When designing the ideal parking lot for your business, you might consider elements such as whether greenery will be included, what the cost of asphalt paving will be, or where handicapped spaces would work best. However, you may not have considered one of the most essential aspects, which is the number of parking spaces that you will actually need to accommodate your customers.

Determining Your Parking Ratio

In commercial properties, a parking ratio is a way to figure out the correct ratio of spaces for your building. Typically, this ratio is generated by taking the number of parking spaces and dividing it by the entire gross footage of your property. This means that if you have a property that is 10,000 square feet and you have 50 parking spots, you have a ratio of 5 parking spaces for every 1000 square feet.

To help you determine what your ratio should be, you may need to read your local city ordinances, as they may already have specific minimum requirements for parking spaces at properties. The most common ratio is 4 spots for every 1000 feet, but often more parking space is considered more desirable depending on the type of business you run. For example, if you own an apartment building, then your tenants may look for more parking spaces as they may have multiple vehicles per residence.

Remembering Important Aspects

While more parking spots may be more desirable, it also tends to be more expensive. It is important to discuss your design plans ahead of time with your contractor and consider the cost of asphalt paving for the entire parking lot.

Additionally, you will also need to remember that there is a set number of handicapped spaces that you will need to have. This number will go up, as your number of parking spots raises. According to the American Disabilities Act, for example, you will need five handicap accessible parking spots for every 101 to 150 spaces.

Figuring out your parking space number can seem daunting, but with help from asphalt paving experts, it doesn’t have to be stressful. Musson Brothers in Rhinelander, WI, can help. Call (715) 365-8700 or visit the website for more information about their services.