§ 5.1 ZONING CODE § 5.2
ARTICLE V
Parking Requirements
Sec. 5.1. General provisions.
Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the standards set forth in Section 5.21,
Table of Off-Street Parking Requirements.
5.11. Lots in two municipalities. Where a city boundary line divides a lot, all
calculations which are based, in whole or in part, on gross floor area in
determining the number of parking spaces which are required under the
provisions of Article V of this chapter shall use only the floor area that is
located within the boundaries of the City of Waltham. [Added 6-10-1991 by
Ord. No. 27156]
Sec. 5.2. Off-street parking requirements.
5.21. Table of Off-Street Parking Requirements. (e) [Amended 4-28-2008 by
Ord. No. 30876]
Use Required Parking Spaces
One-family dwelling 2 per dwelling unit
Two-family dwelling 2 per dwelling unit
Multifamily (3 or more 2 per dwelling unit
per structure)
Rooming houses, lodging houses 1 per rented bed
Assisted living facilities 3 for every 4 dwelling
[Added 3-3-1999 by Ord. No. units
28735]
Theaters, stadiums, auditoriums, 1 for each 3 fixed seats
halls, membership clubs, and 1 for each 36 square
function rooms and places of feet of unseated public
assembly floor area, not including
corridors or other service
areas
Restaurants, taverns and 1 for each 3 fixed seats
other types of eating and 1 for each 36 square
establishments (a) feet of unseated public
floor area, not including
corridors or other service
areas
Recreational Activities:
Tennis courts (in/outdoor) 6 per court
Z-71 Supp. No.ll
§ 5.2 CITY OF WALTHAM § 5.2
Use Required Parking Spaces
Handball and/or racquetball 3 per court
Swimming pools (in/outdoor) 3 for each 5 feet or portion
thereof in width or 3 per
150 square feet, whichever
produces the greater
number of spaces
Other recreational activities 1 for every 2 participants
and 1 for every 3 spectators
Conservation/nature activities 1 for every 3 participants
Hotels, motels, hotels-motels I per bedroom
Restaurant facilities, cocktail 1 per each 3 fixed seats
lounges and function rooms and 1 for each 36 square
associated with hotels/motels (c) feet of unseated public
floor space
Stores/shops (retail business) 6 per 1,000 square feet of
[Amended 10-26-1992 by gross floor area
Ord. No. 27451]
Offices 1 per 300 square feet of gross
floor area
Banks 1 per 200 feet of
banking floor space open
to the general public
Mixed occupancy See Footnote (c)
Industrial, manufacturing 1 per 2 workers, based
establishments and laboratory on peak employment
spaces, as defined herein (b)
Hospitals 1 per 350 square feet of gross
floor area
Medical offices, outpatient only I per 150 square feet of gross
floor area
5.22. Footnotes.
(a) In reviewing permit applications under this provision both for fixed
seating and unseated areas, the Inspector of Buildings shall calculate
the maximum potential use and shall base the parking requirements
on such maximum . For the purposes of this section, "fixed seating"
shall mean those seats which can only be installed or removed with
the aid of tools. Any portions of a building not clearly designated on
the floor plan as a fixed seating area shall be treated as an unseated
Z-72 Supp. No. 11
§ 5.2 ZONING CODE § 5.2
area by the Inspector of Buildings In determining the number of
parking spaces required.
(b) The Inspector of Buildings shall estimate peak employment that will
occur after occupancy, and he shall issue a building permit based on
this judgment. However, in no instance shall off-street parking
requirements be required at a rate of less than one space per 1,000
square feet of gross floor area.
(c) Notwithstanding any other parking requirements set forth in this
chapter for individual land uses, when any land or building is used
for two or more distinguishable purposes (i.e., joint or mixed use
development), the minimum total number of parking spaces required
to serve the combination of all uses shall be determined in the
following manner:
Multiply the minimum parking requirement for each individual use
(as set forth in the applicable section of this chapter for each use) by
the appropriate percentage (as set forth below in the Parking Credit
Schedule Chart) for each of the five designated time periods and then
add the resulting sums from each vertical column. The column total
having the highest total value is the minimum shared parking space
requirement for that combination of land uses.
Parking Credit Schedule Chart
Weekday Weekend
Night Day Evening Day Evening
Midnight 7:00 5:00 6:00 6:00
to 7:00 a.m. to p.m. to a.m. to p.m. to
a.m. 5:00p.m. Midnight 6:00 p.m. Midnight
Uses (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent)
Residential 100 60 90 80 90
Office/ 5 100 10 10 5
industrial
Commercial 5 80 90 100 70
retail
[Amended
10-26-1992 by
Ord. No. 27451]
Hotel 70 70 100 70 100
Restaurant 10 50 100 50 100
Restaurant 10 50 60 50 60
associated
with hotel
Z-72.1 Supp. No. 11
§ 5.2 CITY OF WALTHAM § 5.2
Weekday Weekend
Night Day Evening Day Evening
Midnight 7:00 5:00 6:00 6:00
to 7:00 a.m. to p.m. to a.m. to p.m. to
a.m. 5:00 p.m. Midnight 6:00 p.m. Midnight
Uses (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent)
Entertainment! 10 40 100 80 100
recreation
(theaters,
bowling alleys,
cocktail lounge
and similar)
Day-care 5 100 10 20 5
facilities
All other 100 100 100 100 100
(d) Parking shall be permitted, for use and convenience of the residents,
guests, and staff only of an elderly assisted living unit residence, in
the front yard, provided that it is set back at least 10 feet from the lot
line. [Added 3-3-1999 by Ord. No. 28735]
(e) For the parking requirements for the Business C District, see Section
5.23. [Added 4-28-2008 by Ord. No. 30876]
5.23. Parking requirements for the Business C District. [Added 12-9-1991 by
Ord. No. 27265]
5.23l. Parking requirements for all uses permitted as of right or by
special permit, except residential, shall not be required for the
first 20,000 square feet of gross floor area for structures on
individual lots within the Business C District. New
development in excess of 20,000 square feet or additions to
structures already over the 20,000 square feet or additions that
will cause the structure to exceed 20,000 gross square feet
shall be subject to a parking standard of one space per 500
gross square feet for all building area in excess of 20,000
square feet.
5.232. Parking standards for residential dwelling units, newly
constructed or designed from existing commercial space, shall
have 1 If4 parking spaces per dwelling unit.
5.233. Where private off-street parking exists in conjunction with a
structure on an individual lot or on a separate lot, the existing
structure can be removed and a new structure constructed
having up to 20,000 square feet of gross floor area without
being subject to parking standards. However, at least the
previous number of private off-street parking spaces must be
redesigned into the new site plan. Similarly, existing structures
of under 20,000 square feet of gross floor area may be enlarged
up to 20,000 square feet of gross floor area, and provided that
Z-72.2 Supp. No.lI
§ 5.2 ZONING CODE § 5.2
the resulting structure does not exceed 20,000 square feet of
gross floor area. If the enlarged structure exceeds 20,000
square feet of gross floor area, the portion over 20,000 square
feet of gross floor area shall be subject to off-street
(Cont'd on page Z-73)
Z-72.3 Supp. No. 11
Sec. 5.2 ZONING CODE Sec. 5.3
parking requirements. However, after temporary removal to facilitate
enlargement or reconstruction, the previous number of private off-street parking
spaces must be redesigned onto the existing parcel.
5.24. Parking requirements for the Hope Avenue Redevelopment Districts. [Added
5-28-2002 by Ord. No. 29513]
5.241. With respect to residential and hospital uses, notwithstanding the provisions
of Section 5.21 to the contrary, the parking requirements for those two uses
shall be as follows: 1 112 parking spaces per dwelling unit for residential
dwelling units and one parking space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor
area for hospital uses.
5.242. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 5.41 and 5.47 to the contrary, up
to 50% of all parking spaces, whether or not required, may be designed for
small cars, i.e., sixteen-by-eight-foot parking spaces, as of right.
5.243. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5.8 to the contrary, off-street
parking spaces, whether or not required, may be located on other land in
either the HRI or HR2 Zoning District so long as the distance between an
entrance of the building being served by such off-street parking and a
pedestrian entrance to the parking lot or parking structure within which such
parking spaces are located is not more than 600 feet.
5.244. The loading requirements of Section 5.91 shall apply to HRI and HR2
Zoning Districts.
Sec. 5.3. Design of parking areas for five or fewer cars.
Parking areas, whether or not required, shall be designed and built according to the following
standards:
5.31. No cars shall be parked on untreated earth, it being required that areas shall be
surfaced with tar, hot-top, concrete, belgian block or other substantial paving
material.
5.32. No such paved parking area shall be placed within five feet of the front of any
building, excluding garages, said area being reserved for landscaping treatments
and access. In Residence Band C Districts, no such parking area shall be placed
within five feet of any street line, said area being reserved for landscape
treatments and access. [Amended 10-25-1999 by Ord. No. 28892]
5.33. No driveway connecting such a parking area to the street shall be in excess of 20
feet in width as it crosses the five-foot reserve strip noted in Section 5.32 above,
but where two such driveways are provided on a single lot, they shall not exceed
12 feet in width in the reserve strip.
5.34. Where such parking areas are required under the terms of Section 5.21, Table of
Off-Street Parking Requirements, they shall be designed with available stalls
nine feet wide by 18 feet long and so arranged that entrance to and exit from
each car space may be made without the need to move other cars.
Z-73 Supp. No.5
Sec. 5.3 CITY OF WALTHAM Sec. 5.4
5.35. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, in Residence Band C Districts, parking of
motor vehicles is prohibited in that portion of the front yard lying between the
building and the street line where five or fewer cars are required.
Sec. 5.4. Design of parking areas for more than five cars.
Parking areas, whether or not required, shall be designed and built according to the following
standards:
5.41. Parking areas shall be developed in a manner which will allow cars to maneuver
easily and exit in a forward direction within prescribed driveways. Stalls shall be
a minimum of nine feet in width and 18 feet in length. Twenty-five percent of the
stalls may be 16 feet by 8 feet and shall be appropriately designated as restricted
for use by small cars. Where stalls head into a curb which bumpers can
overhang, the length of an eighteen-foot stall may be reduced by one foot and a
sixteen-foot stall by one foot. All parking aisle widths shall have the following
minimum dimensions: parallel parking: 10 feet; angled parking 45° or less: 13
feet; angled parking from 46° to 60°: 18 feet ; and angled parking 61 ° or more: 20
feet, all related to the direction of line of flow of traffic in the aisle. Where stall
widths are wider than eight and one-half (8 1 feet, the aisle width may be
/2)
narrowed by a percentage equal to the percentage increase in width. Entrance
and exit drives shall not exceed 25 feet in width and shall not be greater in
number than deemed reasonable by the Inspector of Buildings with such advice
and assistance as he may obtain from the Traffic Engineer. The Board of Survey
and Planning (Board) may grant a special permit for a driveway opening greater
than 25 feet if the Board finds that said driveway will benefit public safety and
traffic flow . The slopes of aisles and parking areas shall not exceed 5% for
surface parking areas, and 8% for above or below grade parking structures. No
new driveway shall be opened within 100 feet of an intersection, except where
the entire lot is within 100 feet of the intersection and there is no alternate access
available, in which case the driveway maybe opened, provided that a special
permit therefor has been granted by the Board of Survey and Planning, and such
permit may only be granted provided that the driveway is as far from the
intersection as deemed feasible after consultation with the Traffic Engineer; and
in no instance shall the driveway be located on the radius of the intersection.
5.411. Lots near schools. [Added 4-27-1992 by Ord. No. 27350]
(1) Where any lot or portion of a lot, except residential lots containing up to
four dwelling units, is within 200 feet of public or private school property
serving any grades kindergarten through grade twelve, a new driveway may
only be allowed where a special permit has been granted by the Board of
Survey and Planning, and such permit may only be granted provided that
the new driveway shall be located in accordance with the standards
described in Subsections (2) through (5), inclusive, of this section. In no
instance shall any new driveway be located closer than five feet from the
side boundary line bordering the lot on which the school building is located.
Z-74 Supp. No.5
Sec. 5.4 ZONING CODE Sec. 5.4
(2) The applicant shall make every effort to design the safest and most efficient
access which meets the standards described in the Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), as amended, by the Massachusetts
Department of Public Works, Standards for Roadway Design, and any City
of Waltham standards, regulations or ordinances. Every application for a
special permit for a driveway shall be reviewed by the City of Waltham
Traffic Engineer, who shall provide the Board of Survey and Planning with
a written report on the application prior to the hearing on the application,
indicating whether or not the proposal complies with the above-mentioned
standards, regulations or ordinances. In preparing the necessary information
for said review by the City of
(Cont'd on page Z-75)
Z-74.1 Supp. No. 5
§5.4 ZONING CODE §5.4
Waltham Traffic Engineer, the applicant shall comply with the
guidelines as established by said Traffic Engineer as those
guidelines relate to the scope and specific type of information
and to any other reasonable criteria which the Traffic Engineer
deems to be necessary, to be submitted and made a part of the
application for special permit for such new driveway opening.
Any firm providing such information under the provisions of
this section and subsection shall also be required to meet
certain objective standards of experience established by said
Traffic Engineer.
(3) Every driveway shall be located so as to provide adequate
sight and stopping distance for vehicular traffic. Consideration
shall be given to the proximity of the school and the age of
children attending the school.
(4) All permit applications shall be reviewed in the context of the
entire section of roadway corridor that is affected by the traffic
generated by the proposed development. The purpose of this
review is to facilitate safe and efficient traffic flow within the
corridor as a whole and to avoid or minimize any conflict with
the school property. Where possible, when two or more
developments proposed have overlapping review periods and
are being located in proximity to each other, the access points
and mitigation for each of the developments will be
coordinated.
(5) The Board of Survey and Planing may place conditions on any
special permit as necessary to facilitate safe and efficient traffic
flow, to mitigate traffic impacts and to avoid impacts on the
school property and the children attending it both during
construction and throughout the term of the special permit.
Such conditions may include but sha11 not be limited to the
following:
(a) Limitations on turning movements.
(b) A restriction on the number of access points per
development.
(c) Trip reduction techniques, including phased or limited
trip generation requirements.
(d) Flexible work hours.
(e) Participation in transportation management
organization.
(f) All necessary and reasonable efforts to maintain the
existing traffic level of service both during construction
and throughout the term of the special permit.
Z-75 Supp. No. 11
§5.4 CITY OF WALTHAM §5.4
5.42. No paved area, excluding entrances and exits, shall extend within five feet of
any lot or street line, nor into any front yard; and an area equal to 40 square
feet per car space shall be provided on which snow cleared from parking
areas may be placed, but said area may be provided in whole or in part by
the five feet referred to above or other yard space.
5.43. Trees with a minimum size of 3 1 inches in diameter (measured six inches
/2
from ground level) shall be provided at the rate of one for every 10 cars.
5.44. The area shall be graded, paved and drained with on-premises catch basins
or appropriate dry wells or connection to the street drainage system.
5.45. The area shall be lighted in such a manner that no direct light shall fall on
adjacent residential properties.
5.46. The area shall be fenced and/or landscaped in a manner which will minimize
headlight glare on adjacent residential properties.
5.47. Up to 25% of all parking spaces may be designed for small cars, i.e.,
sixteen-by-eight-foot parking spaces. Further, the Board of Appeals may
grant a special permit allowing up to 50% of the spaces to be 16 feet by eight
feet where it can be shown that up to 50% of the cars will be, in all
probability, 85 square feet or less in area, subject, however, to the restriction
that such a special permit can only be granted for lots in excess of 25 cars
and that said spaces shall be appropriately designated as restricted for use by
small cars. [Amended 6-25-1974 by Ord. No. 23683]
5.48. Parking stall design standard in parking structures. All off-street parking
spaces for all uses located in parking structures below, above or at grade
shall conform to the criteria set forth in Section 5.41 except that stall width
may be reduced to 171f2 feet by 81f2 feet. [Amended 6-10-1991 by Ord. No.
27156]
5.49 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Zoning Ordinance to the
contrary, where parking is being provided for development occurring as part
of an intensity of use special permit, and where the number of residential
parking spaces being provided exceeds the number of parking spaces
required under Article V, the excess spaces may be combined in tandem
with any required spaces, provided that a) each of the tandem spaces shall
otherwise comply with all of the design criteria in Section 5.4; and b)
tandem spaces shall not be more than two spaces deep; and c) such spaces
may only be used in tandem if both of such spaces are for the exclusive use
of the occupants of the same residential unit or their temporary guests or
visitors and the parking spaces are so designated and assigned; and d) the
Special Permit Granting Authority finds a need for such spaces and approves
the location and safety of such spaces, and further provided all such tandem
spaces shall only be allowed in structured parking facilities as defined by
Subsection 2.3432, and shall not be allowed in surface parking areas.
[Added 4-28-2008 by Ord. No. 30876]
Z-76 Supp. No. 11
§ 5.5 ZONING CODE § 5.9
Sec. 5.5. Design of parking areas for commercial and industrial uses.
Parking areas, whether or not required, shall be designed and built according to the standards
contained in Sections 5.4 to 5.48.
Sec. 5.6. Special permit for off-street parking areas in Residence Band C Districts.
The construction and operation of nonaccessory off-street parking areas for private passenger
cars in Residence Band C Districts, to be designed and constructed in accordance with the
standards set forth in Sections 5.3 through 5.48, inclusive, and any other requirement it may
deem necessary for benefit to the neighborhood, is permitted when a special permit for a period
not in excess of five years therefor has been granted by the City Council. Any use of said
facility beyond a five-year period shall require a new special permit from the City Council.
[Amended 6-25-1974 by Ord. No. 23683]
Sec. 5.7. Special permit for off-street parking in residential land abutting nonresidential
land.
Off-street parking which is accessory to a use allowed in a Business A, Business B, Limited
Commercial, Commercial or Industrial District is permitted in a residential district when a
special permit therefor has been granted by the City Council after a finding that the parking
space is necessary and that such action will not be injurious to the neighborhood and will serve
the public good; provided, however, that no such special permit shall be granted unless the
subject parking area abuts other lots used in conjunction with the use to be served and unless all
of any such lots are within 300 feet of the building in which the principal use to be served is
located. All other elements of this chapter, including Section 5.7, shall be strictly adhered to.
[Amended 6-25-1979 by Ord. No. 24550]
Sec. 5.8. Remote parking.
When such off-street parking space cannot be reasonably provided for on the same lot or in
accordance with the provisions of Section 4.225, the Board of Appeals may grant a special
permit therefor on any land in the same zoning district which is within a radius of 600 feet.
Sec. 5.9. Changes in use.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.7 in its entirety, the parking requirements provided
for in Article V in its entirety as they pertain to mixed occupancy and stores/shops (retail) shall
not apply to change of an existing business use in an existing building to another business use
permitted in the zoning district in which it is located.
5.91 . Loading and unloading of motor vehicles. In any Residential or Business
District used for assisted living facilities , as provided in Section 3.218A, and
in a Business, Commercial or Industrial District, any building erected for
commercial purposes shall be designed in such a way as to provide for an
area comprising not less than 70 feet by 12 feet immediately adjacent to the
building, or as more specifically located when development occurs as part of
Z-77 Supp. No. 11
§ 5.9 CITY OF WALTHAM § 5.9
an intensity of use special permit, for off-street loading and unloading of
motor vehicles delivering or receiving goods at such premises in accordance
with the following schedule: [Amended 3-3-1999 by Ord. No. 28735;
4-28-2008 by Ord. No. 30876]
Loading Area Loading Area
Use at 25 x 70 Feet at 12 x 70 Feet
Retail/Shopping Centers
15,000 to 50,000
50,000 to 150,000 1
150,000 to 300, 000 1 2
More than 300,000 2 4
Office
2,000 to 50,000
50,000 to 150,000
150,000 to 300,000 1
More than 300,000 2
Manufacturing
oto 50,000
50,000 to 100,000 1
100,000 to 200,000 1 2
More than 200,000 I 3
Warehouse
oto 50,000
50,000 to 100,000 1 2
100,000 to 200,000 4
More than 200,000 6
Assisted living facility
[Added 3-3-1999 by Ord.
No. 28735]
Up to 50,000
50,000 to 100,000 2
100,000 to 200,000 3
More than 200,000 4
5.92. Special permit for reduced parking requirements for retail uses in Business,
Commercial and Industrial Zones. A special permit allowing the
construction or use of a building or portion thereof for retail use in a
Business A, Business B, Commercial or Industrial Zone, where the
petitioner will provide fewer than the minimum number of parking spaces
required in that zone, may be issued by the City Council after a finding that
the proposed number of spaces to be provided is sufficient to satisfy the
demand typically generated by similar uses and that granting such special
permit will not be injurious to the neighborhood and will serve the public
interest; provided, however, that no such special permit shall be issued
Z-78 Supp. No. 11
§ 5.9 ZONING CODE § 5.9
unless a minimum of four spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area is
to be provided. In making its decision, the City Council may consider,
among other things, the availability of public transit services, the provision
of ride-sharing programs by the petitioner, shared parking arrangements, the
provision of off-site parking and contributions to the Traffic Safety and
Infrastructure Maintenance Fund in lieu of parking. The City Council may
issue a special permit providing the following determinations are met:
Sections 3.531, 3.532, 3.533, 3.534, 3.535, 3.536. and 3.538, and if the City
Council grants a special permit for a decrease in parking, said Council shall
require the applicant to make a contribution into a Traffic Safety and
Infrastructure Maintenance Fund ("fund") for each parking space reduced by
this special permit. The rate of contribution for retail buildings less than
30,000 gross square feet shall be $250 per parking space. The rate of
contribution for retail buildings greater than 30,000 gross square feet shall be
$1,500 per parking space, this "fund" being the same as established in
Section 3.539 and following the same provisions of said section. [Added
12-28-1992 by Ord. No. 27481; amended 10-25-1999 by Ord. No. 28892]
(Cont'd on page Z-81)
Z-79 Supp. No. 11