Off-Street Parking Standards for the City of Grass Valley R-3 District

In the City of Grass Valley R-3: Multiple Dwelling Residential district, residential projects generally require between one and two covered parking spaces per unit depending on the number of bedrooms, plus one additional guest space for every five units. Permitted non-residential uses within the City of Grass Valley R-3 zone must adhere to specific ratios, such as one space per 400 square feet for libraries or one space per employee plus one space per 10 students/children for educational and daycare facilities. All off-street parking for multifamily structures with three or more units must be located so that it is not visible from the street fronting the parcel [Section 17.44.160.D].

Residential Parking Ratios for the R-3 District

The City of Grass Valley Development Code prescribes specific counts for residential uses allowed within the R-3: Multiple Dwelling Residential zone. These requirements prioritize covered parking for primary residents and supplemental parking for guests.

Use Type	Vehicle Spaces Required
Multi-unit housing (Studio and 1-bedroom)	1 covered space per unit, plus 1 guest space for every 5 units
Multi-unit housing (2-bedroom and larger)	2 covered spaces per unit, plus 1 guest space for every 5 units
Single-family Dwelling	2 spaces, at least 1 of which must be covered
Senior Housing	1 space per unit (half of total spaces must be covered), plus 1 guest space per 10 units
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)	1 space for studio/1-bedroom units; 2 spaces for units with more than one bedroom
Mobile Home (Inside a park)	2 covered spaces per home (tandem allowed in attached carports), plus 1 guest space for every 4 units
Residential Care Facility	1 space for every 2 residential units, plus 1 space for every 4 units for guests and employees
Rooming or Boarding House	1 space per guest room, plus 2 spaces for the manager or owner

[Table 3-3, Section 17.44.150, Section 17.44.190]

Non-Residential and Public Assembly Parking Ratios

While primarily residential, the City of Grass Valley R-3 zone permits certain recreation, education, and public assembly uses. These projects must provide off-street parking based on floor area, capacity, or occupancy.

Use Type	Vehicle Spaces Required
Day Care Center (Child or Adult)	1 space for each employee, plus 1 space for every 10 children/clients
Schools (Kindergarten through High School)	1 space per employee, plus 1 space for every 10 students
Library, Gallery, or Museum	1 space per 400 square feet
Meeting Facility / Place of Assembly	1 space for every 4 seats or 1 space per 100 square feet of assembly area (whichever is greater)
Medical Services — Extended Care	1 space for every 3 beds or patients the facility is licensed to accommodate
Public Safety Facility	1 space for every 250 square feet of floor area
Golf Course / Country Club	4 spaces per hole, plus additional spaces for accessory uses (restaurants, pro shops, etc.)

[Table 3-3]

Parking Design and Development Standards

The City of Grass Valley establishes strict dimensional and design requirements for all parking facilities in the R-3 district to ensure safety and neighborhood compatibility.

Dimensional Requirements

For standard parking spaces in the City of Grass Valley, the following dimensions apply:

Feature	Standard Requirement
Standard Parking Stall	9 feet wide by 18 feet deep
Compact Parking Stall	8 feet wide by 16 feet deep
Aisle Width (Perpendicular/90°)	24 feet
Driveway Width (3+ units)	12 feet maximum (unless required otherwise by the Fire Department)

[Table 3-4, Table 3-5, Section 17.36.100]

Special Design Regulations for the R-3 District

Visibility: Off-street parking for multifamily structures consisting of three or more units must be situated behind the primary structure or otherwise screened so it is not visible from the fronting street [Section 17.44.160.D].
Tandem Parking: The City of Grass Valley generally prohibits tandem parking (one space behind another) for meeting standard requirements. However, tandem parking is expressly permitted for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), mobile home parks, and duplexes or rowhouses within multifamily projects [Section 17.36.090.I, Section 17.44.160.D.4].
Compact Spaces: In multifamily residential projects within the R-3 zone, up to 20% of the required uncovered parking spaces may be designated as compact spaces [Section 17.36.040.D.4.a].
Garage Placement: For residential structures in the R-3 zone, the front of a garage must be set back at least five feet from the street-facing facade of the primary building [Table 2-9].
Surfacing: All parking areas and maneuvering aisles must be surfaced with a minimum of two inches of asphaltic concrete or three and one-half inches of Portland cement concrete [Section 17.36.090.H.2].

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