Bernalillo County, NM Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 21(E), Off-Street Loading
- Space count
- Set by Zoning Administrator, case-by-case
- Fixed rule
- Cannot block a public way
- Surface standard
- Concrete or bituminous, § 21.D
- Max penalty
- $300 fine, 90 days jail
Summary
Bernalillo County's zoning ordinance does not set fixed loading-dock hours or dimensions; instead § 21(E) leaves the number and placement of required off-street loading spaces to the Zoning Administrator's case-by-case determination, with one fixed rule: loading and unloading activity can never block or restrict a public street or right-of-way.
D.Location and Improvement of Parking Areas:1.All parking spaces required herein shall be located on the same site with the building or use served.2.All open parking areas in R-2, O-1, C-N, C-1, C-2, C-LI, M-1, and M-2 zones shall be surfaced with a durable surface consisting of concrete or bituminous material.3.Parking spaces shall be appropriately marked to indicate the location of the space.E.Off-Street Loading and Unloading Spaces. Off-street loading and unloading spaces shall be required as determined by the Zoning Administrator, and shall be so located that loading and unloading activity will not block or restrict a public way.F.Fire Lanes and Emergency Vehicle Parking. Whenever a building or use constructed or established after the effective date of this ordinance [May 17, 1973] shall then and thereafter provide Fire Lanes and/or Emergency Vehicles parking as required by the Bernalillo County Fire Department or their designee.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
A, which assigns fixed space counts to specific uses (for example, one parking space per 300 square feet of floor area over 1,000 square feet for a furniture or hardware store), loading requirements are set case by case: the Zoning Administrator reviews each building or use at the time it is erected or structurally altered and decides how many loading spaces the use needs and where they must sit on the site. The only fixed rule in the text is the public-way protection clause: no loading or unloading, whether by truck, delivery van, or other vehicle, may block or restrict a public street, alley, or right-of-way.
D requires that all open parking areas serving R-2, O-1, C-N, C-1, C-2, C-LI, M-1, and M-2 zoned property be surfaced with concrete or bituminous material and appropriately marked, a standard the county applies to loading areas laid out on those same lots. F separately requires any building or use built after May 17, 1973 to provide fire lanes or emergency-vehicle parking as required by the Bernalillo County Fire Department, which commonly overlaps with truck loading areas on commercial and industrial sites.
Violations & Fines
Blocking a public street, alley, or right-of-way with loading or unloading activity, or failing to provide the loading spaces the Zoning Administrator determined necessary under § 21(E), is a misdemeanor under § 26: a fine of up to $300, up to 90 days in the county jail, or both, with each day of the violation a separate offense, plus the county's option to seek a civil injunction to abate a continuing violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many loading spaces does a business need on its property in unincorporated Bernalillo County?
Are there set hours when trucks can load or unload in Bernalillo County?
What surface is required for a loading or parking area in commercial zones?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.