HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - department report on reduction in parking stall size for small cars J A.Mit
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T0: Planning and Zoning Commission I11►1 I? 0
FROM: Department of Planning & Housing �JJ l� ILJJ
ATE: January 13, 1984
SUBJECT: Reduction in Parking Stall Size for Small Cars
The Department has received information on the reduction of parking stall
size for small (6 feet by 15 or smaller ) cars from the Planning Advisory
Services of APA and from Iowa State University. In addition, the fourteen
largest cities in Iowa were surveyed to determine current practice in Iowa with
regard to permitting compact car parking spaces within off-street parking lots .
A copy of the survey is attached. Five of the fourteen cities currently permit
compact car stalls in their parking lots . The percentage of compact car stalls
permitted ranges from five percent to one-third of all stalls , and the
dimensions of the compact car stalls varies from 7 .5 to 8 .5 feet in width and
from 15 to 16 feet in length.
The number of small cars in the United States has been increasing. In
1975 , 30 percent of all cars registered were considered small cars and by 1980
that number had increased to 55 percent of the registered automobiles .
Allowing for a portion of these automobiles to be older and not in use , or
damaged and scrapped , during 1980 approximately 50 percent of the cars in use in
the United States were considered to be small cars , and by 1985 the parking
• industry estimates that 75 percent of automobiles in use will be small cars .
However, these figures are national averages and the actual percentage of small
cars in use varies depending upon geographic location within the. United States
with a higher percentage of small cars found in the south and west, and a lower
percentage in the north central and eastern part of the country.
One should also remember that automobiles are not the only vehicles that
are driven to work and shopping . Many people use vans , pick-up trucks ,
four-wheel drive all-terrain vehicles; and recreation vehicles as modes of
transportation. While these vehicles also are being down- sized, it is unlikely
that many will ever be in the same size category as small cars .
I
j Several communities have done field surveys to determine the percentage of
small cars parking in off-street lots throughout their communities . A field
survey conducted in Des Plaines , Illinois , in 1980 included shopping center
lots , office building lots , long-term parking lots and industrial lots . This
survey indicated that there was an overall average of 40.37 percent of compact
cars using the surveyed lots, however, breaking the results down for individual
lots in the survey, the percentage of compact cars ranged from 29.6 percent at a
shopping mall lot to 46 pp g percent in an office building parking lot . A survey
done in Nausau County, New York, in 1979 found that 26.6 percent of the total
number of parking spaces in the surveyed lots were occupied by small cars .
Another survey done in Helena , Montana , in 1977 found that 28.4 percent of
vehicles using parking lots were small cars .
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and set
February 21 as the public hearing date for first reading of an ordinance
amendment to allow reduction in parking space size, including the technical •
changes. City staff will conduct a field survey of parking lots in the spring
of 1984 to verify the percentage of small cars using these lots and will
determine at that time if modification to the maximum percentage of small car
spaces is required.
2. Modify the proposed ordinance amendment to allow reduction in parking stall
size and technical changes and set February 21 as the public hearing date for
first reading of the ordinance. City staff will conduct a field survey of
parking lots in the spring of 1984 to verify the percentage of small cars using
these lots and will determine at that time if modification to the maximum
percentage of small car spaces is required.
3. Send the proposed amendment to zoning ordinance to allow a reduction in
parking stall size back to the Planning and Zoning Commission until a field
survey of the size of cars in parking lots can be completed.
4. Reject the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission to approve
an ordinance amendment to allow a reduction in parking stall size.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1 which is to accept the recommendation of the Planning and
Zoning Commission and set February 21st as the public hearing date for first •
reading of the proposed ordinance amendment to allow a reduction in parking
stall size, including the technical changes. This alternative will update the
parking requirements in the zoning ordinance to allow a limited number (20
percent) of the parking spaces in off-street parking to be devoted to small car
spaces. In addition it will provide an opportunity to make sure technical
changes are made to the tables for computing the various parking angles. City
staff will conduct a field survey of parking lots in the spring of 1984 to
verify the percentage of small cars using these lots and will determine at that
time if modification to the maximum percentage of small car spaces is required.
COUNCIL ACTION:
•
Sec. 29.41 Rules for Computing Off-Street Parking
• EXISTING SECTION WITH MINOR TECHNICAL CHANGES
(8) Maneuvering space and width of parking area is required to permit safe and
convenient movement of vehicles . The following are space requirements for
various parking angles for full-size automobiles .
Parking Stall Aisle to Aisle Curb to
Angle Width (a) Curb (b) Width (c) Curb (d)
00 9.0' 9.0' 12 .0' 30.0'
209 9.0' 15.0' 12 .0' 42.0'
30" 9.0' 17.3' 12.0' 46.6'
400 9.0' 19.1' 12.0' 50.2'
450 9.0' 19.8' 13.0' 52.6'
500 9.0' 20.3' 15 .0' 55.6'
600 9.0' 21 .0' 18.0' 60.0'
700 9.0' 21 .0' 19.0' 60.8'
800 9.0' 20.3' 24.0' 64.6'
909 9.0' 19.0' 24.0' 62.0'
NEW SECTION
• (9) Smaller parking stalls for small cars are allowed only when the parking lot
involved consists of ten ( 10) or more off-street parking spaces . These
parking stalls shall be at least eight (8) feet wide and sixteen (16) feet
long, and a maximum of 20 percent of the required off-street parking stalls
can be designated for small cars . All small car stalls shall be clearly
identified with signs . In computing the number of permitted small car
stalls where a fractional number of spaces results , the number of permitted
small car spaces shall be rounded to the next lowest number.
The following table illustrates the space requirements for various parking
angles for compact cars .
Parking Stall Curb to Aisle Curb to
Angle Width (a) Aisle (b) Width (c) Curb (d)
00 8.0' 8.0' 12.0' 28.0'
200 8.0' 13.0' 12.0' 38.0'
300 8.0' 14.9' 12.0' 41 .8'
400 8.0' 16.4' 12.0' 44.8'
450 8.0' 17.0' 13.0' 47.0'
500 8.0' 17.4' 15.0' 49.8'
600 8.0' 17.9' 18.0' 53.8'
700 8.0' 17.8' 19.0' 54.6'
800 8.0' 17.1' 24.0' 58.2'
• 900 8.0' 16.0' 24.0' 56.0'
The introduction of small car parking stalls in parking lots points up the
• need for good planning so that the spaces are properly used. In smaller parking
lots the best location for the small car stalls should be near the entrances .
If small car stalls are not conveniently located , they are ignored for the
better located full-sized spaces . In large parking lots where there is high
turnover, the small car spaces should be scattered throughout the parking area
rather than in one location. This would apply to shopping malls and other such
areas . However, in long- term parking areas the small car spaces may be
concentrated in one location as long as they are conveniently located.
•
11
SURVEY OF MAJOR CITIES IN IOWA
COMPACT CAR PARKING & 11INIMU11 STALL SIZE
•
COUNCIL BLUFFS - There are no special provisions for smaller parking spaces
for compact cars.
Minimum stall size: 180 square feet and 9' by 20'
DES MOINES - They permit 20% of spaces in all parking lots to be devoted to
compact cars.
Minimum stall size: Standard cars - 9' x 17'
Compact cars - 7.5' x 16'
DUBU UE - Reduction in stall size is permitted on a case by case basis, based
on site plan review by the City Planner.
Minimum stall size: Standard cars - 9' x 19'
Compact cars - 8' x 16'*
*11inimum aisle width for standard cars must be maintained.
CEDAR RAPIDS - There are no special provisions for smaller parking spaces
for compact cars.
Minimum stall size: Standard cars - 180 square feet & 9' x 19' •
DAVENPORT - There are no special provisions for smaller parking spaces for
compact cars.
Minimum stall size: Standard cars - 153 square feet with a minimum
width of 8.5'
SIOUX CITY_ - There are no special provisions for smaller parking spaces for
compact cars, except when the parking lot is part of a planned
development. Site plan review under the planned development
provisions may allow reduction in parking space size, if appropriate.
Minimum stall size: Standard cars - 180 square feet which would allow
either a 9' x 20' or a 10' x 18' stall
IOWA CITY - Reduction of parking stall size is permitted for one-third of all
parking spaces in the lot.
Minimum stall size_: Standard cars - 9' x 19'
Compact cars - 8' x 15'
•
r
CEbAR FALLS - Ten percent of the parking lot may be designated for compact
• T car stalls with a minimum parking lot size of 10 or more spaces.
Minimum stall size: Standard cars - 9' x 19'
Compact cars - 8' x 16'
MASON CITY - The ordinance in Mason City permits one parking space in 20 to be
designated for compact cars. To exceed that ratio would require
that the Planning Commission review the site plan and recommend
that the ratio be exceeded. Minimum aisle width may not be reduced.
Minimum stall size_: Standard cars - 8.5' x 19'
_ _ Compact cars - 8.5' x 15'
MARSHALLTOWN - There are no special provisions for parking spaces for small
cars.
Minimum stall size: Standard cars - 130 square feet and 9' x 20'
BURI.INCTON - There are no special provisions for parking spaces for small cars.
Minimum stall size_: No specific size is given in the ordinance;
the planning department uses 8.5' x 18' in site plan review.
. FORT_ DODGE - There are no specific regulations that relate to size or
dimensions of parking spaces. The City does not regulate more than
the minimum number of spaces required for a specific use. They do
not review parking lot configuration.
WATERLOO - There are no special provisions to allow for small parking spaces
for compact cars, however size of stall and aisle width in parking
lots may be reduced for employee parking.
Minimum stall size: Standard cars - 9' x 18'
•