On April 26, 2011, the Virginia Beach City Council approved amendments to the parking requirements. A summary of these amendments is listed below and the full set of amendments can be viewed by clicking on the link to the right.
Summary of Parking Amendments
Adjust excessive parking requirements and add category: banks (1:270), office (1:330), medical office (1:270), call center (1:150), retail (1:250), shopping centers (1:250), personal service establishments (1:250), bowling alley (3 spaces per alley), outdoor rec facility (per CUP), indoor rec facility (1:200), college/university (per CUP), vocational/technical school (1 per 2 seats or per CUP), marinas (.5 per slip).
Permit Additional Compact Spaces: allow up to 10% of the spaces within a parking garage and up to 30% of the spaces within a surface lot (with at least 25 spaces) to be compact (surface lots not serving a use in the Residential or Apartment Districts).
Require Motorcycle Parking Spaces: 1 space for every 30 car spaces and clearly marked (parking lots or structures not serving a use in the Residential or Apartment districts).
Remove Reference to Public Works Standards and Term “All Weather Surface:”
allow parking spaces to be constructed with asphalt, concrete or other material acceptable to the Planning Director.
Require Aisle Width Not To Exceed 24 feet: Expanses of pavement only permitted for required emergency access, to meet off street loading requirements, or for safe
maneuvering of trucks, etc.
Set Maximum Parking Standard: maximum 50% above the minimum, uses with off-street parking within a parking structure exempt from the maximum requirement (Business, Apartment and Office Districts only).
Permit Planning Director To Allow Parking Above Maximum: specific conditions must be met: number of additional spaces justified, no alternatives exist and all spaces beyond the maximum constructed with a permeable paving system or area equivalent to the area of parking above the maximum drain directly to a stormwater management facility that provides a reduction in runoff for the site. (See handout for process)
Allow Shared Parking: within 500 feet – Same Parcel: review by Zoning Administrator with submission of a parking study and a 10 year parking agreement – Separate Parcels: review by Zoning Administrator with submission of a parking study, a 10 year parking agreement, pedestrian access designated on site plan.
Require Bicycle Parking: 1 bicycle space for first 25 car spaces then 1 bicycle space for every additional 50 car spaces (parking lots with 25 spaces or more), spaces within 200 yards of building.
Require Covered Bicycle Parking: at least 50% of the required bicycle parking must be covered or indoors (parking lots with 300 or more car parking spaces in the Apartment, Office and Business Districts only).