2-sided one-pager with photos and easy to read text, to help small developers and landowners reduce the impact of parking lots on rural landscapes and villages.

1. Rural Parking 1
DISCLAIMER: This material is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied on the part of the authors and/or disseminators, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of
merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This publication could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors and any reliance on the information contained herein is at the
complete risk of the user. It is recommended that the user consult original sources. Changes may be added from time to time to the information herein; these changes may be incorporated in new editions as
information becomes available and inaccuracies are detected. Links to websites are provided solely for your information and convenience. The authors and/or disseminators are not responsible for the content and
the privacy practices of these websites and encourage you to examine each site's privacy policy and disclaimers before providing any personal information.
Rural Design Ideas: Parking
Retailers want plenty of vacant parking visible from major roads. Commercial formulas emphasize front-
yard parking. Yet too much front-yard parking can make it difficult for potential customers to see your
storefront from the road. And tourists look for places that are different from standard suburban retail
strips, preferring shopping areas with a traditional ambiance, where they can linger and explore what the
community has to offer. Last but not least, a sea of asphalt creates surges in storm water laced with salt
and petrochemicals, increasing flood risk and polluting the rivers, streams and lakes that make rural living
so attractive. Rural communities are discovering innovative solutions for parking. Here are some ideas –
but don’t forget to check your building code and land use by-law for any legal requirements!
Go sideways
Putting your parking
lot at the side,
rather than the front
of your business,
lets you bring the
business close to
the roadway while the parking also remains
visible to passersby. The example above is in
St. Andrews, New Brunswick. This parking
arrangement can also let you put a corner
doorway which is
convenient for both
pedestrians and
motorists, as shown
in the photo of
Lunenburg below.
Turn the Corner
If you have a
corner lot, you can
put your building
right at the corner
to give it
prominence, with
parking an L-shaped parking lot behind, with
convenient access off both streets. Corner
buildings also give you an opportunity to have a
rear and side drive-through lane, with a patio in
front, as in this example in downtown Truro.
Soften up
Where your
parking borders
the roadway, put
some
landscaping
between the
road and the
parking lot. If you’re in a village centre, try
putting a low stone or brick wall along the
sidewalk, along with some planters, or put up a
decorative wood or metal fence. Remember to
put the wall or fence beyond the reach of the
snowplow, and don’t forget to water the planters!
Consider adding a bench to encourage people
to linger on the main street. And a row of trees
can offer shade both to pedestrians and to
motorists who park their cars underneath. The
photo above is Wolfville.
Go vegetarian
Pockets of
landscaping look
good and help
absorb storm
water. Look for ground covers that are salt and
crush resistant, especially for snow storage
areas. An engineer or landscape architect can
help. These links may also be useful:
www.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/pdf/roadsalt-6.pdf
www.toronto.ca/planning/urbdesign/pdf/greening_parking_lots_dg_update_16nov
07.pdf

2. Rural Parking 2
DISCLAIMER: This material is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied on the part of the authors and/or disseminators, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of
merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This publication could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors and any reliance on the information contained herein is at the
complete risk of the user. It is recommended that the user consult original sources. Changes may be added from time to time to the information herein; these changes may be incorporated in new editions as
information becomes available and inaccuracies are detected. Links to websites are provided solely for your information and convenience. The authors and/or disseminators are not responsible for the content and
the privacy practices of these websites and encourage you to examine each site's privacy policy and disclaimers before providing any personal information.
Frame it
If you must have front yard parking, try
designing your buildings in an “L” or “C” shape
to frame it. This example is in Amherst, NS. Put
walkways, awnings and shop windows around
the edges to resemble a traditional square.
Include at least one façade along the sidewalk,
with display windows and awnings. Make sure
the walkway round the edges of your parking
connects directly with the sidewalk, and put an
interesting feature where the two join. This
encourages pedestrians to follow your
storefronts and spend some money rather than
cutting across the front of the parking lot.
Share the space
This idea can also be applied to drive-through
coffee shops or restaurants (below
left).Continuous retail frontage with awnings lets
people visit several businesses without having to
park multiple times. To make the most of this
advantage, explore opportunities for sharing
parking spaces with other nearby businesses, as
in this example at Porters Lake. The result can
reduce parking lot congestion and free up more
leasable space. Could you share parking with
another landowner whose peak hours are
opposite to yours? For example, offices are
usually busiest during the daytime, but many
retailers have their peak during the evening.
Be up front
If you’re planning a gas bar or recharging
station, include a store with one wall, a display
window and an awning next to the roadway, as
in this U.S. example. This lets you put a small
patio in front to encourage people to stop and
buy a coffee, while keeping the gas bar area
free for motorists buying fuel. Both motorists and
pedestrians can enter the store by sharing a
main door on a walkway between the sidewalk
and the gas pumps (below right). Put windows
on three sides of the building to give visibility
from the street as well as from the fuel apron.
This idea can also be applied to drive-through
coffee shops or restaurants (above left). Corner
lots can use a comparable approach. The photo
below shows an oblique view of the Truro fast-
food outlet shown on the other side of this sheet.
Putting the drive-
through lane
behind, and the
pick-up window at
the side, leaves
room for a street
patio. For a village grocery store, put a cart
corral near the sidewalk or next to a bus stop.
This makes it easier for people to shop on foot
or using transit, and they won’t be as likely to
leave your shopping carts all over the
neighbourhood.