Article VIII – Parking and Loading Requirements
Section 800 – Intent
It is the intent of these regulations to encourage the appropriate location of off-street parking and off-street loading to provide the needed levels of service to the residents and visitors to Upper Darby Township, to avoid undue congestion on the streets, to avoid potential conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians, to preserve pedestrian activity areas within the Township, and to facilitate access from streets to off-street parking lots and structures and off-street loading spaces.
Section 801 –Parking Regulations
801-A. Off-Street Parking Requirements
The minimum parking standards listed in Table 8-1 shall be applied for all uses hereinafter established, either on original construction or by conversion, in Upper Darby Township. If the computation results in a fraction, a parking space shall be required for each fractional amount. Where parking ratios are based on square footage, the gross floor area shall be applied, unless otherwise noted. Gross floor area shall be taken to mean all usable floor space, including all areas occupied by sales and display areas, equipment, furnishings, corridors, toilet rooms, and such other accessory rooms as may be provided.
Table 8-1 – Table of Parking Requirements
| Use | Minimum Parking Spaces Required |
|---|---|
| Residential Uses | |
| One and Two-Family Dwellings | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
| Multi Family Dwelling / Apartments | 2 or more bedrooms: 2 spaces per unit; 1 bedroom: 1.5 spaces per unit; Efficiency: 1 space per unit |
| Mobile Home Park | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
| Senior Independent, Assisted Living, and Congregate Care Facilities | 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit |
| Nursing/Convalescent Home | 2 spaces per patient bed |
| Boarding Residence | 1 space for each rental room |
| Group Living Quarters | 1 space per guest bed |
| Institutional Uses | |
| College or Trade School, High School | 12 spaces per classroom |
| Pre-School, Elementary, or Middle School | 3 spaces per classroom |
| Religious Assembly, Auditoriums / Assembly Halls | 1 space per 100 gross sq. feet.3 |
| Museum / Cultural Exhibit | 1 space per 250 sq. feet of floor area, plus 1 space per 2 employees |
| Library | 3 spaces per 1,000 sq. feet of floor area |
| Post Office | 1 space per 200 sq. feet space, plus 1 space per employee |
| Hospital | 3 spaces for each bed plus 1 space for each 400 sq. feet of floor area devoted to out-patient services. Additional parking is required for medical offices, auditoriums or other accessory uses as required |
| Outpatient Clinic | 1 space per 250 sq. feet of floor area |
| Rehabilitation Services | 4 spaces per 1,000 sq. feet of floor area |
| Recreational Uses | |
| Tennis Courts | 4 spaces per court |
| Commercial Recreation Centers, including Indoor or Outdoor Swimming Pool, Skating Rink, etc. | 1 space for every 150 sq. feet of floor area or ground area devoted to such use |
| Public or Private Golf Courses | 4 spaces per tee |
| Commercial Uses | |
| Auditoriums, Stadiums, Assembly Halls | 1 space for every 3 fixed seats or one space for each 30 sq. feet devoted to assembly purpose |
| Automobile Service Facilities | 5 spaces per bay plus1.5 spaces per bay for employees |
| Automobile Sales or Rental Agency | 1 space per 500 sq. feet of floor area, plus adequate space for rental or sales vehicles |
| Banks, professional offices, medical offices | 1 space per 300 sq. feet of floor |
| Bowling Alley | 8 spaces per lane |
| Business or trade school, instructional school | 1 space per 300 sq. feet of floor area |
| Day Care Center | 1 space per 250 sq. feet of floor area, plus one dedicated passenger loading space4 per 600 sq. feet of floor area. |
| Funeral Home | 1 space per 10 sq. feet of viewing room |
| Gasoline Filling Station | 1 space per 2 gas pumps plus 1 space per employee; gasoline stations offering retail goods shall also comply with the requirements for convenience stores; gasoline stations providing repair services shall also comply with the requirements for automobile repair services; gasoline stations having accessory car wash facilities shall provide vehicle stacking spaces in accordance with car wash facilities |
| Hotel, Motel, Bed & Breakfast Inn | 1 space for each rental room plus 1 space for each 5 rooms for employee parking |
| Hotel, Conference Center, Banquet Facility | 1 space for each hotel room, plus one space for each 5 rooms for employee parking, plus 1 space per 150 square feet of area used for assembly, meeting space, exhibit space, banquet facility, convention facility or restaurant space |
| Personal service shops - Beauty Salons, animal grooming, barber shops, nail salons, dry cleaning, laundry, tailor, dressmaker | 1 space per 250 sq. feet of floor area |
| Restaurant, bar, tavern, coffee shop, cafe | 1 space per 200 sq. feet of floor area |
| Restaurants - Take-Out and Drive-Through Only | 1 space per 250 square feet of floor area |
| Retail store, convenience store, drug store, grocery store, wholesale store | 1 space per 250 sq. feet of floor area |
| Retail Sales – Temporary Off-Site | 3 more spaces than the minimum number required for the business(es) already existing at the site |
| Shopping Center – 3 acres or more | 4 spaces per 1,000 sq. feet of Gross Leasable Floor Area |
| Theater - Indoor | 1 space for every 3 fixed seats or one space for each 30 sq. feet devoted to assembly purpose |
| Industrial Uses | |
| Manufacturing, Assembly & Repair, Mill, Packaging Plants, Commercial Laundry , Semiconductor , Printing & Publishing Facilities, research & development, testing, product development | 1 space per 300 sq. feet of floor area |
| Solid Waste Management Facility, outdoor storage, warehousing & distribution facility | 1 space per 1,000 sq. feet of floor area |
| All other uses not listed1 space per 150 sq. feet of floor area; a parking demand study may be performed to request reduced parking subject to approval by the Zoning Hearing Board |
3A church which has an assembly or recreational building or hall in addition to the church must provide off-street parking for either the hall or the church, whichever is largest.
4Passenger loading space must be accessible in conformance with the requirements of ANSI 117.
801-B. General Parking Regulations
- In residential zoning districts, one commercial motor vehicle, as defined in Article XIII, with a maximum of two (2) axles and used for transportation to and from place of employment or workplace shall be permitted to park on the premises.
- Vehicles with more than two (2) axles are not permitted to be parked on the premises in a residential zoning district.
- Private residential driveways shall be at least eight (8) feet wide.
- All commercial driveways, including apartment buildings serving three (3) or more dwellings, shall be at least twelve (12) feet wide for one-way traffic and at least twenty-four (24) feet wide for 2-way traffic.
- Parking is prohibited in the front yard in all residential districts, except as permitted in Section 801-B.6. herein.
- Parking shall be permitted in the front yard of attached and semi-detached dwellings that are located on corner lots in the R-3 zoning district on the nonaddress side of the property. A three (3) foot wide planted buffer is required between the driveway and the property line.
- Driveways must be paved with solid surface materials, including brick or stone pavers, concrete, or asphalt.
801-C. Alternative Parking Standards
Modification of the minimum off-street parking requirements set forth in Section 801-A may be permitted in specified zoning districts via the use of on-street parking, shared parking, or access to transit in accordance with the following:
- C-1 Traditional Neighborhood Commercial and C2 Traditional General Commercial
- On-street and public parking
Metered on-street parking spaces and public off-street parking spaces may be counted as ½ a parking space towards meeting the off-street parking requirements established in Section 801-A, provided the spaces are located within 200 feet of the building entrance in which the use is located and can be accessed safely by pedestrians via a sidewalk and crosswalk when located across an arterial or collector street. - Shared parking
The parking spaces required under Section 801-A may be reduced by Special Exception by up to 25 percent when two or more establishments share the same parking area, according to the following standards: - Parking lots must be located within 200 feet of each other and must be accessed without crossing an arterial or collector street.
- The minimum amount of parking required for each business shall be calculated as if it were a separate use. The 25 percent reduction shall be applied to that calculation.
- A written agreement assuring the permanent retention of parking spaces for such sharing of required parking shall be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned, and approved as to form and execution, by the Township Solicitor. Such approval may be rescinded by the Township and additional parking shall be obtained by the owner to meet the required standard in the event the Township determines the joint use of parking results in a public nuisance or adversely affects public health, safety, or welfare.
- The sharing of parking must be approved by a Special Exception from the Zoning Hearing Board which shall consider, among other criteria, the hours of operation of the uses which are sharing required parking spaces and the number of spaces involved.
- Shared or common parking lots shall be provided with appropriate signage indicating the buildings and/or uses for which the spaces are available.
- Off-site parking
Parking may be provided on a separate property from the primary use subject to the following standards: - The owner(s) of the use(s) or structure(s) shall submit an application that includes a site plan showing a joint use, maintenance responsibility, and location of the off-street parking area.
- The number of spaces fulfills the requirement(s) for the structure(s) and use(s) for which the lot is designated to accommodate.
- Pedestrian walkways or sidewalks for pedestrian safety are available or provided.
- The lot can be accessed by patrons where safe crossing of arterial or collector streets is available, and are located within 200 feet of the building entrance(s) in which the use(s) is(are) located.
- The applicant(s) shall provide legal documentation to assure the longterm availability of the parcel to be used for off-site parking. This may be in the form of a lease, contract, deed restriction, easement, or similar instrument, of which the form and duration shall be subject to the review of the Township Solicitor.
- Transit access credit
The parking spaces required under Section 801-A may be reduced by Special Exception by up to twenty percent (20%) when the establishment is located within two hundred (200) feet of a transit stop and the entrance to the establishment can be accessed safely from the transit stop by pedestrians via a sidewalk or crosswalk when located across an arterial or collector street. - C-3 Traditional Downtown Business District
- There shall be no minimum off-street parking requirement in the C-3 District unless the size of the principal building area is greater than or equal to 20,000 square feet of gross floor area.
- For buildings greater than or equal to 20,000 square feet of floor area, fifty percent (50%) of the amount of off-street parking requirements in Section 801-A herein shall apply.
- When off-street parking is required for buildings greater than or equal to 20,000 square feet of floor area, the alternative parking strategies set forth in Subsections i. and ii. below may be permitted by Special Exception.
- Shared parking
Shared parking between two or more establishments may be authorized by Special Exception according to the standards set forth in Section 801-C.1.(b) above. - Off-site parking
Off-site parking between two or more establishments may be authorized by Special Exception according to the standards set forth in Section 801-C.1.(c) above.
801-D. Parking Area Design
- The minimum dimensional requirements for each parking space shall be as follows:
Area 162 square feet Width 9 feet Length 18 feet - All parking spaces shall be accessed by a street or interior drive(s). Stacking of parking spaces shall not be permitted except for single family dwellings.
- Safe provisions for pedestrian access to and through a parking lot shall be required.
- Surface parking areas and pedestrian walkways connecting to them shall be well-lit. All exterior lighting shall be designed to prevent glare onto adjacent properties.
- All parking spaces shall be clearly delineated by painting lines or markers and traffic flow directions shall be clearly marked. Bumper guards shall be provided to protect landscaping.
- Provision for surface drainage shall be made in accordance with all applicable ordinances.
- Entrances and exits shall be clearly marked.
- Glare from lights shall not reflect beyond the limits of the lot upon which they are installed.
- Access ways to public streets shall be at least two hundred (200) feet from the intersection of any two street lines, except where not possible because of lot size, or lot location.
- Parking spaces, for individuals with physical disabilities, should be open on one (1) side to allow room for individuals in wheelchairs or individuals on braces and crutches to get in and out of an automobile.
- Special sections may be marked off for compact cars so as to better utilize the entire area. Areas designated for compact cars should not be more than twentyfive percent (25%) of the required parking.
- All dead-end parking areas shall be designed to provide sufficient back-up areas for the end stalls of the parking area.
- Entrances and exits to and from off-street parking areas shall be located so as to avoid interference with street traffic.
- Entrances and exit drives crossing the street line shall be spaced at least one hundred (100) feet apart. It is encouraged that property owners integrate their circulation with adjacent property owners to provide single egress and ingress points to serve adjacent lots with a one-way directional traffic pattern. Paved areas with easements should be extended to property lines for future extension when desirable.
- On all corner properties driveways shall be located a minimum of sixty (60) feet from the centerline of intersecting streets.
- The width of egress and ingress drives into non-residential parking areas shall be:
- a minimum of twelve (12) feet for one-way use only;
- a minimum of twenty-four (24) feet for two-way use.
- Pedestrian crosswalks in parking areas shall not be subject to passage or concentration of surface run-off.
- Tire bumpers shall be installed so as to prevent overhang on any sidewalk area.
- Interior Parking Lot Landscaping:
All parking lots with fifty (50) or more spaces shall be provided with interior landscaped areas equal to five (5%) of the area of the proposed lot, excluding those spaces located directly along the perimeter for which landscape screens have been provided. The intent of this Section is to require landscaping within parking lots; therefore, landscaping screens, planting strips and landscaping surrounding buildings shall not be considered as interior landscaping. - The interior landscaping shall be provided within curbed island planters having a minimum area of fifty (50) square feet. The interior parking lot landscaping shall be placed so as to delineate driving lanes, define rows of parking lot and generally to mitigate the visual impact of parking lots.
- The interior parking lot landscaping shall be composed of a combination of shrubs and trees. At least one shade or ornamental tree shall be required for each fifty (50) parking spaces.
- Perimeter Parking Lot Landscaping
- All non-residential uses shall be separated from all side and rear property lines and all street right-of-way lines by a planting strip having a minimum width of ten (10) feet measured from the property line or right-of-way line.
- Said planting strip shall be planted in grass, shrubbery, trees or other plant material, but in no case shall these areas be paved or covered by an impervious surface.
- Said planting strip shall only be broken by approved driveway entrances or exits.
- Parking Area Design in the C-1 District
- Parking shall be located to the rear of the principal building or to the side.
- Safe provisions for pedestrian access to and through a parking lot shall be required.
- Surface parking areas and pedestrian walkways connecting to them shall be well-lit. All exterior lighting shall be designed to prevent glare onto adjacent properties.
- Service and loading areas must be located to the side or rear of the building and shall not be visible from a primary street.
- Parking Area Design in the C-2 District
- Safe provisions for pedestrian access to and through a parking lot shall be required.
- Each commercial use shall provide access easements for its parking aisles and driveways guaranteeing access to all abutting lots zoned C-2 General Commercial, unless all possible interconnections between two abutting lots must cross twenty (20) linear feet or more of wetlands, floodplain, or natural slopes of fifteen (15%) or more. Parking areas on adjacent lots shall be directly connected by a driveway. These interconnections shall be constructed during the initial land development.
- Surface parking areas and pedestrian walkways connecting to them shall be well-lit. All exterior lighting shall be designed to prevent glare onto adjacent properties.
- Service and loading areas must be located to the side or rear of the building and shall not be visible from a primary street.
- Parking Area Design in the C-3 District
- Parking shall be located to the rear of the principal building or to the side.
- Safe provisions for pedestrian access to and through a parking lot shall be required.
- Surface parking areas and pedestrian walkways connecting to them shall be well-lit. All exterior lighting shall be designed to prevent glare onto adjacent properties.
- Service and loading areas must be located to the side or rear of the building and shall not be visible from a primary street.
- Structured parking standards
- Parking structures that have their primary façade on Market Street or 69th Street shall be designed with active commercial space on the ground floor.
- Ground floor parking shall be screened through any combination of walls, decorative grilles, or trellis work with landscaping.
- Entrances and exits shall be located and grouped to minimize curb cuts and other interruptions of pedestrian movement on sidewalks.
- Where possible, entrances and exits shall not open directly onto sidewalks, but shall be accessed via alleys.
- Elevator and stair shafts should be topped with gabled roofs or other architectural accents.
- The exterior façade should maintain a horizontal line throughout. The sloping nature of the interior structure, necessary in the design of parking structures, should not be repeated on the exterior façade.
Section 802 – Off-Street Loading Regulations
- Off-street loading spaces as defined herein shall be provided for all commercial, office, retail, manufacturing and industrial uses or structures.
- A minimum of one loading space shall be provided for all uses except wholesale establishments and light industrial establishments in which case one such space shall be required for every 10,000 square feet of gross floor area.
- Each loading space shall be a minimum of fourteen (14) feet wide and fifty (50) feet long, exclusive of drives and maneuvering space.
- Loading areas shall not intrude onto sidewalks nor interfere with vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
- Loading areas shall not extend into the right-of-way.
- Trucks shall not back out onto streets.
- Loading areas shall not be visible from a primary street.