§ 21.72.050. Development standards.

Parking area design shall include:

A.

Ingress and Egress. The location of all points of ingress and egress to parking areas shall be subject to the review and approval of the county engineer.

1.

The approval authority shall have the authority to fix the location, width, and manner of vehicular ingress or egress from a building or parking area to a public street and to alter existing ingress and egress as may be required to control street traffic in the interest of public safety and general welfare.

2.

When adequate vehicular access to an approved lot or development is available from a side street, no vehicular access shall be permitted from the front street. Where lots have double frontage, if vehicular access from a side street or a street of lower functional classification is not available, such access shall be from the street anticipated to carry the least amount of traffic or the street that would have the least conflict with pedestrian traffic.

B.

Backing Out Prohibited. In all commercial and industrial developments and in all residential buildings containing five or more dwelling units, parking areas shall be so arranged as to make it unnecessary for a vehicle to back out into any street or public right-of-way.

C.

Parking Spaces—Access and Dimensions. Adequate provision shall be made for individual ingress and egress by vehicles to all parking stalls at all times by means of unobstructed maneuvering aisles. Maneuvering aisles and parking stall dimensions shall be as shown in Tables 21T-18, 21T-19, and 21T-20.

D.

Compact spaces may comprise up to fifty percent of the required parking spaces. An applicant must clearly identify all spaces designed and constructed for compact car use. The approval authority may approve designation of more than fifty percent of the spaces for use by compact cars if the applicant demonstrates that no adverse impact will result.

E.

Surfacing. All parking areas and driveways for more than four vehicles shall be surfaced with permeable paving surfaces in conformance with the Thurston County Drainage Design and Erosion Control Manual, asphalt, concrete or similar pavement so as to provide a surface that is durable and dust free and shall be so graded and drained as to properly dispose of all surface water.

F.

Stormwater Runoff. Stormwater management is required and shall comply with the Thurston County Drainage Design and Erosion Control Manual and shall be subject to the county's review and approval, and shall, moreover, comply with Chapter 15.05 of the Thurston County Code.

G.

Convenient, marked pedestrian access shall be provided. At a minimum, pedestrian features shall include:

1.

Raised crosswalks with color and texture (preferably brick or brick-like) where pedestrian access crosses automobile access lanes.

2.

Pedestrian lanes shall be designed with texture and color, preferably brick or brick-like accents.

3.

Planter areas and vegetated LID facilities shall be designed in consideration of pedestrian access to provide separation from automobile access lanes, to help identify areas for pedestrian access and to make pedestrian access more comfortable and inviting.

4.

Pedestrian access shall be designed through a consideration of on-site activity as well as uses and destination sites that are located in the surrounding area. Where parking areas for other destination sites are adjacent to the site, linkage should be provided so customers from one site will not have to get in a car and drive to the next.

5.

Lighting shall be provided along designated pedestrian routes to enhance safe walking conditions and to deter crime. Lighting shall be adequate, focused and shielded to illuminate pedestrian paths and to prevent light impacts to adjacent properties. Lights provided for a parking lot shall be designed to provide coverage for both vehicles and pedestrians and may be of a scale appropriate to both. Where pedestrian routes leave a parking lot, pedestrian scale lighting shall be used.

H.

If an owner/developer participates in the floor area ratio (FAR) amenity incentive system described in Section 21.24.080, he or she shall not be required to calculate additional gross floor area for parking purposes, as required by this section, for amenities that do not directly create additional leasable floor area.

I.

An owner/developer may install parking spaces in phases if the approval authority has authorized a phased schedule, consistent with estimated parking demand. This schedule must specifically indicate when the required parking will be provided. The approval authority may permit the use of temporary parking areas with appropriate screening as part of a phasing schedule. The approval authority may require a performance assurance device (e.g., surety) to ensure conformance with the requirements of this chapter.

J.

Parking Area and Circulation Design.

1.

Internal circulation of the lot shall be so designed as to minimize conflicts with pedestrians with priority given to pedestrians considering convenience, comfort, safety and security. In-and-out driving time, idling time and time spent looking for a parking space should be a consideration, but should not influence design parameters that reduce pedestrian functionality.

2.

When off-street parking is provided at the rear of a building and a driveway or lane along the of side of the building provides access to the rear parking area, such driveway or lane shall be a minimum width of twelve feet with an eight-foot minimum width sidewalk adjoining the building and curbed or raised six inches above the driveway surface. Location of required pedestrian features such as a raised crosswalk across automobile lanes must be integrated into the design to provide the most convenient, safe and functional pedestrian linkage possible.

3.

Also see Chapter 21.80, Landscaping Requirements, and Chapter 21.70, Design Review Guidelines for other applicable regulations.

K.

Bicycle Parking Design Standards.

1.

The minimum bicycle rack shall be grouped into four parking stalls for ease of visibility to the public. Bicycle facilities shall be shared among adjoining establishments.

2.

Bicycle racks that only support a bicycle by its front or rear wheel are not permitted. The racks shall be securely mounted to the ground and covered.

3.

Bicycle parking spaces shall be two feet by six feet with no less than a seven-foot overhead and a five-foot maneuvering aisle behind each row of bicycle parking.

4.

A bicycle-parking areas shall be separated from a motor vehicle parking areas by a barrier (e.g., curb), post or bollard, or by at least five feet of open space behind the maneuvering area.

5.

Bicycle facilities shall be located no further from the building's public entrance than the nearest nonhandicapped parking stall, to the extent possible and consistent with other applicable provisions of this title.

6.

If public bicycle parking is not clearly visible from the main entrance then directional signs shall be provided.

7.

All major employers or major worksites, as defined by RCW 70.94.524, shall provide a minimum of one shower and changing facility per gender.

(Ord. 12463 § 40, 2001: Ord. 11804 § 117, 1998; Ord. 11274 § 1 (part), 1996)

(Ord. No. 15390, § 1(Att. A, § W), 11-29-2016)