N.J. Admin. Code § 19:31C-3.15 - Parking design

(a) On-street parking: On-street parking spaces should be allocated towards the required parking supply first, before the number of off-street parking spaces is determined. On-street parking spaces may not be double-counted (that is, allocated to more than one development).

(b) The following concern location of parking spaces:

1. Any and all parking spaces (except those provided on-street) should be located in parking structures or parking lots located within the following distances of a pedestrian entrance of the building containing uses that they serve:

i. Residential uses: Minimum of one space per unit either within the building, or within 500 feet. Additional spaces, or fraction thereof, within 1,000 feet.

ii. Retail uses: Within 750 feet.

iii. Hospitality, office/research, and institutional/civic uses: At least half of the parking supply within 750 feet. The remainder within 1,500 feet.

2. The location of parking spaces in mixed-use projects should comply with the requirements for each component use provided in this section.

(c) The following concern surface parking:

1. Locations: "Street" as used in this subsection refers to any permitted street type defined in 19:31C-3.1 4(d) except for alleys.

i. For all-residential buildings in all development districts, no surface parking should be located in the areas between the building and adjacent streets (whether abutting a recommended street or other street), except for parking spaces on an individual driveway leading to an individual residential garage. Instead, any surface parking should be provided at the interior or rear of the lot, away from street frontages.

ii. For hospitality, office, and institutional buildings in center and neighborhood districts, no surface parking should be located in areas between the building and any adjacent recommended streets.

iii. For buildings having stand-alone retail or retail mixed vertically with another use in center and neighborhood districts, no more than one double-loaded bay of surface parking (typically about 60 feet deep) should be located in areas between the building and any adjacent recommended streets.

iv. For hospitality, office, or institutional buildings in campus districts, no more than one double-loaded bay of surface parking (typically about 60 feet deep) should be located in areas between the building and any adjacent recommended streets.

2. The following concern landscaping and setbacks:

i. The following concern landscaped setbacks:

(1) Surface parking areas should be set back from street-facing lot lines, as well as from interior or rear lot lines shared with adjacent uses, at least five feet if one double-loaded bay of parking is provided, or at least 10 feet if a deeper parking area is provided. Setbacks from streets outside of the Fort Monmouth Project Areas boundaries are specified in 19:31C-3.1 7(c).

(2) Setbacks to parking areas and driveways should be landscaped with shrubs and/or low groundcover, including evergreen materials.

ii. Perimeter delineation: Any surface parking area located between a building and a street (where permitted under (c)1 above) should be delineated and separated from adjacent street/sidewalk frontages by means of a low screening hedge and/or low wall or fence of stone or metal. The hedge/wall/fence may be located at the front or back of the landscaped setback area.

iii. Interior landscaping: Where more than 25 parking spaces are provided in any surface parking area, at least 10 percent of the interior area of the lot should be landscaped with trees and low plantings.

iv. Connections to street sidewalks: Where surface parking is provided, at least one sidewalk should be provided running alongside the primary entry drive, connecting the sidewalk at the street to the primary building entrance(s). Such connecting sidewalks should have a minimum clear walking area of five feet wide.

v. Walkways between parking bays: Where more than 50 spaces are provided in any surface parking area, or where any parking spaces are located more than 125 feet from the primary building entrance, pedestrian walkway(s) should be provided through the parking lot, running parallel to bays of parking. The walkways should have a minimum clear walking area of five feet wide and should be sited to provide convenient, direct, and safe pedestrian access to the building.

(d) Structured parking: Structured parking should be kept away from view of streets, or softened in appearance, according to the following:

1. Garages for single-family and duplex residential units should meet one of the following configurations:

(1) Located within the front facade, but recessed at least five feet from primary facade plane;

(2) Located within a side facade of the house, and accessed by a driveway from the front or side (for corner lots) of the house; or

(3) As attached or detached garages at the rear of the house or lot, accessed by a driveway leading from the front, side, or rear of the lot.

2. Townhouse and stacked flat garages: Garages for townhouses and stacked flats should be located at the rear of the parcel, either attached or detached from the residences, and accessed from a rear alley.

3. The following concern screening by principal permitted uses:

i. On the ground level of parking structures, parking spaces and related functions should be screened from view of streets (except alleys) and recommended open space by active residential, retail, or other principal permitted uses in the following locations:

(1) Along all building frontages defined with a recommended build-to line; and

(2) Along all building frontages facing a recommended open space.

ii. Such uses should be at least 30 feet deep so as to provide usable space for activity that hides parking spaces. However, entries to parking garages may be visible at the ground level and need not be hidden behind principal permitted uses.

iii. Upper-level floors (that is, above the ground floor) of parking garages in the locations specified in (d)3i above are not required to be screened by principal permitted uses; however, if screening by principal permitted uses is not used, upper-level floors should instead be screened and softened by means of architectural detailing.

4. The following concern architectural detailing:

i. Screening structured parking spaces behind principal permitted uses described in (d)3 above is not recommended in the following locations:

(1) Along all building frontages facing recommended streets where no build-to line is delineated (Figures 9a and 9b, Build-to Lines, in 19:31C-3.1 7); and

(2) Along all building frontages facing open spaces that are not recommended or suggested open spaces (that is, along additional open spaces created beyond what is specifically addressed herein).

ii. Instead of screening, parking structures in the locations in (d)4i(1) and (2) above should employ architectural detailing, as set forth in (d)4iii below, at all levels to screen and soften the appearance of the structure. Alternatively, screening with principal permitted uses described in (d)3 above on lower floors may be combined with architectural detailing on upper floors; one or both approaches should be employed at all levels of parking garages in these locations.

iii. Architectural detailing of parking garages should meet the following at all levels in order to minimize views of parked vehicles from the street:

(1) The facade massing of parking structure levels should be architecturally integrated with the adjacent or upper-story residential, commercial, or mixed-use buildings, both horizontally and vertically. Parking facades should be broken into bays, following the bay pattern of related buildings. The lower level(s) of parking should be designed to "read" as a base to the building, using, for example, a belt course or horizontal masonry banding to create a more detailed pedestrian-scale base.

(2) The size, spacing, and enframement of garage window openings should be similar to that of adjacent or upper-story retail, office, and/or residential windows. Furthermore, the pattern of garage window openings should generally align vertically with the pattern and/or spacing of any retail, office, and/or residential bays and windows located on upper stories. Ribbon-style openings, open bays, and long horizontal string courses should not be used.

(3) The pattern of windows and detailing in parking facades should disguise any internal ramps or sloping levels of the parking garage so that they appear level.

(4) Parking garages should conceal views of automobiles from streets, adjacent buildings, and open spaces. A brick, masonry, precast, or similar parapet wall at least 42 inches in height should be provided at each level. Garage window openings should be designed to further shield vehicle headlamp glare to the outside of the structure, either through opaque or translucent glazing, or through grates and grilles.

(5) Glazing is recommended for all levels of exposed parking structure facades. However, on the first level, window glazing should be translucent (allowing for shadows and silhouettes behind the glass); transparent, clear-tinted, or reflective glazing is discouraged on the first level.

(6) Use of decorative grates and fenestration detailing should be considered to complement the architecture of the facade.

(7) The same or complementary types and quality of materials used elsewhere in the facades of related buildings should be employed for parking facades.

(8) Large areas of blank, solid walls should not be considered along street-facing parking areas.

(9) Landscaping, such as hedges and flowering plants, around the base of the structure should be considered to further conceal and soften views of parking level facades in these locations. Landscaping should include evergreen and deciduous materials so as provide an effective screen year-round.

5. The following concern planted buffer screening:

i. Where structured parking is not subject to (d)3 or 4 above, it may instead be softened through planted buffer landscaping, as described below in this paragraph. One or more of these approaches (screening by principal permitted uses, architectural detailing, or planted buffers) should be employed in the following locations:

(1) Along streets that are not part of the recommended street system and that do not face any type of open space; and

(2) Along interior side and rear lot lines.

ii. In-ground landscaping areas or landscape planters should be a minimum of four feet in depth, measured perpendicular to the building facade, and should extend for the length of the parking garage along the street frontage. They should be planted with a variety of herbaceous and woody plants, both deciduous and evergreen, having a minimum average planting height of four feet, and should continue to serve as an attractive screen in the winter.

iii. Trellises should be considered along the facade of exposed parking structures in these areas, to be planted with a living wall of ivy or other vertical-climbing greens.

iv. Planter edges that serve as seating areas should be considered. Alternately, low fences or walls should be considered in combination with landscaping to further screen the view of parking levels.

6. Screening the roofs of parking garages: Landscaping the roofs over structured parking garages should be considered. Acceptable means of rooftop landscaping include decorative paving, planters, lawn areas, seating areas, and green roofs.

(e) The following concern bicycle parking:

1. Bicycle racks should be provided for existing, adaptively reused, and new medium-density residential, mixed-use, and non-residential buildings in the following locations:

i. Where a building adjoins the multi-use trail, outdoor bicycle racks should be provided adjacent to a building entry;

ii. Where a building abuts a recommended build-to line fronting a recommended open space, outdoor bicycle racks should be provided at the perimeter of the open space;

iii. For mixed-use buildings, outdoor bicycle racks should be provided within the tree/landscaping strip between the sidewalk and the curb, within 50 feet of a retail building entrance;

iv. For all non-residential buildings, a secure indoor bicycle storage room should be provided; and

v. For all medium-density residential buildings, indoor bicycle racks should be provided within the garage area or within a separate, secure storage room.

2. Both indoor and outdoor bicycle storage areas should be located in safe, well-lit, visible, and active areas. Bicycle parking racks should be secured to the ground or floor and shall be designed to accommodate locking the frame of the bike.

3. The quantity of bicycle parking spaces provided in each required area listed above in this subsection should be based on the expected number of occupants, visitors, and/or workers at the building or public space.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 19:31C-3.15