Parking Requirements for Office and Commercial Districts in Concord

The City of Concord requires off-street parking for all new development and expansions based on the specific land use, with most requirements calculated by square footage of gross floor area. These minimum parking standards, designed to ensure adequate access for all business types, are subject to various adjustments including proximity to transit stations, shared parking agreements, and electric vehicle charging incentives.

Off-Street Parking Requirements by Land Use

The following table outlines the minimum off-street parking requirements for common uses within the Office and Commercial districts of Concord.

Land Use Type	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Administrative/Processing Offices	1 space per 350 sf gross floor area [Section 18.160.040]
Professional Offices	1 space per 300 sf gross floor area [Section 18.160.040]
Retail, General	1 space per 250 sf gross floor area [Section 18.160.040]
Restaurants and Bars (All)	1 space per 100 sf gross floor area [Section 18.160.040]
Nurseries and Garden Centers	1 space per 250 sf gross floor area and 1 space per 600 sf outside display [Section 18.160.040]
Automobile Repair	4 spaces per service bay or 1 space per 250 sf gross floor area, whichever is greater [Section 18.160.040]
Fitness Facility/Health Club	Varies: 1 space/250 sf (classes/studios); 1 space/400 sf (gyms); 2 spaces/court [Section 18.160.040]
Hotel and Motel	1 space per guest room, plus additional spaces for ancillary uses [Section 18.160.040]

Adjustments and Reductions to Parking Requirements

The City of Concord provides several pathways to adjust the base parking requirements for commercial projects:

• Transit Proximity: For nonresidential uses located within one-half mile of a BART station, the number of required parking spaces may be reduced by 25 percent [Section 18.160.050].
• Shared On-Site Parking: Projects with two or more adjacent nonresidential uses that have distinct, non-overlapping peak hours of parking demand may apply for a minor use permit to reduce the total number of required spaces [Section 18.160.050].
• Off-Site Parking: Required parking may be located in a common or shared facility up to 300 feet from the site of the proposed use, subject to planning division approval and a recorded parking agreement [Section 18.160.050].
• Electric Vehicle/Hydrogen Stations: Existing on-site parking may be reduced to construct electric vehicle charging or hydrogen fueling stations, provided the reduction does not create a specific adverse impact on public health or safety [Section 18.160.050].
• General Adjustments: For uses demonstrating a reduced parking demand due to specific circumstances (e.g., transportation demand management programs), the Planning Division may grant a reduction of up to 25 percent of the requirements in Table 18.160.040 subject to a use permit [Section 18.160.050].

Design and Circulation Standards

All required parking facilities in commercial districts must adhere to specific design standards:

• Space Dimensions: Standard parking spaces must be at least 9 feet wide by 19 feet long. Parallel spaces must be 9 feet wide by 24 feet long [Section 18.160.090].
• Compact Spaces: On sites with at least 10 parking spaces, up to 25 percent of the total may be compact spaces (8 feet by 16 feet) [Section 18.160.090].
• Circulation: Parking areas must be designed to allow vehicles to exit to a street in a forward direction. Parking lots with 20 or more spaces must maintain a 20-foot stacking area from the street right-of-way [Section 18.160.090].
• Screening and Landscaping: Parking lots with 10 or more spaces must be separated from building walls by a walkway. Commercial buildings over 80,000 square feet must be separated from parking on all sides by a walkway and at least a five-foot-wide planter area [Section 18.160.090].

Sections Cited

• Section 18.160.040 (Parking requirements)
• Section 18.160.050 (Adjustments to parking requirements)
• Section 18.160.090 (Parking design standards)