No structure or use shall be erected, substantially altered or developed unless permanently maintained off-street parking and loading spaces have been provided in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance. (back to top)
Off-street parking and loading facilities shall conform to the following regulations:
A. The area shall be permanently paved and maintained and shall have adequate and safe ingress and egress. Parking spaces required in connection with single- or two-family dwelling uses need not be permanently paved. For the purposes of this section, the term "paving" shall mean a uniform, hard, smooth-covering which will bear travel by vehicles or by pedestrians in all seasons, which includes concrete, bituminous concrete, oil-penetrated gravel, brick and paving stone but shall not include such materials as gravel, crushed clamshells or any other similar material. The use of porous pavements, space paving blocks or similar pavements which provide for infiltration of ground water are permitted, provided they will result in a durable and dust-free surface.
B. Where an off-street parking or loading area adjoins or lies within a residential district or abuts a residential use in any zoning district, a landscaped buffer strip of not less than 25 feet in width containing a double row of compact evergreen vegetative screening not less than four feet in height shall be erected and maintained between such area and the adjoining residential district or use. This screening requirement shall not apply to parking places required in connection with dwelling uses, except motels or hotels.
C. Lighting fixtures used to illuminate the parking or loading area shall reflect the light away from adjoining property and away from adjacent streets and shall not exceed one (1) foot candle projection onto abutting property.
D. No off-street parking facility shall be located closer than ten (10) feet to any front lot line, street line, rear lot line or side lot line in any commercial or industrial zoning district.
E. Access driveways serving any required parking lot from a street shall not be less than 12 feet in width for one- way traffic, and not less than twenty-four (24) feet in width for two-way traffic.
F. Individual parking stalls shall be no less than nine feet (9') wide and eighteen feet (18') in length and in no case shall the gross area of parking space including aisles be less than 162 square feet per car. Aisles between rows of parking stalls shall not be less than twelve (12) feet for one-way traffic, and not less than twenty-four (24) feet for two-way traffic.
G. Each row of parking shall contain a landscaped area of sixty-four (64) square feet for every ten (10) parking spaces.
H. Handicapped parking spaces accessible to disabled persons shall be provided as may be applicable under the Americans With Disabilities Act and any federal or state regulations promulgated thereunder.
I. All off-street parking and loading facilities shall be suitably sloped and drained to eliminate standing water and prevent damage to abutting property and/or public streets and alleys, so as not to cause any nuisance to adjacent or public property. The design of all parking lot drainage shall conform to the Town of Middletown Subdivision Design Standards.
J. All off-street parking and loading facilities shall maintain distances from buildings, fire hydrants, post indicator valves and emergency access ways as required by the applicable Fire Code.
K. No motor vehicle repair work or service of any kind shall be permitted in conjunction with parking or loading facilities provided in commercial districts, except emergency repair service necessary to start vehicles.
L. Any parking area and loading space as defined in this Ordinance shall be continually maintained in satisfactory condition so as to be safe and attractive and free of hazard, nuisance, weeds, overgrown grass or other unsafe condition. (back to top)
All parking and loading facilities required by this Ordinance shall be located on the same lot as the principal use it is intended to serve. Shared parking facility plans may be approved as part of the site plan review process. (back to top)
Plans and specifications for the required parking or loading facility shall be submitted at the time of application for a building permit for the main use. (back to top)
The following minimum off-street parking space requirements shall apply to all principal and accessory uses.
| Type of Use (Principal and Accessory) | Minimum Parking Spaces Required |
| Residential dwellings, except elderly housing | Two (2) spaces per dwelling |
| Elderly housing | One (1) space per dwelling unit |
| Hotel or Motel with Restaurant/Meeting Room | Five (5) spaces plus one (1) space per unit |
| Hotel or Motel Only | Four (4) parking spaces plus one (1) per unit |
| Extractive and Industrial Non-manufacturing; Manufacturing Uses; Transportation, Communi- cation and Utilities; Wholesale Commercial | One (1) space for every two (2) employees on the largest shift for which the building is designed, plus one for each motor vehicle maintained or used on the premises (minimum of for (4) total spaces) |
| Automobile service stations | One (1) for each employee, minimum two (2); plus four (4) for each service bay |
| Gas station/mini-mart | One (1) for each employee plus three (3) each 1,000 sq. ft. of GFA (not to include parking at the pumps.) |
| Lunchrooms, restaurants, taverns, etc. | One (1) space for each three (3) persons of total capacity |
| Shopping Center | Three (3) for each 1,000 sq. ft. gross leasable floor area (GFA) |
| General Retail/All Other Commercial Uses | Four (4) spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. of gross leasable floor area (GFA) |
| Boarding and rooming houses | Two (2) spaces plus one (1) for each room |
| Personal, Business and Professional Services | |
| Offices, public or professional administration or service buildings | Three (3) for each 1,000 sq. ft. of GFA |
| Banks, financial institutions and similar uses | Four (4) for each 1,000 sq. ft. of GFA |
| ATM Machine | Two (2) per machine |
| Theaters, concert halls, auditoriums and similar uses | One (1) for each three (3) seats of total capacity |
| Bowling alleys | Four (4) for each alley or lane plus one (1) additional space for each 100 sq. ft. of the floor area used for restaurant, cocktail lounge or similar use |
| Funeral parlors, mortuaries and similar uses | One (1) for each three (3) seats total capacity |
| Unspecified personal and business uses | Four (4) for each 1,000 sq. ft. of GFA |
| Government, Institutional and Educational | |
| Churches and other places of religious assembly | One (1) for each five (5) seats |
| Hospitals | One (1) for each bed |
| Rest, retirement, convalescent or nursing homes and similar uses | One (1) for each three (3) beds |
| Medical and dental offices | One (1) for every 100 sq. ft. floor area of examination, treating room, office and waiting room (Minimum of four spaces) |
| Libraries, museums and art galleries | One (1) for each 400 sq. ft. floor area (Minimum of four (4) spaces) |
| Elementary schools (private) | Two (2) for each classroom plus one (1) for every five (5) seats in auditoriums or assembly halls |
| High Schools (private, except boarding schools) | One (1) for every ten (10) students or one (1) for every five (5) seats in auditoriums or assembly halls, whichever is greater |
| Business, technical and trade | One (1) for each two (2) students |
| Colleges, universities (private) | One (1) for each two (2) students |
| Kindergartens, child care centers, nursery Schools and similar uses (private) | Two (2) for each classroom but not less than six (6) for the building |
| Recreation | |
| Marina or yacht club | One and one-half (1.5) spaces per boat or slip |
| With indoor facilities add: | One (1) space for each four (4) persons of total capacity |
| Athletic fields and courts | One (1) space for each four (4) persons of total capacity |
| Swimming pool, ice rink, public or Community club or hall | One (1) for each five (5) persons capacity plus one (1) for each four (4) seats; or one (1) for each 30 sq. ft. floor area used for seating purposes, whichever is greater |
| Golf Course (18 holes) | Eighty (80) spaces |
| With dining facilities add: | One (1) space for each three (3) persons of total capacity |
| Health Club | One (1) for every 250 sq. ft. of GFA plus five (5) employee spaces |
| Golf Driving Range | Two (2) plus one (1) per tee |
| Miniature golf | 1.25 per hole plus two (2) for employees |
No land shall be used or occupied and no structure shall be erected or used for nonresidential purposes in any zoning district unless the off-street loading spaces required herein are provided. Off-street loading spaces as specified in this Ordinance shall be provided for any enlargement or alterations to any such existing structure of use. These off-street loading requirements shall not apply to residential uses except motels or hotels. (back to top)
No off-street loading spaces required by this Ordinance shall be located closer than ten (10) feet to any front lot line, street line or side lot line in any zoning district. Off-street loading spaces may be located closer than ten (10) feet to any rear lot line, provided, however, that if the use lies within a residential zoning district, or the rear lot line abuts a residential zoning district or existing residential use, said off-street loading space shall be screened from said adjacent residential district or use as required in Section 1301 (B) of this Ordinance. (back to top)
Each nonresidential use or structure in which services or commodities are used, sold, displayed, serviced, repaired, altered or fabricated as the principal or special-use permit use of the parcel or lot shall provide the following:
A. Each use or structure of under one-thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area or ground area shall provide one (1) off-street loading space of at least three-hundred (300) square feet in area.
B. Each use or structure of over one-thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area or used ground area shall provide one (1) off-street loading space, plus one (1) additional loading space for each twenty-thousand (20,000) square feet of area. Each loading space shall have a minimum area of four-hundred fifty (450) square feet, with a minimum vertical clearance of fourteen (14) feet and shall include sufficient space for standing, loading and unloading of commercial vehicles. (back to top)