§ 152.026. DRIVEWAY, PARKING AREA AND HARD SURFACE IMPROVEMENTS.

Except for minimal impact pavement construction projects and regular maintenance approved by the City Administrator, a building permit shall be required for all hard surface/pavement improvements and subject to the following requirements:

(A) In all zoning districts, with the exception of the A Agriculture District, all required ingress/egress points, driveways and parking areas shall be surfaced with an improved surface, according to minimum city specifications, except when waived by the City Administrator. In the A Agriculture District, driveways shall be surfaced from the intersection of the road, for the first 100 feet of the driveway, with bituminous, concrete, brick pavers or other approved hard surface, as approved by the City Engineer.

(B) Driveway ingress/egress points shall be a minimum of 12 feet wide and a maximum of 30 feet wide measured at the property line.

(C) Location. All off-street parking facilities required by this chapter, shall be located and restricted as follows:

(1) Same lot. Required accessory off-street parking shall be on the same lot under the same ownership as the principal use being serviced, except for combined or joint parking facilities as regulated by this section.

(2) Parking distance from property line. Except for required driveway ingress/egress points, there shall be no off-street parking areas or driveways within ten feet of any property line within the R-3 Multiple Family Residential, C-1 General Commerce, C-2 Central Business, C/I Commercial/Industrial and P/I Public/Institutional districts. The parking and drive aisle setback shall be increased to 20 feet where said facilities are located adjacent to the A Agriculture, R-1 Low Density Residential and R-2 Medium Density Residential districts.

(3) Boulevard parking prohibited. The boulevard (landscaped portion) of the street right-of-way shall not be used for parking.

(4) All lots having direct driveway access onto major collector or arterial roads shall provide turn around facilities on the lot to eliminate vehicles backing onto said roads.

(5) The minimum corner clearance from the street right-of-way line shall be at least 30 feet to the edge of the driveway.

(6) Driveways should be located as indicated on the subdivision grading plan, however, an alternate location meeting the requirements of this section will be permitted.

(D) Residential off-street parking and hard surfaced area requirements. The purpose of this section is to provide minimum setback, slope and miscellaneous standards for off-street parking and driveway construction for single family detached dwelling units and single family attached dwelling units not exceeding four units per building. The intent is to reduce interference with drainage and utility easements by providing setback standards; reduce erosion by requiring an improved surface for all driveways: and, provide positive drainage to the street via establishment of minimum driveway slope standards. The requirements of this section shall apply to all building permits, for the construction of new structures and modifications of existing structures, that require off-street parking. A certificate of survey indicating the setback, slope and proposed elevations shall be required to illustrate compliance with these provisions.

(1) Private parking areas, driveways, walkways and other hard surfaced areas shall be permitted in residential districts so long as all setbacks and lot coverage requirements are met.

(2) Each residential dwelling unit shall have two off-street parking spaces. Each parking space shall be a minimum of ten feet in width and 20 feet in length.

(3) Except for required driveway ingress/egress points, all residential off-street parking areas, and driveways within the A Agriculture, R-1 Low Density Residential and R-2 Medium Density Residential districts shall be set back at least five feet from all property lines.

(4) The vertical profile for a driveway shall not exceed 10% maximum slope.

(5) The garage slab shall be constructed at an elevation that will permit a driveway with a minimum slope of 18 inches above the top of curb.

(6) Under unique circumstances where unusual topography, existing conditions or physical disability of the property owner prohibit compliance with division (D)(4) and/or (5) above, the City Engineer may approve a driveway with a slope exceeding 10% and/or construction of said garage slab less than 18 inches above the top of curb.

(7) A maximum of five operable and licensed motor vehicles and/or recreational vehicles and equipment, may be parked or stored anywhere outside the principal or accessory structures on the lot. Any such motor vehicle and recreational vehicle and equipment placed upon a trailer shall constitute one motor vehicle or recreational vehicle and equipment for purposes of this section. All motor vehicles and recreational vehicles and equipment must be owned by the resident of the dwelling, excluding occasional guests. Motor vehicles and recreational vehicles and equipment parked in the front yard area must be on a paved or hard surface driveway and shall not be located on landscaping except as allowed by this section.

(8) Notwithstanding divisions (D)(1) and (3) of this section, a residential off-street parking area, driveway or parking pad may be constructed closer to the garage side property line subject to approval by the city and the following conditions:

(a) The adjacent property owner(s) must consent in writing to such reduction in setback requirement;

(b) A building permit shall be required. The property owner shall submit a detailed drawing of the proposed location of the parking area including dimensions and distances from the property line, the hard surface material to be used and the lot coverage for the lot. The application shall be reviewed by city staff. The city may require a certificate of survey if determined necessary; and

(c) If the off-street parking area or driveway encroaches into a city easement area it shall be subject to removal at any time by order of the city. The property owner shall be liable for all costs and expenses of such removal. Any unpaid costs and expenses shall be subject to special assessment by the city. The property owner(s) shall be responsible and liable for all consequences of such construction including drainage matters and shall indemnify and hold the City of Mayer harmless from all damages and injuries of any kind.

(E) Parking pads.

(1) General rules.

(a) Parking on landscaping is prohibited except as provided for herein.

(b) All motor vehicles and recreational vehicles and equipment must be operable and licensed.

(c) Parking pad surface materials shall be orderly contained by delineated edging or in some other effective fashion.

(d) All parking pads must not disturb proper drainage or utilities and shall be setback a minimum of five feet from the property line and shall not be located in a drainage and utility easement.

(e) In cases where improved or semi-improved surface materials are required, the pad must cover the entire area under the vehicle and cannot be placed solely under the wheels of the vehicle. The pad must be approved by the city and be suitable to control dust, drainage and prevent spillage.

(2) Rear yard.

(a) A parking pad is allowed.

(b) A maximum of two operable and licensed motor vehicles and/or recreational vehicles and equipment are allowed only on improved surfaces in the rear yard.

(c) Any grass or weeds growing around the motor vehicles and recreational vehicles and equipment shall be regularly cut and subject to the noxious weed ordinance (§§ 93.35 through 93.43).

(3) Side yard.

(a) A maximum of two operable and licensed motor vehicles and/or recreational vehicles and equipment are allowed only on improved surfaces in the side yard. The improved surface parking pad is allowed on the garage side only in line with the garage or in other cases subject to the judgment of the City Administrator. A side yard parking pad shall not exceed 450 square feet.

(b) Any grass or weeds growing around the motor vehicles and recreational vehicles and equipment shall be regularly cut and subject to the noxious weed ordinance (§§ 93.35 through 93.43).

(4) Front yard.

(a) Improved or semi-improved parking pads in the front yard are not allowed, however, the access portion to a side yard parking pad may be constructed with an improved surface.

(b) A maximum of one operable and licensed motor vehicle and recreational vehicle and equipment are allowed only on a unimproved surface parking pad in the front yard for a period not to exceed one week at a time for up to five weeks within a calendar year. The front yard vehicle parking area shall not exceed 200 square feet.

(c) Any grass or weeds growing around the motor vehicles and recreational vehicles and equipment shall be regularly cut and subject to the noxious weed ordinance (§§ 93.35 through 93.43).

(F) Recreational vehicles and equipment.

(1) Recreational vehicles and equipment.

(a) Recreational vehicles and equipment may be stored in the side or rear yards subject to the following standards:

1. Recreational vehicles and equipment cannot exceed 36 feet in length.

2. Parking for recreational vehicles and equipment must be on parking pads with improved surfaces that meet the requirements of this section. All parking pads must be constructed as improved surfaces.

3. The designated parking pad shall be setback at least five feet from side or rear property lines and shall not be located within a drainage and utility easement.

(b) Any front yard parking of recreational vehicles and equipment shall not be located on the street and must be located on the improved driveway surface in the front yard, except as provided for in this section. The recreational vehicle and equipment shall not encroach on any sidewalk, trail or public right-of-way.

(c) Storage shall not occur in a required off-street parking stall.

(2) Residential occupancy prohibited. Recreational vehicles and equipment, including tents, shall not be used for residential dwelling purposes or living quarters, temporarily or permanently, except as may be approved in emergency cases by the City Council.

(a) Recreational uses. Tents, playhouses, or similar structures may be used for play.

(b) Vacant lots – recreational vehicles and equipment prohibited. No recreational vehicle and equipment shall be placed upon any vacant lot within the city to be used for residential dwelling purposes.

(Ord. 102, passed 7-9-01; Am. Ord. 102-R, passed 6-26-06; Am. Ord. 102-Y, passed 5-12-08; Am. Ord. 102-Z, passed 4-13-09; Am. Ord. 157, passed 7-13-09; Am. Ord. 221, passed 6-11-18)