Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations
4.08.100 Purpose
The purposes of the parking and loading regulations are to:
A. Ensure that adequate off-street parking and loading facilities are appropriately sized to serve the reasonably anticipated demand of new land uses and major alterations to existing uses, without requiring parking in excess of what is needed;
B. Minimize the negative environmental and design impacts that can result from parking and loading areas, including impacts associated with excessive parking supply; C. Ensure that adequate bicycle parking facilities are provided; D. Establish standards and regulations for safe and well-designed parking, unloading, and vehicle circulation areas that minimize conflicts between pedestrian and vehicles within parking lots and, where appropriate, create buffers from surrounding land uses; and E. Offer flexible means of minimizing the amount of area devoted to parking by allowing reductions in the number of required spaces in situations expected to have lower vehicle parking demand.
F. Avoid the inefficient use of land for parking that could otherwise support active uses, housing, or public space, and discourage parking supply that induces vehicle trips or conflicts with the City's climate, housing, and active transportation goals.
4.08.102 Applicability
The requirements of this Chapter apply to the establishment, alteration, expansion, or change in any use or structure, as provided in this Section.
A. New Buildings and Land Uses. Parking and loading in accordance with this Chapter shall be provided at the time any new main building or structure is erected or any new land use is established.
B. Existing Buildings and Land Uses. Parking and loading in accordance with this Chapter shall be provided when a change in land use classification, expansion of building gross floor area, or expansion of outdoor area used for the operation of a land use increases the number of required parking spaces or loading berths by both 20 percent or more and five spaces or berths or more.
The following provisions apply:
1. Existing parking and loading that is not in excess of the required spaces shall be maintained.
2. A change in occupancy under the Building or Fire Code does not constitute a change in land use classification for purposes of this Section unless the new occupant falls within a different land use classification than the former occupant.
3. Additional parking and loading spaces are not required for the reconstruction of an existing building when there is no increase in floor area and there is no change in land use classification.
4. Where additional parking or loading is required under this Section, such additional spaces shall be provided only for the increased floor area, and not for the entire building or site.
C. When Constructed. Parking and loading facilities required by this Chapter shall be constructed or installed prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the uses that they serve.
4.08.104 General Provisions
A. Existing Parking and Loading to be Maintained. No existing parking and/or loading serving any use may be reduced in amount or changed in design, location or maintenance below the requirements for such use, unless equivalent substitute facilities are provided. This provision does not apply to stalls converted to accommodate ADA parking.
B. Nonconforming Parking or Loading. An existing use of land or structure shall not be deemed to be nonconforming solely because of a lack of parking and/or loading facilities required by this Chapter, provided that facilities used for parking and/or loading as of the date of adoption of this Code are not reduced in number to less than what this Chapter requires.
C. Accessibility. Parking and loading areas must be accessible for its intended purpose during all hours of operation.
4.08.108 Required Parking Spaces
A. Parking Requirements for Certain Properties Near BART. Consistent with California Public Utilities Code Sections 29010.1 through 29010.12, the parking requirements presented in Table 4.08.108.A, Parking Requirements, Certain Properties Near BART, apply to parcels that meet the following criteria.
1. Located within one-half (1/2) mile of a BART Station;
2. At least one-quarter acre in size (either individual or contiguous parcels);
3. Owned by BART on or before July 1, 2018; and
4. An infill site (defined in Section 21061.3 of the Public Resources Code as a site that had previous development or a site without development immediately adjacent to urban uses).
TABLE 4.08.108.A: PARKING REQUIREMENTS, CERTAIN PROPERTIES NEAR BART Parking Requirements San Leandro BART Bay Fair BART
Residential Parking
Minimum Vehicle Space 0 0
Maximum Vehicle Space 0.5 space/unit 1.0 space/unit
Commercial Parking (Office)
Minimum Vehicle Space 0 0
Maximum Vehicle Space 1.6 spaces/1,000 square feet 2.5 spaces/1,000 square feet B. Parking Requirements for Properties Near Major Transit Stops. Minimum parking requirements shall not be imposed for any development project located within one-half (1/2) mile of public transit (a major transit stop as defined in Section 21155 of the Public Resources Code).
1. This Section shall not reduce, eliminate, or preclude the enforcement of any requirement imposed on new multifamily residential or nonresidential development to provide electric vehicle supply equipment installed parking spaces or parking spaces that are accessible to persons with disabilities that would have otherwise applied to the development if this Section did not apply.
2. When a project provides parking voluntarily, the Zoning Enforcement Official may impose requirements on that voluntary parking to require spaces for car share vehicles, require spaces to be shared with the public, or require parking owners to charge for parking. The City shall not require that voluntarily provided parking be made available to residents at no charge.
C. Parking Requirements, Generally. Unless otherwise stated in this Chapter, each land use shall provide at least the number of parking spaces stated in Table 4.08.108.C, Required Number of Parking Spaces.
TABLE 4.08.108.C: REQUIRED NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES
Land Use Classification Required Parking Spaces
Residential Uses
Single-family Dwelling 2 covered spaces, per unit. New single-family dwellings or additions with more than 4 bedrooms or over 4,000 square feet of livable area shall require one additional space which may be uncovered and in tandem if it is located a minimum of 30 feet back from the front property line
Two-family Dwelling DA Districts: 1.5 spaces, including 1 covered, per unit Other Districts: 2 spaces, including 1 covered, per unit
TABLE 4.08.108.C: REQUIRED NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES
Land Use Classification Required Parking Spaces
Mixed-Use and Multi-family (3 or more units)
Market Rate Studio or 1-bedroom unit: 1 space per unit
2-bedroom unit: 1.5 spaces per unit
3-bedroom unit or larger: 2 spaces per unit
Deed Restricted Affordable
Housing
Studio or 1-bedroom unit: 0.5 space per unit
2-bedroom unit: 1 space per unit
3-bedroom unit or larger: 1.5 spaces per unit
Nonresidential Uses
Commercial, Services 1 space per 500 sq ft
Hotels, Motels and Time
Share Facilities
0.5 spaces per guest room
Commercial, Offices B-TOD:
• Sub-Area 1: maximum 1 space per 400 sq ft
• Sub-Areas 2 and 3: minimum 1 space per 1,000 sq ft; maximum 1 space per 400 sq ft Other Districts: 1 space per 500 sq ft
Industrial 1 space per 2,000 sq ft
Institutional Uses 1.5 spaces per 1,000 sq ft
Other Determined by the Zoning Enforcement Official based on a parking study (see Subsection D below)
D. Uses Not Listed. The parking requirement for any use not listed in Table 4.08.108.C shall be determined by the Zoning Enforcement Official based upon the requirements for the most similar comparable use, the particular characteristics of the proposed use, and any other relevant data regarding parking demand.
E. Calculation of Required Spaces. The number of required parking spaces shall be calculated according to the following rules:
1. Floor Area. Where a parking or loading requirement is stated as a ratio of parking spaces to floor area, the floor area is assumed to be total floor area, unless otherwise stated.
2. Bedrooms. Where a parking requirement is stated as a ratio of parking spaces to bedrooms, any room meeting the standards of the Building Code as a sleeping room shall be counted as a bedroom.
F. Sites with Multiple Uses. If more than one use is located on a site, the number of required parking spaces and loading spaces shall be equal to the sum of the requirements calculated separately for each use unless a reduction is approved pursuant to Section 4.08.105, Parking Reductions.
4.08.114 Parking Reductions
The number of parking spaces required by Section 4.08.108, Required Parking Spaces, may be reduced as follows.
A. Shared Parking. Where a shared parking facility serving more than one use will be provided, the total number of required parking spaces may be reduced with approval of an Administrative Use Permit, if the review authority finds that:
1. The peak hours of use will not overlap or coincide to the degree that peak demand for parking spaces from all uses will be greater than the total supply of spaces;
2. The proposed number of parking spaces to be provided will be adequate to serve each use; and
3. In the case of a shared parking facility that serves more than one property, a parking agreement has been prepared consistent with the provisions of Section 4.08.122.B.1, Allowance for Off-Site Parking.
B. Other Parking Reductions. The number of parking spaces required pursuant to Section 4.08.108 Off-Street Parking and Loading Spaces Required may be reduced through Major Site Plan Review approval per Chapter 5.12 Site Plan Review, provided that the following findings are made:
1. Certain conditions—including, but not limited to, the nature of the proposed operation; transportation characteristics of persons residing, working, or visiting the site; or the availability of shared parking that serves more than one property or use, the peak parking hours of which do not overlap or coincide to the degree that peak demand will be greater than the total supply—exist that will reduce parking demand at the site; or because existing development precludes the addition of parking spaces; and
2. The use will adequately be served by the proposed parking.
In reaching a decision, the review authority shall consider survey data submitted by an applicant or collected at the applicant’s or Zoning Enforcement Official’s request and the applicant’s expense.
4.08.120 Parking In-Lieu Payments
A. Within designated parking districts established by the City and subject to prior approval by the City in each case, a parking requirement serving nonresidential uses on a site may be met by a cash inlieu payment to the City prior to issuance of a building permit or a certificate of occupancy if no permit is required. The fee shall be to provide public off-street parking in the vicinity of the use.
B. In establishing such parking districts, the City may set limitations on the number of spaces or the maximum percentage of parking spaces required for which an in-lieu fee may be tendered.
Determinations as to whether an in-lieu fee will be accepted and the factors used to calculate the amount of the fee, e.g., estimated values for land and improvement costs for parking spaces, shall be at the sole discretion of the City.
4.08.122 Location of Required Parking
A. On-Site Parking Required. Required parking shall be located on the same lot as the use it serves except as allowed below.
1. Allowance for Off-Site Parking. Parking required to serve a multi-unit residential use or nonresidential use may be located off-site provided the off-site parking facility is located within 2,000 feet, along a pedestrian route, of the dwelling or use served in accordance with California Government Code § 65863.1 (AB 894 (2023)). a. Life of Facility. Facilities for off-site parking shall be restricted to that use by a recorded deed, easement, lease, or agreement acceptable to the City Attorney and for a period of time consistent with the use permit requiring the parking, provided that the Zoning Enforcement Official may lift the restriction upon finding that substitute parking facilities meeting the requirements of this Code are provided. No use shall be continued if the required parking is removed unless substitute-parking facilities are provided to the satisfaction of the Zoning Enforcement Official.
4.08.126 Unbundling Parking Pricing
A. Unbundled Parking Required. All parking for residential projects of five units or more shall be leased or sold separately from the rental or purchase fees for dwelling units for the life of the dwelling units, such that potential renters or buyers have the option of renting or buying a residential unit at a price lower than would be the case if there were a single price for both the residential unit and the parking space.
B. Pricing. Parking prices must be set at applicable market rates.
C. Exceptions. This Section does not apply to any of the following:
1. A residential property or unit with an individual garage that is functionally a part of the property or unit, including, but not limited to, single-family dwellings, townhouses and row houses.
2. Residential units, exclusive of any manager’s unit or units, that are restricted by deed, regulatory restriction contained in an agreement with a governmental agency, or other recorded document as affordable housing.
3. A housing development that receives low-income housing tax credits pursuant to Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. Sec. 42).
4. A housing development that is financed with tax-exempt bonds pursuant to a program administered by the California Housing Finance Agency.
5. A residential unit that is leased to a tenant who receives a federal housing assistance voucher issued under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1437f), including a federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing voucher.
4.08.128 Bicycle Parking
A. Parking Spaces and Facilities Required. Each land use shall provide at least the minimum number of bicycle parking spaces and related facilities listed in Table B. The minimum parking requirement for any use not listed in Table B shall be determined by the Zoning Enforcement Official based upon the requirements for the most similar comparable use, the particular characteristics of the proposed use, and any other relevant data regarding parking demand. A minimum of two (2) shortterm spaces and one (1) long-term space shall be provided for each non-residential use. The Zoning Enforcement Official may grant a waiver in the minimum number of bicycle parking spaces for new uses in existing buildings that lack sufficient space.
TABLE 4.08.128.A: REQUIRED BICYCLE PARKING SPACES AND FACILITIES Land Use Classification Required Parking Spaces
Residential Uses
Multi-Unit Residential (3+
units)
Short-Term Spaces: 1 per 4 units
Long-Term Spaces: 3 per 4 units
Non-Residential Uses
Commercial, Office &
Institutional Uses
Short-Term Spaces: 1 per 6,000 sf
Long-Term Spaces: 1 per 2,000 sf
Showers: 1 for first 40,000 sf plus 1 for each additional 20,000 sf, minimum of 1.
TABLE 4.08.128.A: REQUIRED BICYCLE PARKING SPACES AND FACILITIES Land Use Classification Required Parking Spaces
Lockers: 75% of long-term bicycle parking spaces, minimum of 2 Hotels, Motels and Time
Share Facilities
Short-Term Spaces: 1 per 20 rooms
Long-Term Spaces: 1 per 20 rooms
Lockers: 75% of long-term bicycle parking spaces, minimum of 2 Industrial Short-Term Spaces: 1 per 40,000 sf
Long-Term Spaces: 1 per 13,000 sf
Showers: 1 per 100,000 sf, minimum of 1.
Lockers: 75% of long-term bicycle parking spaces, minimum of 2 Commercial, Services Short-Term Spaces: 1 per 27,000 sf Long-Term Spaces: 1 per 8,000 sf
B. Design Standards.
1. Short-term bicycle parking shall include racks to which the bicycle can be locked.
2. Long-term bicycle parking shall consist of one of the following:
a. Covered, lockable enclosures with permanently anchored racks for bicycles; b. Lockable bicycle rooms with permanently anchored racks; c. Lockable, permanently anchored bicycle lockers;
d. Private garages or other private, lockable storage space accessible from the outside; or
e. Dedicated in-unit bicycle storage area.
3. Lockers and racks shall be securely anchored to the pavement or a structure.
4. Racks shall be designed and installed to allow two points of contact with the frame and allow the frame and one or both wheels to be secured.
5. A minimum of one outlet or other charging infrastructure charger shall be provided per five required long-term bicycle parking spaces.
6. Bicycle Parking Space Dimensions. All bicycle parking spaces must meet the following minimum dimensions:
a. Each bicycle parking space must include a minimum area of 72 inches in length and 24 inches in width that is clear of obstructions.
i. A minimum of ten percent of the long-term bicycle parking spaces for Multi-Unit Residential, Commercial Office, Institutional and Hotel uses shall be sized to accommodate cargo bicycles and adaptive bicycles. ii. A minimum of five percent of the long-term bicycle parking spaces for Industrial and Commercial Services uses shall be sized to accommodate cargo bicycles and adaptive bicycles.
b. The front or back of a bicycle parking rack for short term bicycle parking shall be located no less than 48 inches from a sidewalk or pedestrian way; and c. A minimum of 30 inches shall be provided between adjoining bicycle parking racks.
C. Location.
1. Bicycle parking shall be located outside of pedestrian walkways, and within 100 feet of a main entrance to the building it serves.
2. Bicycle parking shall be located outside of the public right-of-way except short-term bicycle parking may be located within the right-of-way pursuant to an encroachment permit.
3. Where the secure bicycle parking area is not visible from the main entrance of the buildings, signs located at the main entrance of the building shall identify the location of bicycle parking.
D. Modifications. The Zoning Enforcement Official may approve modifications to bicycle design standards and locations.
4.08.130 Required Loading
All uses requiring the receipt or distribution by vehicles or trucks of material or merchandise shall provide off-street loading and unloading areas to handle the volume of truck traffic and loading requirements.
A. Nonresidential Buildings. Every new nonresidential building, and every nonresidential building enlarged by more than 10,000 square feet of floor area shall provide off-street loading and unloading areas as stated in Table 4.08.130.A, Required Loading Spaces.
TABLE 4.08.130.A: REQUIRED LOADING SPACES
Gross Floor Area (sq ft) Required Loading Spaces
10’ x 20’ x 10’ VC* 12’ x 35’ x 14’ VC* 12’ x 65’ x 14’ VC* Commercial Services
3,001 to 15,000 - 1 -
15,001 to 50,000 - 1 1
TABLE 4.08.130.A: REQUIRED LOADING SPACES
Gross Floor Area (sq ft) Required Loading Spaces
10’ x 20’ x 10’ VC* 12’ x 35’ x 14’ VC* 12’ x 65’ x 14’ VC* 50,001 and over - 2 1
Commercial Offices
0 to 10,000 1 - -
10,001 to 20,000 - 1 -
20,001 and over 1 1 -
Industrial
0 to 30,000 - 1 -
30,001 to 100,000 - 1 1
100,000 and over - 2 1
Institutional
30,000-49,999 - 1 -
50,000-75,000 - 1 1
75,001+ - 2 1
Other (see Subsection A.1 below)
30,000-49,999 - 1 -
50,000-75,000 - 1 1
75,001+ - 2 1
*VC = Vertical Clearance
TABLE 4.08.130.A: REQUIRED LOADING SPACES
Gross Floor Area (sq ft) Required Loading Spaces
10’ x 20’ x 10’ VC* 12’ x 35’ x 14’ VC* 12’ x 65’ x 14’ VC*
OFF-STREET LOADING SPACE DIMENSIONS
(Diagram is illustrative)
1. Uses Not Listed. Where the use is undetermined, or not specified herein, the Zoning Enforcement Official shall determine the probable use and the number of loading spaces required. In order to make this determination, the Zoning Enforcement Official may require the submission of survey or other data from the applicant or have data collected at the applicant's expense.
2. Sites with Multiple Uses. Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, if more than one use is located on a site, the number of loading berths to be provided shall be equal to the sum of the requirements prescribed for each use. This requirement applies not only to multiple uses under separate ownership but also to multiple uses in the same ownership.
If the gross floor area of individual uses on the same site is less than that for which a loading berth would be required, but the aggregate gross floor area of all uses is greater than the minimum for which loading berths would be required, the aggregate gross floor area shall be used in determining the required number of loading berths.
3. Joint Use. Off-street loading facilities required by this Chapter for any use shall not be considered as providing loading berths for any other use except where approved by the Zoning Enforcement Official. Such a facility shall contain not less than the total number of spaces or loading berths as determined individually. Fewer spaces may be permitted where adjoining uses on the same site have different hours of operation and the same loading berths can serve both without conflict. A determination of the extent, if any, to which joint use will achieve the purposes of this Chapter shall be made by the Zoning Enforcement Official, who may require submission of survey or other data necessary to reach a decision.
4. Common Loading Facilities. The off-street loading facilities requirements of this Chapter may be satisfied by the permanent allocation of the prescribed number of berths for each use in a common truck loading facility provided that the total number of berths shall not be less than the sum of the individual requirements. As a requirement of approval, an attested copy of a contract between the parties concerned setting forth an agreement to joint use of a common loading facility shall be filed with the application for a zoning permit.
The City may record the contract.
5. Reduction in Number of Required Loading Spaces. The loading space requirement may be waived if the Zoning Enforcement Official finds that the applicant has satisfactorily demonstrated that due to the nature of the proposed use and/or location, such loading space will not be needed or is not practical.
6. Additional Loading Spaces May Be Required. At the discretion of the Zoning Enforcement Official, the required number of loading spaces may be increased to ensure that trucks will not be loaded, unloaded, or stored on public streets. Such requirement shall be based on
the anticipated frequency of truck pickups and deliveries and of the truck storage requirements of the use for which the on-site loading spaces are required.
B. Design and Development of Loading Areas. All loading areas shall be designed and developed consistent with adopted City standards and specifications developed and maintained by the City Engineer.
1. Location of Required Loading. Required spaces shall be on the site of the use served or on an adjoining site. On a site adjoining an alley, a required loading space shall be accessible from the alley unless alternative access is approved by the Zoning Enforcement Official. A required loading space shall be accessible without backing a truck across a street property line unless the Zoning Enforcement Official determines that provision of turn-around space is infeasible and approves alternative access. An occupied loading space shall not prevent access to a required off-street parking space. A loading area shall not be located in a required yard.
2. Loading Area Screening: Walls and Fences. Except in an I district, a loading area visible from a street shall be screened on three sides by a fence, wall, or hedge at least six feet in height.
4.08.132 Restrictions on Residential Parking
A. Parking in Required Front and Street-Side Setbacks Prohibited. No vehicles, whether motorized or non-motorized, shall be parked within the minimum required front or street-side setback in any Residential District, or on parcels with a single-unit or two-unit dwelling use in any Nonresidential District, except as provided below.
1. Driveway Parking. A vehicle may be parked on a paved driveway that provides access to a required parking space, covered or uncovered.
2. Parking Adjacent to Driveway. Additional paved parking area adjacent to the driveway is permitted, provided that the following conditions are met:
a. The parking area is constructed and maintained with a paved surface in conformance with design and construction standards established by the City Engineer.
b. The combined width of the parking area and driveway does not exceed 50 percent of the width of the subject property or 30 feet, whichever is less, as measured at the setback line.
B. Maximum Impervious Surface in Required Front Yard.
1. Maximum Coverage. Impervious surfaces of any type or purpose, including walkways, parking areas, patios and decorative surfaces, shall not collectively occupy more than 50 percent of the required front setback area.
2. Required Landscaping. The area of the required front setback not occupied by impervious surfaces shall be maintained as landscaping consisting of living plant material, permeable organic mulch, or other permeable ground cover acceptable to the Zoning Enforcement Official.
3. Definition of Impervious Surface. For purposes of this Section, "impervious surface" means any material that prevents or significantly impedes the infiltration of water, including concrete, asphalt, brick, stone, tile, and similar materials, regardless of whether the material is installed for functional or decorative purposes.
4.08.148 Driveways –– Visibility.
Visibility of a driveway crossing a street property line shall not be obstructed between a height of three feet and seven feet. The obstruction restriction area includes all the land in a triangular area on either side of the driveway measured 10 feet from the street property line along the driveway and 10 feet from the driveway along the street property line.
DRIVEWAY VISIBILITY
(Diagram is illustrative)
4.08.162 Parking Area Design Standards
All parking areas shall be designed and developed consistent with the following standards. All parking specifications not listed in this Chapter are found in specifications developed and maintained by the City Engineer. A copy of the parking specifications shall be available for public review during normal working hours at the Development Services Department counter.
A. General Provisions. Parking lots shall be paved and have drainage, wheel stops, lighting, space marking, and directional signs, which shall be subject to approval of the Zoning Enforcement Official.
B. Minimum Dimensions for Parking Spaces and Drive Aisle Dimensions. The minimum dimensions for drive aisles, all uncovered parking spaces, and required covered parking spaces shall conform to the standards established by the City Engineer.
1. Tandem Parking. Tandem parking may be permitted to satisfy parking requirements in accordance with the following.
a. No more than two vehicles shall be placed one behind the other. b. Both spaces shall be assigned to a single dwelling unit or non-residential establishment.
i. Tandem parking for non-residential uses is limited to employee parking.
C. Parking Access from Street. All spaces in a parking facility shall be accessible without re-entering a public right-of-way unless it is determined by the City Engineer to be physically impossible to provide for such access. However, an alley may be used as maneuvering space for access to offstreet parking. Off-street parking shall generally be located so as to be more convenient and accessible than on-street parking with respect to entrances of buildings and pedestrian circulation on the site served.
D. Accessible Parking Spaces. All parking facilities shall comply with the requirements of the California Code of Regulations and with the sign requirements of the California Vehicle Code, Sections 22511.7 and 22511.8.
E. Parking Area Screening: Walls and Fences
1. Parking Areas for Nonresidential Uses. A parking area for five or more vehicles serving a nonresidential use shall be screened from an adjoining R district by a solid concrete, solid wood, or masonry wall six feet in height, except that the height of a wall adjoining a required front yard in an R district shall be three feet.
2. Parking Areas for Residential Uses. A carport or open parking area for five or more vehicles serving a residential use shall be screened from an adjoining lot in an R district by a solid wall or fence six feet in height, except that the height of a wall or fence adjoining a required front yard in an R district shall be not less than two feet or more than three feet.
3. Parking Areas Abutting a Street. Where the parking area abuts a street separating the area from property classified for residential use, an architectural screen wall not less than three feet in height above the parking surface shall be installed and maintained not less than three feet from the property line that separates the parking area from the street.
4. Allowable Modification. These requirements may be modified the standards referenced herein subject to the approval of an Administrative Exception per Section 2.10.408.
F. Lighting. Outdoor lighting in a parking area shall be designed to provide adequate illumination for safety and security while minimizing glare, light trespass, and spill onto adjacent properties and public rights-of-way.
1. Light fixtures shall not exceed 25 feet in height, except that fixtures adjacent to residential uses or districts shall not exceed 15 feet in height.
2. All fixtures shall be full cut-off (zero uplight) type and shall be directed downward to confine illumination to the parking area.
3. Outdoor parking area lighting shall not directly illuminate an adjacent street or shine directly onto adjacent properties.
4. Maximum illumination at ground level shall be three foot-candles, and shall not exceed one-half foot-candle within or adjacent to an R district.
G. Parking Structure Design Compatibility. In reviewing the design of parking structures in connection with a zoning approval, the approval authority shall consider the compatibility of the design with adjacent buildings or uses.
H. Alternative Parking Area Design. When an applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the City Engineer the necessity for variations on the dimensions otherwise required by this Chapter, a specific parking area design may be approved under the following limitations:
1. The area affected by the specific design shall be for parking by persons employed on the site only. Visitor parking stalls shall meet the dimensions required.
2. The surface area available for parking shall not be less than would be required to accommodate the minimum required number of stalls for large and small cars.
3. That alternative parking technologies be considered, such as parking lift systems, subject to the approval of the City and related public safety agencies.
4.08.168 Parking Area Plan Required
Prior to the construction of an off-street parking area for a nonresidential use or multi-unit dwelling with more than four units, a plan shall be submitted to the Zoning Enforcement Official for the purpose of indicating compliance with the provisions of this Section. This plan shall include:
A. The location and placement of required landscaped areas, including a computation of the required area.
B. A planting plan including a list of plants by name and size keyed to their location on the parking area.
C. Location and description of fencing and architectural screen walls.
D. Layout and method of irrigation of landscaped areas.
E. Location and placement of parking stalls, including bumpers, striping and circulation, and directional signs, all dimensioned to permit comparison with approved parking standards.
F. Location and placement of lights provided to illuminate the parking area.
G. A drainage plan showing drainage to a public way in accordance with the requirements of the City Engineer.