Off-Street Parking Standards for the CPB: Commercial Business Park District in Grass Valley
In the City of Grass Valley, the CPB: Commercial Business Park district requires off-street parking based on the specific land use, with ratios such as one space per 250 square feet for office or retail uses and two spaces per unit for live/work residential components. Development within the Grass Valley CPB district must adhere to substantial parking setbacks, including 40 feet from the back of the curb on major streets and 30 feet on side streets. The Grass Valley Development Code permits the substitution of bicycle and motorcycle spaces for standard vehicle spaces up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total requirement [Section 17.36.060; Section 17.36.070].
General Requirements for the Grass Valley CPB District
All land uses and structures within the Grass Valley CPB district must provide suitable off-street parking and loading facilities before a new use is commenced or a structure is occupied [Section 17.36.020]. The City of Grass Valley requires these spaces to be permanently available and maintained for the specific use they are intended to serve [Section 17.36.030].
Required Parking Ratios by Land Use
The number of off-street parking spaces required for projects in the Grass Valley CPB district is determined by the specific land use type as defined in the city's general parking requirements [Section 17.36.040].
Residential and Mixed-Use Ratios
While primarily a commercial zone, the Grass Valley CPB district allows for certain residential components, typically within mixed-use or live/work configurations.
| Land Use Type | Vehicle Spaces Required |
|---|---|
| Live/work unit (live/residential portion only) | 2 spaces for each unit |
| Studio and 1-bedroom units (Multi-unit/Mixed-use) | 1 covered space per unit, plus 1 space per 5 units for guest parking |
| 2-bedroom and larger units (Multi-unit/Mixed-use) | 2 covered spaces per unit, plus 1 space per 5 units for guest parking |
| Residential second unit (ADU) | Generally required, though exceptions apply if located near public transit [Section 17.36.040, Table 3-3] |
Commercial and Industrial Ratios
The CPB district is intended for high-quality corporate offices and research firms. The following ratios apply to common commercial uses found in this district.
| Land Use Type | Vehicle Spaces Required |
|---|---|
| Office: Business, service, or government | 1 space for each 250 sf of floor area |
| Office: Processing and corporate | 1 space for each 150 sf of floor area |
| Office: Professional/administrative | 1 space for each 250 sf of floor area |
| General Retail Trade | 1 space for each 250 sf of floor area, plus 1 space per 300 sf of outdoor sales area |
| Research and Development (R&D) | 1 space for each 300 sf of floor area |
| Manufacturing and Processing (General) | 1 space per 200 sf of office area; 1 per 500 sf of other floor area; 1 per 5,000 sf of open storage |
| Warehousing | 1 space for each 500 sf of floor area |
| Medical Services: Clinic or Doctor Office | 1 space for each 250 sf of floor area (min. 4 per doctor) |
[Section 17.36.040, Table 3-3]
Specific Parking Setbacks for the CPB District
The Grass Valley CPB district has unique site planning standards that mandate deeper setbacks for parking areas compared to other commercial zones to maintain a "campus" type character [Section 17.24.020.E].
| Feature | Requirement in CPB District |
|---|---|
| Front Setback (From Major Street) | Parking must be 40 ft from back of curb |
| Front Setback (From Local Street) | Parking must be 15 ft from back of curb |
| Side - Street side Setback | 30 ft from back of curb |
| Side - Interior Setback | 20 ft |
| Rear Setback | 10 ft on a site abutting a residential use; none elsewhere |
[Section 17.24.040, Table 2-12]
Parking Space Design and Dimensions
All parking areas in Grass Valley must be designed according to standard dimensions to ensure safety and usability.
| Space Type | Width | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Vehicle Space | 9 ft | 18 ft |
| Compact Vehicle Space | 8 ft | 16 ft |
[Section 17.36.090, Table 3-4 and Table 3-6]
Compact Vehicle Allowance
In the Grass Valley CPB district, up to 20 percent of the required non-residential parking spaces may be designated for compact vehicles. These spaces must be clearly labeled for "Compact cars" and grouped together at regular intervals [Section 17.36.090.D.4].
Bicycle and Motorcycle Substitutions
The City of Grass Valley encourages alternative transportation by allowing developers to substitute bicycle or motorcycle spaces for required automobile spaces:
- Bicycles: Developers may substitute bicycle spaces for vehicle spaces at a rate of eight bicycle spaces for one vehicle space, up to a maximum of 10 percent of the required vehicle spaces [Section 17.36.060].
- Motorcycles: For every 25 auto spaces required, a project may substitute one motorcycle space, up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total requirement [Section 17.36.070].
Sections Cited
- Section 17.24.020 - Purposes of commercial and industrial zones.
- Section 17.24.040 - Commercial and industrial zone site planning and building standards.
- Section 17.36.020 - Applicability.
- Section 17.36.030 - General parking regulations.
- Section 17.36.040 - Number of parking spaces required.
- Section 17.36.060 - Bicycle parking.
- Section 17.36.070 - Motorcycle parking.
- Section 17.36.090 - Parking design and development standards.