20.35.075 Old town overlay district – Parking

20.35.075 Old town overlay district – Parking.

1. Uses in the old town overlay district are exempt from minimum on-site parking requirements.

When parking is provided on site, all parking standards in Chapter 20.12 BMC concerning applicability, general provisions, design provisions and improvement standards shall apply.

1. Number of Spaces Required. Bicycle parking is required for certain use categories to encourage the use of bicycles by providing safe and convenient places to park bicycles. These regulations ensure adequate short- and long-term bicycle parking based on the demand generated by the different use categories and on the level of security necessary to encourage the use of bicycles for short and long stays.

a. The required minimum number of bicycle parking spaces for each use category is shown in Table 20.35.075. No bicycle parking is required for uses not listed.

b. The required minimum number of bicycle parking spaces is based on the primary uses on a site. When there are two or more separate primary uses that operate at the same time on a site, the required bicycle parking for the site is the sum of the required parking for the individual primary uses.

a. No long-term bicycle parking is required on a site where there are less than 2,500 square feet of gross building area.

b. No bicycle parking is required for unattended surface parking lots.

i. Purpose. Short-term bicycle parking encourages shoppers, customers, messengers, and other visitors to use bicycles by providing a convenient and readily accessible place to park bicycles. Short-term bicycle parking should serve the main entrance of a building and should be visible to pedestrians and bicyclists.

(A) Required short-term bicycle parking shall be located:

(1) Outside a building;

(2) On the site;

(3) At the same grade as the sidewalk or at a location that can be reached by an accessible route; and

(4) Within 50 feet of the main entrance to the building as measured along the most direct pedestrian access route. For sites that have more than one primary building, the bicycle parking shall be within 50 feet of a main entrance as measured along the most direct pedestrian access route, and shall be distributed to serve all primary buildings.

(B) Short-term bike parking may be located within the public right-of-way provided the location and design are subject to public works department approval.

Table 20.35.075 Minimum Required Bicycle Parking
Specific Use	Long-Term Spaces	Short-Term Spaces
1. Multifamily housing	2, or 0.5 per bedroom and studio unit.	2, or 0.05 per bedroom and studio unit.
2. Commercial: Retail sales and service, including eating and drinking establishments	2, or 1 per 12,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area.	2, or 1 per 5,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area.
3. Commercial: Office	2, or 1 per 10,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area.	2, or 1 per 20,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area.
4. Commercial: Off-street parking lots and garages available to the general public without charge or on a fee basis	2, or 1 per 20 automobile spaces.	6, or 1 for each 20 automobile spaces.
Note: Wherever this table indicates two numerical standards, such as “2, or 1 per 5,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area,” the larger number applies. Fractions of 0.5 or greater are rounded up to the next whole number.

i. Purpose. Long-term bicycle parking provides employees, residents, commuters and others who generally stay at a site for several hours a secure and weather-protected place to park bicycles. Although long-term parking does not have to be provided on site, the intent of these standards is to allow bicycle parking to be within a reasonable distance in order to encourage bicycle use.

ii. Standards. Required long-term bicycle parking shall be:

(A) Provided in racks or lockers that meet the standards of subsection (B)(3)(c) of this section;

(B) Located on the site or in an area where the closest point is within 300 feet of the site;

(C) Covered. At least 50 percent of required long-term bicycle parking shall be covered and meet the standards of subsection (B)(3)(c)(v) of this section (Covered Bicycle Parking); and

(D) Secured. To provide security, long-term bicycle parking shall be in at least one of the following locations:

(1) In a locked room;

(2) In an area that is enclosed by a fence with a locked gate. The fence shall either be eight feet high or be floor-to-ceiling;

(3) Within view of an attendant or security guard;

(4) In an area that is monitored by a security camera; or

(5) In an area that is visible from employee work areas.

i. Purpose. These standards ensure that required bicycle parking is designed so that bicycles may be securely locked without undue inconvenience and will be reasonably safeguarded from intentional or accidental damage.

ii. Bicycle Lockers. Where required bicycle parking is provided in lockers, the lockers shall be securely anchored.

iii. Bicycle Racks. Required bicycle parking may be provided in floor, wall, or ceiling racks. Where required bicycle parking is provided in racks, the racks shall meet the following standards:

(A) The bicycle frame and one wheel can be locked to the rack with a high security, U-shaped shackle lock if both wheels are left on the bicycle;

(B) A bicycle six feet long can be securely held with its frame supported so that the bicycle cannot be pushed or fall in a manner that will damage the wheels or components; and

(A) Each required bicycle parking space shall be accessible without moving another bicycle;

(B) There shall be an aisle at least five feet wide behind all required bicycle parking to allow room for bicycle maneuvering. Where the bicycle parking is adjacent to a sidewalk, the maneuvering area may extend into the right-of-way; and

v. Covered Bicycle Parking. Covered bicycle parking, as required by this section, can be provided inside buildings, under roof overhangs or awnings, in bicycle lockers, or within or under other structures. Where required covered bicycle parking is not within a building or locker, the cover shall be:

(A) Permanent;

(B) Designed to protect the bicycle from rainfall; and

vi. Signs. If required bicycle parking is not visible from the street or main building entrance, a sign shall be posted at the main building entrance indicating the location of the parking. [Ord. 2023-07-020 § 3; Ord. 2017-03-009 § 33; Ord. 2008-03-022].