Zoning Bylaw No. 12375

Section 8.2 - Off-Street Parking Regulations

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Last Updated: 
September 9, 2024
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8.2 Off-Street Parking Regulations
8.2 Off-Street Parking Regulations

8.2.1 Where any development is proposed, including new development, change of use of existing development, or enlargement of existing development, off-street vehicle parking (including parking for universal accessibility, and visitors) shall be provided onsite by the property owner in accordance with the requirements of this Bylaw.

Parking Setbacks

8.2.2 Parking shall not be permitted within the landscape area except when the parking is within a driveway that is perpendicular to the fronting or flanking street; or when the landscape area is abutting a lane.

8.2.3 Where a setback for a garage or a carport (as allowed within a particular zone) is measured from the back of curb, edge of pavement, or a sidewalk (whichever is closest), the resulting parking stall can be counted as an off-street parking stall.

8.2.4 For residential dwelling units with 2 dwelling or less (thus do not have a landscape area) then any parking space that is not perpendicular to the front or flanking side yards must be setback at least three (3) metres from the front or flanking side yard.

8.2.5 [Deleted]

Tandem Parking

8.2.6 Tandem parking spaces are permitted only for:

  1. developments with 6 or less dwelling units and:
    1. only one tandem parking space is permitted in front of any garage or carport;
    2. a tandem space cannot be used for different principal dwelling units;
    3. parking spaces for secondary suites, carriage houses, and Child Care Centre, Major can be in tandem with the principal dwelling unit(s).
  2. townhouses with 7 or more dwelling units where the lot is located within the Core Area and:
    1. visitor parking stalls cannot be configured in tandem;
    2. a tandem space cannot be used for different principal dwelling units.

Size and Ratio

8.2.7 Each off-street parking space and parking lot layout shall conform to the following provisions:

Table 8.2.7.a Dimensions of Parking Spaces and Drive Aisles
m = metres
Parking Spaces: Min. LengthMin. WidthMin. Height Clearance
Regular Size Vehicle parking space6.0 m2.5 m2.0 m
Small Size Vehicle parking space4.8 m2.3 m2.0 m
Accessible parking spaces6.0 m3.7 m2.3 m
Van-Accessible parking spaces6.0 m4.8 m2.3 m
Regular Size Parallel parking space7.0 m2.6 m2.0 m
Small Size Parallel parking space6.5 m2.5 m2.0 m

Drive Aisles: 

 Min. LengthMin. WidthMin. Height Clearance
All two-way drive aisles serving 90 degrees parking (e.g., parking lot, parkade, garage)n/a6.5 m2.0 m
All two-way surface drive aisles without adjacent parkingn/a6.0 m2.0 m
All two-way surface drive aisles without access to adjacent parking, garages, and/or carports in MF1 zonen/a4.5 m2.0 m
All two-way surface drive aisles with access to adjacent parking, garages and/or carports in MF1 zonen/a6.0 m2.0 m
One way drive aisles (60 degree parking or greater)n/a5.5 m2.0 m
One way drive aisles (45 degree parking & parallel parking)n/a3.5 m2.0 m
Table 8.2.7.b Ratio of Parking Space Sizes
Uses:Min. Regular Size Vehicle parking spacesMax. Small Size Vehicle parking spaces
Principal Dwelling units in the A1, A2, RR1, RR2, RU1, RU2, RU3, and RU5 zones100%.30%
Carriage house or secondary suite0%100%.3, .4
Dwelling units in the MF1 zone with access to a lane0% .5100%.3, .4
Dwelling units in the MF1 zone without access to a lane100%.30%
Townhouses, Stacked Townhouses, and Apartments50% .1 ,.2, .3, .450%.4
Commercial70%.430%.4
Industrial70%.430%.4
Institutional50%.450%.4

FOOTNOTES (Table 8.2.7.b):
.1 For the purpose of calculating the percentage of regular size vehicle parking spaces, “accessible parking spaces” shall be included in the minimum number regular size vehicle parking spaces.
.2 All visitor parking spaces must be regular size vehicle parking spaces.
.3 All parking spaces that are configured in tandem must be regular size vehicle parking space.
.4 All parking spaces must be regular size vehicle parking space when: the length of a parking space abuts a doorway or when a surface parking space abuts a lane perpendicularly.
.5 For any MF1 development with two dwelling units or less, the minimum regular size vehicle parking spaces for the principal dwelling units is 100%.

8.2.8 Length, width, and height measurements shall be clear of obstructions (including but not limited to columns, lot lines, curbs, walls, pipes, roof features, fences, and emergency exit painted areas). Spacing measurements shall be taken from the inside to inside of obstructions.

8.2.9 Where a parking space abuts an obstruction (including but not limited to columns, lot lines, curbs, walls, pipes, roof features, fences, and emergency exit painted areas) the parking space width shall follow the following regulations:

  1. be an additional 0.2 metres wider where the parking space abuts an obstruction on one side;
  2. be an additional 0.5 metres wider where the parking space abuts an obstruction on both sides; and
  3. be an additional 0.8 metres wider where the parking space abuts a doorway.

Number of Spaces

8.2.10 The minimum and maximum number of off-street vehicle parking spaces required for each use (including visitor spaces) is specified in Table 8.3 Required Parking except where additional parking is required by the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure (MOTI) if the site has direct access to a provincial highway. The total vehicle parking amount can be reduced with the rental housing incentives (as per Section 8.2.11) and the bicycle parking incentives (as per Section 8.5.8).

8.2.11 The minimum number of off-street vehicles parking spaces required for each use specified in Table 8.3 Required Parking may be reduced as per the following incentives (which may be combined):

  1. Rental Housing Incentives: (i) If a development rezones to a rental sub-zone guaranteeing the development as rental housing, then a 20% reduction to the parking requirement (both base and visitor) can be applied if the development is located within an urban centre and a 10% reduction to the parking requirement (both base and visitor) can be applied if the development is located outside an urban centre.
  2. Car-Share Incentives: (ii) Within the Core Area, Urban Centres, University South Village Centre, and Glenmore Village Centre, the total minimum off-street vehicle parking requirements for any residential and any commercial use (e.g. office and retail) can be reduced by five (5) parking spaces per car share vehicle (must provide a new vehicle to a car-share organization and the car-share spaces are counted to the overall parking count) subject to the following regulations:

- the maximum reduction in total required parking is 20% (for base parking requirement); and
- the car-share vehicle parking space must be located on-site or within 100 metres of the subject property, in a highly visible spot, at-grade, publicly accessible at all times (i.e., not within an enclosed parkade), clearly marked for the exclusive use of the shared vehicle and guaranteed to operate for a minimum of two years.

8.2.12 Parking spaces for secondary uses shall be provided in addition to the required parking spaces for the principal use on a lot.

8.2.13 Where calculation of the total number of parking spaces yields a fractional number:

  1. any fraction less than one-half (0.5) rounds down to the nearest whole integer (including zero); and
  2. any fraction one-half (0.5) or greater rounds up to the nearest whole integer.

8.2.14 Where gross floor area is used as a unit of measurement for the calculation of required parking spaces, it must exclude all parking and loading areas, secure bicycle parking areas, common stairways and mechanical rooms within the building.

8.2.15 Where Table 8.3 Required Parking does not clearly define requirements for a development, the single use class or combination of use classes most representative of the proposed development shall be used to determine the parking requirements.

8.2.16 Where a development consists of a mix of use classes, the total off-street parking requirement shall be the sum of the off-street parking requirements for each use class.

  1. notwithstanding Section 8.2.16, in mixed-use developments the parking spaces required for offices and other commercial related land uses can be shared with the residential visitor parking requirements. Parking spaces must be available for both land uses (commercial and visitor) at all times.

Accessible Parking Standards

8.2.17 The minimum accessible parking shall be provided as a function of the total number of parking space provided onsite as described in Table 8.2.17 and illustrated in Figure 8.2.17. However, if a development is within a Transit Oriented Area as identified in Map 8.3.a , Map 8.3.b , Map 8.3.c , or Map 8.3.d and utilizes the parking exemption to provide less parking than would otherwise be required by Table 8.3 Required Off-Street Parking Requirements then development must provide at least the minimum required amount of Accessible Parking spaces onsite as identified in Table 8.2.17a Required Amount of Accessible Parking Spaces in Transit Oriented Areas.

  1. if one or more visitor parking spaces are required, then at least one of those visitor parking spaces shall be configured as an accessible parking space;
  2. designate as an accessible parking space using appropriate signage;
  3. include accessible parking spaces in the calculation of the applicable minimum parking requirement; and
  4. accessible parking spaces shall be located as close to a main building entrance, on a level non-skid surface.
Table 8.2.17 Amount of Accessible Parking Spaces
Total Number of Parking Spaces Onsite.Min. Number of Required Accessible Parking SpacesMin. Number of Required Van-Accessible Parking Spaces
1 – 6 spaces0 spaces0 spaces
7 – 36 spaces1 space0 spaces
37 – 68 spaces2 spaces1 space
69 – 100 spaces3 spaces1 space
101-150 spaces4 spaces1 space
151-200 spaces5 spaces1 space
201-300 spaces6 spaces2 spaces
301-400 spaces7 spaces2 spaces
401-500 spaces8 spaces2 spaces
Over 500 spaces2% of the total spaces2 spaces
Note: The number of van-accessible parking spaces is included in the minimum required accessible parking spaces. For example: if six (6) accessible parking spaces are required and two (2) van accessible parking spaces are required the total number of accessible parking spaces is six (6) and two (2) of which must be van accessible.

 

Table 8.2.17a Required Amount of Accessible Parking Spaces in Transit Oriented Areas

Total Number of Dwelling UnitsMin. Number of Required Accessible Parking SpacesMin. Number of Required Van-Accessible Parking Spaces
1 – 9 units0 spaces0 spaces
10 – 50 units1 space0 spaces
51-100 units2 spaces1 space
101 – 200 units3 spaces1 space
201-300 units4 spaces1 space
301-400 units5 spaces1 space
Over 400 units6 spaces2 spaces
Note: The number of van-accessible parking spaces is included in the minimum required accessible parking spaces. For example: if six (6) accessible parking spaces are required and two (2) van accessible parking spaces are required the total number of accessible parking spaces is six (6) and two (2) of which must be van accessible.
Figure 8.2.17 - Accessible Parking Standards
Zoning Bylaw - Figure 8.2.17 - Accessible Parking Standards Diagram

Electric Vehicle Charging

8.2.18 Any development with residential dwelling units that provides an on-site parking spaces for that dwelling unit must be an electric vehicle energized outlet capable of providing level 2 charging. The rate shall be one energized space per dwelling unit that is provided a parking stall. For example, if a development does not provide a parking space onsite for that dwelling unit then there is no requirement for an electric vehicle energized outlet for that dwelling unit.

  1. The minimum energized electric vehicle energized outlets do not apply to the visitor parking.
  2. Energized Outlets must be labelled for their intended use for electric vehicle charging only.
  3. Energized Outlets must be assigned to an individual vehicle parking space and must be located no further than 1.0 metre from that parking space.
  4. No more than one Energized Outlet may be assigned to an individual vehicle parking space.
  5. The  minimum energized electric vehicle energized outlets do not apply to secondary suites or carriage houses.
  6. The minimum amount of electric vehicle energized outlets per parking space capable of providing level 2 charging can be reduced by 75% if the lot is zoned with a “r – rental only” sub-zone that restricts the dwelling units to a rental only tenure and prohibits any building stratification or bareland stratification.
  7. The Effective date these regulation will come into effect is April 1st 2024.
     

Table 8.2.18 [Deleted]