Administrative requirements.
Columbus City Codes § 3312.03
in effect3312.03 - Administrative requirements.
A. Each owner of real property shall provide and continue to provide parking in compliance with code provisions in effect at the time such particular use commenced.
B. Any person who initiates a new use, changes the intensity of, or expands an existing use on any lot shall provide off-street parking, stacking, loading and maneuvering in compliance with this chapter. For purposes of this chapter, "existing" means legally established prior to change or expansion and includes "former"; and "new" means subsequent to change or expansion and includes "proposed."
C. The minimum and maximum number of parking, stacking and loading spaces required for a particular use is specified in this chapter. Exceptions to these requirements are as follows:
1. Special Parking Areas. A lot which lies within a special parking area shall be subject to specifications for that area.
2. Initiating a New Use, Changing the Intensity of or Expanding an Existing Use. A use of higher intensity requires more parking spaces than does a use of lower intensity. For purposes of comparison, "intensity" means the minimum requirements for parking spaces generated by a particular use. Any person who initiates a new use, or changes the intensity of, or expands an existing use, shall provide the number of parking spaces required by such use as set forth in this code or as required by rule or regulation, calculated as specified in items (a) through (g).
a. Without expansion of an existing building, a new use of intensity equal to or lower than the existing use shall provide the required parking for the new use or, at the minimum, maintain the existing number of parking spaces; no additional parking spaces shall be required.
Example:
Existing medical office to new law office
Required spaces for existing medical office = 10
Required spaces for new law office = 7
Existing spaces = 5
Total parking spaces required for new use = 5
b. With expansion of an existing building, a new use of intensity equal to or lower than the existing use shall provide the same number of parking spaces as the existing number of parking spaces, plus the additional parking spaces required for the expansion.
Example:
Existing medical office to new law office
Required spaces for existing medical office = 10
Required spaces for new law office = 7
Existing spaces = 5
Spaces required for building expansion = 4
Existing parking spaces = 5
Total required for new use (4 + 5) = 9
c. Without expansion of an existing building, a new use of higher intensity than the existing use shall provide the same number of parking spaces as the existing use, plus additional parking spaces equal to the difference between that required for the higher and lower intensity uses.
Example:
Existing retail store to new restaurant
Required spaces for existing retail store = 8
Required spaces for new restaurant = 27
Existing spaces = 5
Difference between intensities (27 - 8) = 19
Total parking spaces required for new use (5 + 19) = 24
d. With expansion of an existing building where the number of existing parking spaces is less than the number required for the existing use and is also less than that required for the new use, a new use of higher intensity than the existing use shall provide the same number of parking spaces as the existing use, plus additional parking spaces equal to the difference between that required for the higher and lower intensity uses, plus that number required for the expansion.
Example:
Existing retail store to new restaurant
Required spaces for existing retail store = 8
Required spaces for new restaurant = 27
Existing spaces = 5
Spaces required for building expansion = 12
Difference between intensities (27 -8) = 19
Total parking spaces required for new use (5 + 12 + 19) = 36
e. With expansion of an existing building where the number of existing parking spaces is less than that required for the existing use but is more than that required for the new use, a new use shall provide the number of parking spaces required for the new use plus that required for the expansion.
Example:
Existing medical office to new law office
Required spaces for existing medical office = 10
Required spaces for new law office = 7
Existing spaces = 9
Spaces required for building expansion = 4
Total parking spaces required for new use (7 + 4) = 11
f. With expansion of an existing building where the number of existing parking spaces exceeds both that required for the existing use and that required for the new use, a new use shall provide the number of parking spaces required for the new use plus that required for the expansion.
Example:
Existing retail store to new restaurant
Required spaces for existing retail store = 8
Required spaces for new restaurant = 27
Existing spaces = 29
Spaces required for building expansion = 12
Total parking spaces required for new use (27 + 12) = 39
g. Without expansion of an existing building where the number of existing parking spaces exceeds the maximum number of allowable parking spaces for the new use, the maximum for the new use shall be equal to the existing number of parking spaces.
Example:
Existing retail store to new law office
Required spaces for existing retail store = 20 min. and 25 max.
Required spaces for new law office = 12 min. and 20 max.
Existing spaces = 28
Maximum for the new use = existing spaces = 28
D. Parking spaces shall be provided on the same lot as the use they are intended to serve with the following exceptions: For a commercial, institutional or manufacturing use, the parking may be provided on a lot that is:
1. Located within 750 feet of the use to be served; and
2. Owned or leased by the operator of the commercial, institutional, or manufacturing use and located in an appropriate zoning district with a limited overlay or CPD text having conditions which limit its use to parking reserved for the duration of that use to be served.
E. Revision of an approved parking lot; including, but not limited to reduction, enlargement, restriping or remarking of any parking lot in a manner that differs from the existing site plan; shall require a new site plan and a certificate of zoning clearance prior to such change.
F. Off-street parking and loading spaces required for any use not specifically listed herein shall be the same as that required for a similar type use as determined by the director.
G. A parking lot comprised of parcels within different taxing districts which cannot be combined shall be deemed one lot, subject to the minimum overall dimensions of aisles, drive-up stacking areas, driveways, parking spaces, and loading spaces being provided. The required parking shall be calculated for the overall development and not for each individual parcel and all parcels shall be covered by the same zoning clearance.
(Ord. No. 1537-2009, § 8, 5-3-2010; Ord. No. 1872-2023, § 1, 7-31-2023)
Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT33ZOCO_CH3312OREPALO_3312.03ADREFetched: 10/27/2026