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Wilmington Trade Center Buildings 4 & 7 – Parking Demand Study
BACKGROUND
• New Hanover County’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) allows applicants to
demonstrate that the minimum off-street parking requirement is different from the
standards listed in the UDO.
• The UDO requires that industry, manufacturing, and warehouse uses provide a minimum
of 1.5 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet.
• The applicant is proposing to construct two industrial buildings, each containing
152,880 square feet. 153 parking spaces would be provided for Building 4 (1 per
999sf) and 145 spaces would be provided for Building 7 (1 per 1,054sf). The UDO
would require each building to provide 229 off-street parking spaces.
COMPARABLE DEVELOPMENTS
• This study examines the first phase of Wilmington Trade Center, which was reviewed
and approved using the County’s previous parking standard for industrial/warehouse
uses:
o 1.5 spaces for every two employees on shift of greatest employment, 1 space for
each managerial personnel, 1 visitor parking space for each 10 managerial
personnel, and 1 space for each vehicle used directly in conduct of the business.
• The first phase of Wilmington Trade Center consists of three buildings
o 4220 US Hwy 421
▪ 157,500sf
▪ 150 employees, 18 managers & 15 visitors
▪ 146 parking spaces (1 space per 1,079sf)
o 4110 US Hwy 421
▪ 158,130
▪ 150 employees, 18 managers & 18 visitors
▪ 149 parking spaces (1 space per 1,061sf)
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1 2 2 C I N E M A D R I V E , W I L M I N G T O N , N C 2 8 4 0 3 P H : ( 9 1 0 ) 7 9 1 - 6 7 0 7 F A X : ( 9 1 0 ) 7 9 1 - 6 7 6 0
o 3940 US Hwy 421
▪ 110,250sf
▪ 110 employees, 12 managers & 10 visitors
▪ 105 parking spaces (1 space per 1,050sf)
4220 US Hwy 421
• Using available aerial photography, the following number of vehicles were observed
parked in the parking lot of 4220 US Hwy 421:
o Google Earth (04/2023): 36 vehicles
o NHC GIS (2023): 20 vehicles
TRIP GENERATION
• Based on the ITE Trip Generation Manual, the proposed buildings are estimated to
generate the following number of trips:
o 52 trips in the AM peak; and
o 52 tips in the PM peak.
• Trip generation includes both vehicles entering and exiting the site.
• Due to the operational characteristics of industrial development, it is expected that a
portion of the trips will not utilize the parking lot, but instead utilize the truck count /
loading area at the rear of the buildings.
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1 2 2 C I N E M A D R I V E , W I L M I N G T O N , N C 2 8 4 0 3 P H : ( 9 1 0 ) 7 9 1 - 6 7 0 7 F A X : ( 9 1 0 ) 7 9 1 - 6 7 6 0
CONCLUSION
• The proposed parking spaces is comparable to the three buildings approved in the first
phase of the Wilmington Trade Center project.
o 4220 US Hay 421: 1 space per 1,079sf
o 4110 US Hwy 421: 1 space per 1,061sf
o 3940 US Hwy 421: 1 space per 1,050sf
o Proposed Building 4: 1 space per 999sf
o Proposed Building 7: 1 space per 1,054sf
• Based on available data, the parking lots at these facilities are not used at or near
capacity. In addition, there have been no reported zoning violations or compliance
issues relating to the number of parking spaces at these facilities.
• Overall, the proposed parking spaces would be adequate to accommodate the
parking demand based on available data of the comparable developments. In
addition, the reduction in parking would result in a more efficient development pattern
that reduces unneeded paved surfaces.
Sincerely,
PARAMOUNTE ENGINEERING, INC.
Jeremy R. Blair, PE
N O R T H CAROLIN
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PR O F ESSION
ENGIN E E R
SEAL
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J
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REMY R . B L A IR
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1/15/25