SECTION 21 - Parking Requirements (Effective 08/01/2011)
Section 21.1 - Intent:
These parking regulations are adopted for the purpose of providing sufficient parking facilities to serve all existing and proposed uses, while allowing for some flexibility of site design to accommodate the unique characteristics of individual properties.
Section 21.2 - Number of Parking Spaces
1 Facilities for parking shall be provided to serve all building erected, moved, altered or enlarged in excess of twenty-five (25%) percent of their present floor area.
2 Unless modified or waived by the Commission as provided in Section 21.4, parking shall be provided and maintained such that the number of spaces shall be:
- Higher than the number of spaces indicated by the lower threshold, and
- Lower than the number of spaces indicated by the upper threshold.
Residential-Type Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
One- and Two-Family Residential |
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2 per dwelling unit |
Multi-Family Residential |
2 per dwelling unit |
1 per dwelling unit |
Resident Trailer Parks |
1 per dwelling unit plus 1 per employee |
1 per dwelling unit plus 0.5 per employee |
Boarding and Rooming Houses, Dormitories |
1.5 for each resident plus 1 for the resident manager |
1 for each resident plus 1 for the resident manager |
Active Adult and Senior Housing |
2 per dwelling unit plus 1 per employee |
1 per dwelling unit plus 1 per employee |
Congregate and Assisted Living |
1 space per dwelling unit plus 1 per employee |
0.5 space per dwelling unit plus 1 per employee |
Lodging-Type Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
Bed and Breakfast & Country Inn |
1.2 space per guest room or suite |
1 spaces per guest room or suite |
Hotels |
1 per guest room plus 1 per employee on the largest shift |
1 per guest room plus 0.5 per employee on the largest shift |
Motels, Tourist Homes |
1 per guest room plus 1 per employee on the largest shift |
1 per guest room plus 1 for the manager |
Office-Type Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
Business Offices and Financial Institutions |
5 per 1,000 square feet gross floor area (GFA) |
3 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Medical and Dental Offices |
5 for each doctor engaged at the office plus 1 for every other employee on the largest shift |
4 for each doctor engaged at the office on the largest shift |
Commercial-Type Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
Retail, Personal Services |
5 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
2 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Restaurants |
1 per 100 square feet of seating area or 1 for every 4 seats (whichever is greater) |
1 for every 3 seats |
Small Shopping Centers |
6 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
3 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
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Industrial-Type Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
Industrial and Manufacturing |
3 per each 1,000 square feet GFA or one per each employee on the largest shift, whichever is larger |
3 per each 1,000 square feet GFA |
Light Industrial |
8 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
2 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Warehouse |
1 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
1 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Institutional-Type Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
Churches and Places of Worship |
1 space per 3 seats in |
1 space per 5 seats in |
Elementary, Middle, and High Schools |
1 space per 3 seats in the auditorium |
1 space per 5 seats in the auditorium |
Museum and Libraries |
2 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
1 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Social, Fraternal Clubs and Organizations |
4 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
3 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Recreation-Type Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
Gymnasiums, Physical Fitness Centers, Health Spas, Martial Arts Centers, and Dance Studios |
4 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
2 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Indoor Recreation Facilities |
5 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
5 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Outdoor Recreation Facilities |
As determined by the Commission based on a parking demand study |
As determined by the Commission based on a parking demand study |
Theaters and Places of Assembly |
1 for every 3 potential occupants at maximum capacity plus 1 for each employee |
1 for every 6 potential occupants at maximum capacity plus one for each employee |
Automotive-Type Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
Automotive Sales and/or Rental |
3 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
1 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Automotive Repair and/or Service |
4 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
2 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
Other Land Uses |
Upper Threshold |
Lower Threshold |
Roadside Stands |
5 beyond residential requirement |
1 beyond residential requirement |
Day Care Centers |
1 space per 4 children at maximum capacity |
1 space per 8 children at maximum capacity |
Funeral Homes |
1 for each “Official Vehicle”. 1 for each employee and 1 for every 4 visitors at maximum capacity |
1 for each “Official Vehicle”. 1 for each employee and 1 for every 8 visitors at maximum capacity |
Hospitals, Sanitariums, Nursing or Convalescent Homes |
1 for every 4 beds plus 1 per employee on the largest shift |
1 for every 6 beds plus 0.5 per employee on the largest shift |
Commercial Kennel |
3 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
1 per 1,000 square feet GFA |
3 For uses not listed in this section, the lower threshold and the upper threshold for number of parking spaces required shall be comparable to the closest other similar use as determined by the Commission.
4 Notwithstanding Section 21.2.2, such parking facilities shall be sufficient to accommodate vehicles for all occupants, employees, customers and others normally visiting the building or premise at any one time. The Commission may require, at its discretion, that an applicant provide justification for the number of proposed parking spaces through case studies of similar uses, shared parking analyses, parking demand management, or other means.
5 Said parking shall be part of the site plan or prepared as a separate plan and shall include boundary screening and landscaping, landscaped islands, parking sites, traffic circulation patterns, loading areas, storm drainage facilities and traffic access and egress including driveways.
Section 21.3 Parking Space Requirements for People with Disabilities
All off-street parking areas shall include paved parking spaces accessible to people with disabilities. Pursuant to subsection (h) of section 14-253a of the Connecticut General Statutes, parking spaces for passenger motor vehicles designated for people with disabilities shall be as near as possible to a building entrance or walkway and shall be at least 15 feet wide including 5 feet of cross hatch and twenty feet long. Handicap accessible parking spaces and access aisles shall be provided in the following amounts relative to the total number of spaces provided in the parking area:
1 One parking space accessible to people with disabilities for every 25 parking spaces, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
2 For every six parking spaces accessible to people with disabilities, at least one shall be a van-accessible parking space. Van parking spaces shall be 20 feet long, 16 feet wide including 8 feet of cross hatch.
Section 21.4 - Waivers and Exceptions
1 Intent - This section of the regulations is intended to set standards for conditions under which a waiver or exception from the general parking requirements may be allowed. The Commission may require the submission of a parking demand analysis as part of any request for a waiver or exception from the general parking requirements.
2 Waivers - Except for buildings used or occupied for residential use, all or part of the parking requirements may be waived by the Commission where the proposed planning, design, and construction includes the following:
a Sufficient publicly owned or shared parking spaces within 500 feet of the proposed development site.
b Access to a regularly scheduled transit stop within 500 feet of the proposed development, with service available during the hours necessary to serve the activities of the use for which a waiver is sought.
3 Requests for Parking Below the Lower Threshold - In the case that an applicant believes that the lower threshold parking amounts are in excess of what is needed for the proposed use, the applicant may submit a request with justification to the Commission for a reduction in parking space requirements. The Commission will consider and act on this request concurrent with and as part of the application process.
4 Requests for Parking Beyond the Upper Threshold - The Commission may approve parking lots with more spaces than the allowed maximum provided that all of the spaces above maximum number are constructed of a pervious surface. The Commission may also approve parking lots with additional impervious parking spaces above the allowed upper threshold spaces where the use of pervious spaces would not be environmentally sound and where stormwater management is provided that complies with the Town’s standards.
5 Parking Space Held on Reserve - For phased developments, the Commission may provide that up to 50 percent of the parking spaces required by this section will not be immediately constructed and may be kept in reserve. Such reserve parking areas must be kept planted and maintained rather than surfaced for parking until such time as the additional parking space is necessary to serve completed phases of the associated development. No above ground improvements shall be placed or constructed upon such reserve parking areas. The areas designated as reserve parking must be clearly depicted on the phased development site plan and the terms and conditions of phasing of the parking area completion, as determined by the Commission, must clearly be set forth in notations on
the approved site plan. Stormwater management systems must either be sized to accommodate the full parking area at buildout or developed along with the phased construction of parking areas.
Section 21.5 - Parking Lot Design
At a minimum, all parking lots shall:
1 Have a minimum stall size of nine feet by eighteen feet (9’ x 18’).
2 Be installed at 90- or 45-degree angles (unless parallel parking is being used).
3 Have a 12-foot travel lane for each direction of traffic.
4 Have no greater than three percent (3%) slope.
5 Have a number and location of access drives compatible with traffic circulation patterns both within the site and on the abutting street system.
6 Provide sufficient stacking area (area where cars may need to wait in line to exit onto the street or to enter to circulate in the parking lot), and stacking for at least two (2) vehicles at the inbound access drives to the site.
7 Be designed to not allow any vehicle to protrude or overhang sidewalks or any landscaped area.
8 Minimize potential conflict points between pedestrians, bicycles, and motor vehicles.
9 Required off-street parking facilities shall be maintained as long as the use or structure exists for which the facilities are designed to serve.
Section 21.6 - Pervious Parking Area
1 Parking areas composed of pervious surfaces (such as pervious asphalt, pervious concrete, open course pavers, and other techniques from the Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual and as approved by the Commission) are encouraged for all land uses and lots, unless there are overriding environmental limitations.
2 Parking areas composed of pervious surfaces may be provided to meet all or part of any required parking spaces on a lot unless prohibited by the Commission.
3 Measures that shall be considered to reduce the amount of impervious surfaces in all proposed parking lots include:
a Provide pervious parking stall surfaces.
b Provide pervious overflow parking.
c Provide pervious snow-storage space.
d Conserve existing natural areas, including trees on-site.
e Minimize clearing to the extent practicable while retaining access, sight distance, and safe vehicle flows.
Sec. 21.7 - Shared Parking
1 Shared Parking - The Commission encourages parking lots for different structures or uses, or for mixed uses, to be shared in any zoning district. At the applicant’s request, shared parking may be provided, subject to the following provisions:
a A reciprocal written agreement has been executed by all the parties concerned that assures the perpetual joint use of such common parking, a copy of which has been submitted to and is acceptable to the Commission. The Commission may forward such agreements to the town legal counsel for review.
b The Commission may require the applicant to provide a parking study with all information deemed necessary to its decision-making on a shared parking agreement. This information includes but is not limited to:
i the type and hours of operation and parking demand, for each use,
ii a site plan displaying shared use spaces in the lot and walking distance to the uses sharing the lot,
iii a description of the character of land use and parking patterns of adjacent land uses, and
iv an estimate of anticipated turnover in parking space use over the course of 12 to 24 hours at the site.
c Parking spaces to be shared must not be reserved for individuals or groups on a 24-hour basis.
d Uses sharing the parking facility do not need to be contained on the same lot, but shall be a maximum of 500 feet from the parking space in the parking lot which is to be used and allow for safe, convenient walking for most parkers, including safe pedestrian crossings, signage, and adequate lighting. A waiver of the maximum allowable distance from the proposed use to the parking area may be approved by the Commission with written justification and supporting information provided by the applicant.
e If the conditions for shared parking become null and void and the shared parking arrangement is discontinued, this will constitute a violation of zoning regulations for any use approved expressly with shared parking. The applicant must then provide written notification of the change to the Zoning Enforcement Official and, within 60 days of that notice, provide a remedy satisfactory to the Commission to provide adequate parking.
2 Reduction in Parking Space Required for Shared Parking - Where shared parking is provided for a mixed use of land, the Commission may allow the following, at the applicant’s request:
a Up to 30% of the parking spaces required for the predominant use on a site may be shared with other uses operating during the same time of day and days of the week. The predominant use is considered to be that which requires the most parking of those sharing the parking facilities.
b Up to 90% of parking spaces required for uses such as theaters (Movie and Live), public auditoriums, bowling alleys, nightclubs, movie theaters, and similar predominately evening uses may be shared with such uses such as banks, offices, and similar predominately daytime uses.
c Up to 90% of the parking spaces required for such uses such as Houses of Worship and other uses exclusively in operation during the weekend may be shared with such uses as medical offices, banks, and other similar uses predominately in operation on weekdays.
d Other reductions may be allowed by the Commission if the applicant produces a credible peak parking demand study that demonstrates a different reduction value is appropriate.
Section 21.8 - Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations
1 Intent - This section of the regulations is intended to promote and support access by bicycle and walking throughout the community. To this end, all parking lots, where practical, must be designed to provide safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle access as a part of any parking area or parking structure design including safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle movement to and from public walkways and/or bikeways, streets, or transit stops.
2 Bicycle Access Design Standards - A minimum of two bicycle parking space shall be provided for every 40 off-street automobile parking spaces. Bicycle parking facilities, where practical, shall be designed and installed to include:
a Spaces that are a minimum of 2 feet by 6 feet per bicycle.
b The minimum number possible of potential conflict points between bicycles and motor vehicles.
c Lighting.
d Provision for locking of bicycles to the rack or bicycle locker.
e Adequate spacing for access to the bicycle and locking device when the spaces are occupied.
f Where possible, bicycle parking shall be located within view of building entrances or in view of windows, and/or security personnel stations.
3 Pedestrian Access Design Standards - Provision for safe and convenient pedestrian access shall be incorporated into landscaping plans for any parking area or parking structure. This shall be clearly shown on all site plans. Any parking area designed, constructed, and maintained, as part of a development must be designed such that the flow of pedestrians can be directed though a system of convenient routes that bring them to central walkways leading to main entrances. All walkways, where practical, shall be constructed to provide for:
a Safe separation of all walkways from motor vehicle traffic through the use of raised sidewalks and/or landscaping between sidewalks and parking spaces and/or driving aisles.
b Safe, well-articulated pedestrian crossings demarcated with pavement markings, pedestrian warning signs, and lighting.
c A minimum of 4 feet in width.
d Inclusion of plantings, benches, and lighting along walkways and at all pedestrian crossings.
e Design, construction and maintenance to accommodate disabled individuals per Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
Section 21.9 - Landscaping Standards for Parking Lot Stormwater Management:
The landscaping requirements in this section are intended to maximize the natural areas retained in any parking area in order to optimize natural infiltration of rainwater, intercept and manage stormwater runoff, and provide an aesthetic setting for development. In order to accomplish these goals the following standards shall apply:
1 Minimum Landscape Area - Developments with proposed parking areas of fifteen (15) spaces or more shall provide a minimum of fifteen percent (15%) of the total parking area as landscaped open space. Such landscaped open space may be provided in the form of islands, aesthetic landscape treatments, pedestrian refuge/oasis areas, and may include the perimeter buffer between the parking area and adjacent streets, residential/commercial developments, or open space areas.
2 Planting Required - Such landscaped islands and perimeter landscaping shall be planted with a mix of shrubs and trees. Planting plans shall not include invasive species. This list is available from the Department of Environmental Protection.
3 Location – Unless modified or waived by the Commission, such islands and perimeter plantings should be located:
a At each parking lot entrance;
b At the ends of each parking aisle;
c As intermediate islands in long rows of spaces, located every 15 spaces;
d As separation between long rows of parking spaces that abut other rows; and
e As separation between pedestrian walkways and parking spaces and/or driving aisles.
4 Elevation and Grading – Where feasible, landscaped islands should be situated below the grade of the parking spaces and driving aisles such that stormwater runoff flow is directed to and trapped by such islands.
5 Maintenance - Failure to maintain any landscaped area or buffer strip shall constitute a violation of these Regulations.
Sec. 21.10 Loading Space Requirements
On the same premises with every building devoted to retail trade, retail and wholesale food markets, warehouses, supply houses, wholesale or manufacturing trade, hotels, hospitals, laundry, dry cleaning establishments or other building where large amounts of goods are received or shipped, erected in any district after the date of the adoption of these Regulations, loading and unloading space shall be provided as follows:
1 Every building or block of building containing more than five thousand (5,000) square feet gross floor area – one loading space.
2 Every building or block building containing more than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet gross floor area – one loading space for each twenty thousand (20,000) square feet or fraction thereof.
3 A required loading space shall be not less than ten (10') feet wide, forty (40') feet long and fourteen (14') feet high.
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