the front of the
building, all parking spaces and aisles shall be located behind the required
building set-back line;
(.4) Landscaping and screening as required in
§ 14-1403(6) may be placed in the required rear and side yards; further
provided, that when the minimum side or rear yard required is of a dimension
which is less than the required dimensions in § 14-1403(6), the
requirements of § 14-1403(6) shall be met.
(6) Driveways, Aisles,
Walkways, Screening, Landscaping and
Lighting.
[288] (a) Parking
facilities accessory to multi-family buildings, permitted non-residential uses,
and commercial buildings shall comply with the following
requirements:
(.1) Driveways and Aisles. An additional area of the
parking lot or parking garage equal to not less than twenty-five percent (25%)
of the total area of the lot or garage shall be provided for access driveways
and aisles.
(.2) Walkways. Where a parking lot containing over
twenty-five (25) spaces or a portion of a parking lot where such portion
contains over twenty-five (25) spaces is located between a building and a public
street, a pedestrian walkway of at least four feet in width shall be provided in
accordance with the following requirements:
(.a) The walkway shall be
located within or along the edge of the parking lot;
(.b) The walkway
shall connect the street and the building;
(.c) One such pedestrian
walkway shall be provided for each three hundred feet of street frontage along a
street; and,
(.d) Where a walkway crosses a driveway or aisle, the
driveway and/or aisle shall be clearly marked and signed so as to indicate the
location of the walkway and to require vehicles to stop for individuals using
the walkway.
(.3) Screening Along Residential Lot Lines. Where a
parking lot, parking garage, driveway or aisle is located between a building and
a Residential District, or is located so that there is not a building or portion
of a building between the parking lot, parking garage, driveway or aisle, a
planted buffer at least six feet wide and six feet high shall be installed and
maintained between the parking lot, parking garage, driveway or aisle, and the
Residential District in accordance with the following
requirements:
(.a) The planted buffer shall be installed along the
entire edge of the lot line where it abuts the lot line of the Residential
District;
(.b) Where a parking lot, parking garage, driveway or
aisle, is located between a building and a Residential District along two (2) or
more lot lines, a planted buffer shall be installed along the entire edge of
each lot line which abuts the lot line of a Residential
District;
(.c) The planting material shall be installed at a size and
number to ensure adequate screening from the time the material is
installed;
(.d) The type of plant material shall be selected from a
list of types, sizes of species of plants, and numbers of plants that are
appropriate to achieve adequate screening and appropriate for the location of
the parking facility. This list shall be prepared and maintained by the City
Planning Commission, in conjunction with the Fairmount Park
Commission;
(.e) The planted buffer may be located within the
required side and rear yards;
(.f) The required screening shall be
maintained in a manner to ensure its survival. In the event that any landscaping
dies, it shall be replaced at the required ratio; and,
(.g) Where any
individual district contains screening requirements which exceed the
requirements contained herein, the requirements of the individual district shall
take precedent.
(.4) Screening Along Street Frontage. Along the street
line of all public streets whether or not a set-back is required, a landscaped
area at least four feet wide and two feet high, shall be installed along the
outward edge of the parking lot in accordance with the following
requirements:
(.a) The landscaped area shall be installed along the
entire street frontage of all streets, except where walkways and driveways
connect to the public street;
(.b) The planting material shall be
installed at a size and number to ensure adequate screening from the time the
material is installed;
(.c) The type of plant material shall be
selected from a list of types, sizes of species of plants, and numbers of plants
that are appropriate to achieve adequate screening and appropriate for the
location of the parking facility. This list shall be prepared and maintained by
the City Planning Commission, in conjunction with the Fairmount Park
Commission;
(.d) The landscaped area may be located within the
required set-back;
(.e) The required landscaped area shall be
maintained in a manner to ensure its survival. In the event that any landscaping
dies, it shall be replaced at the required ratio; and,
(.f) Where any
individual district contains screening requirements which exceed the
requirements contained herein, the requirements of the individual district shall
take precedent.
(.5) Landscaping. All parking lots shall include
landscaped areas in accordance with the following
requirements:
(.a) In the required set-back, or along the street line
of a public street where a set-back is not required, a landscaped area at least
equal to the required set-back, but in no case less than four feet wide, shall
be installed along the outward edge of the parking lot, subject to the
requirements of subparagraph (.4) above;
(.b) Within the parking lot,
an additional area shall be provided for the installation and maintenance of
landscaping. The total landscaping shall not be less than ten percent (10%) of
the area of the parking lot, including all spaces, aisles and driveways, but
excluding all walkways and screening required elsewhere
herein;
(.c) The planting material shall be installed at a size and
number to ensure adequate screening from the time the material is
installed;
(.d) The type of plant material shall be selected from a
list of types, sizes, species and numbers of plants that are appropriate to the
environment in which they are to be installed and appropriate for the location
of the parking facility. This list shall be prepared and maintained by the City
Planning Commission, in conjunction with the Fairmount Park
Commission;
(.e) The required landscaping may be located anywhere
within or along the parking lot; provided, it shall be maintained in a manner to
ensure its survival. In the event that any landscaping dies, it shall be
replaced at the required ratio; and,
(.f) Where any individual
district contains landscaping requirements which exceed the requirements
contained herein, the requirements of the individual district shall take
precedent.
(.6) Lighting. All parking lots shall include lighting in
accordance with the following requirements:
(.a) The lighting shall
illuminate the entire parking lot and walkways with an overall minimum average
level of illumination of not less than two (2) horizontal foot
candles;
(.b) The illumination shall be maintained throughout
non-business hours with an overall minimum average level of illumination of not
less than three-tenths (0.3) horizontal foot candles;
(.c) The
illumination shall be focused upon the lot so as to prevent glare upon the
surrounding areas; and,
(.d) Where any individual district contain
lighting requirements which exceed the requirements contained herein, the
requirements of the individual district shall take precedent.