Alpharetta, GA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum loading space size
- 12 x 40 ft
- Base requirement
- 1 space per 25,000 sq ft
- 100,000-159,999 sq ft
- 3 spaces required
- Overnight parking ban
- 10 p.m.-8 a.m. near street
- Fine range
- $250-$1,000 per offense
Summary
Businesses in the City of Alpharetta must provide off-street loading spaces measuring at least 12 by 40 feet under Unified Development Code Section 2.5.3, scaled to floor area with 2 spaces required above 25,000 square feet. Loading vehicles handling retail merchandise cannot park overnight between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. closer to the street than the building.
A.Every lot on which a business, trade or industry is thereafter established shall provide space as indicated below for the loading and unloading of vehicles off the street. Such space shall have access to an alley or, if there is no alley, to a street. For the purpose of this Section, an off-street loading space shall have the minimum dimensions of 12 by 40 feet and be clear and be free of obstructions at all times. ... B.Vehicles uses for the loading and unloading of retail merchandise may not be parked overnight (between 10:00 p.m. of one day and 8:00 a.m. of the next day) in a location closer to the frontage street than the principal building.
Full Breakdown
Section 2.5.3 of the Unified Development Code requires every lot where a business, trade or industry is established in the City of Alpharetta to provide off-street loading and unloading space, with access from an alley or, failing that, from a street. Each required space must measure at least 12 feet by 40 feet and stay clear of obstructions at all times. Retail, office, wholesale, industrial, governmental and institutional uses, including public assembly places, hospitals and schools, need 1 loading space for the first 25,000 square feet of floor area.
Past that threshold, the Ordinance runs a sliding scale: 2 spaces from 25,000 to 99,999 square feet, 3 spaces from 100,000 to 159,999 square feet, 4 spaces from 160,000 to 239,999 square feet, 5 spaces from 240,000 to 349,999 square feet, and 1 additional space for every further 100,000 square feet or fraction of it. Section 2.5.3.B adds an overnight restriction: any vehicle loading or unloading retail merchandise cannot be parked between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. in a spot closer to the frontage street than the building it serves, which keeps trucks from sitting overnight in front of a store facing the road.
Community Development reviews the loading space count and dimensions as part of site plan approval for any new commercial, industrial or institutional development in the City of Alpharetta.
Violations & Fines
A site that skips the required loading spaces, undersizes them below 12 by 40 feet, or parks a merchandise truck overnight closer to the street than the building violates Section 2.5.3 and is enforced under Section 5.9.1: written notice, then a cease-and-desist order or permit denial if uncorrected. Conviction under Section 5.9.2 brings a fine of $250 to $1,000 per offense, each day counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big does a loading dock space have to be in Alpharetta?
How many loading spaces does my store need?
Can a delivery truck park overnight in front of my building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alpharetta
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Loading Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle loading zones.