Grass Valley Parking and Loading Standards
Grass Valley requires 2 spaces for single-family homes and typically 1 space per 250 square feet for retail and office uses. Standard parking stalls must be 9' x 18'. Compact stalls (8' x 16') are permitted for up to 20% of spaces in larger projects. Bicycle parking can substitute for vehicle spaces at a ratio of 8:1, up to 10% of the total requirement.
The City of Grass Valley requires all land uses and structures to provide suitable off-street parking and loading facilities. These requirements apply to new constructions, changes in use, and the expansion of existing structures [§ 17.36.020].
Required Number of Parking Spaces
The number of required off-street parking spaces is determined by the specific land use. For multi-tenant sites, the requirement is the sum of the requirements for each individual use, unless developed as an integrated shopping center [§ 17.36.040].
Residential Requirements
| Land Use Type | Required Spaces |
|---|---|
| Single Dwelling | 2 spaces (at least 1 covered) |
| Multi-unit (Studio/1-Bed) | 1 covered space per unit + 1 guest space per 5 units |
| Multi-unit (2-Bed or larger) | 2 covered spaces per unit + 1 guest space per 5 units |
| Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) | No additional parking if within 0.5 miles of transit or in the Historical District |
| Live/Work Unit | 2 spaces per unit (residential portion) |
Nonresidential Requirements
| Land Use Type | Required Spaces |
|---|---|
| General Retail | 1 space per 250 sf of floor area + 1 per 300 sf of outdoor sales |
| Office (Business/Prof.) | 1 space per 250 sf of floor area |
| Office (Processing/Corp.) | 1 space per 150 sf of floor area |
| Restaurant/Café | 1 space per 60 sf of dining area |
| Manufacturing | 1 per 200 sf office + 1 per 500 sf floor area |
| Warehousing | 1 space per 500 sf of floor area |
Note: "sf" refers to square feet of gross interior leasable floor area [§ 17.36.040.A.3].
Parking Design and Dimensions
Parking areas must be designed to allow vehicles to enter and exit public streets in a forward direction only, except for single dwellings and small multi-family projects (up to 4 units) [§ 17.36.090.A].
Standard Stall and Driveway Dimensions
- Standard Space: 9 feet wide by 18 feet long [§ 17.36.090, Table 3-4].
- Perpendicular (90°) Aisle Width: 24 feet for two-way traffic [§ 17.36.090, Table 3-5].
- Obstructions: If a space abuts a column, fence, or wall, the width must be increased by 1 foot [§ 17.36.090.D.2].
- Vertical Clearance: A minimum height of 14 feet must be maintained in nonresidential developments [§ 17.36.090.A.3].
Compact Vehicle Spaces
Nonresidential and multi-family projects may use compact spaces for up to 20% of the required spaces, provided the first 10 spaces are standard size [§ 17.36.090.D.4].
- Dimensions: 8 feet wide by 16 feet long.
- Landscaping Requirement: For every compact space provided, an additional 35 square feet of landscaped area must be added to the parking lot [§ 17.36.090.D.4.d].
Reductions and Substitutions
The City allows for the reduction of vehicle parking through several mechanisms:
- Bicycle Parking: Developers may substitute 8 bicycle spaces for 1 vehicle space, up to a maximum of 10% of the total required vehicle spaces [§ 17.36.060].
- Motorcycle Parking: Nonresidential developments may substitute 1 motorcycle space for every 25 auto spaces, up to 10% of the total requirement [§ 17.36.070].
- Shared Parking: If two or more uses have different peak hours (e.g., a bank and a theater), the Director may approve a reduction of up to 20% via a Minor Use Permit [§ 17.36.080.A].
- Excessive Parking: Providing more than 20% above the required number of spaces is discouraged and requires a Minor Use Permit [§ 17.36.040.H].
Development Standards
- Surfacing: Parking areas must be surfaced with at least 2 inches of asphaltic concrete or 3.5 inches of Portland cement concrete [§ 17.36.090.H].
- Tandem Parking: Generally prohibited for satisfying off-street parking requirements, except for ADUs and specific managed lodging or mobile home scenarios [§ 17.36.090.I].
- Queuing Areas: Nonresidential developments with 50+ spaces must provide a 20-foot unobstructed queuing area from the street right-of-way [§ 17.36.090.A.2].
- Disabled Parking: Must provide easy access to major entrances. Individuals must not be required to walk or wheel behind parked cars other than their own [§ 17.36.050].
- In-Lieu Fees: In the downtown area, applicants may pay an in-lieu fee (initially established at $2,000 per space) instead of providing required off-street parking, subject to City approval and consistency with the municipal parking plan [§ 17.36.120].