Cary, NC Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

Section 7.8.6 of the Town of Cary's Land Development Ordinance applies to commercial and multifamily developments in Cary, North Carolina. Subsection (A) sets the count: at least the number of berths specified in Table 7.8-5 shall be provided on the property. That last phrase matters, because the berths have to be on the development's own site and not on the street.

Table 7.8-5 scales the requirement by gross floor area. A building under 40,000 square feet needs one berth. The count climbs from there up to six berths for a building of 320,000-400,000 square feet. Above that top bracket, the LDO adds one berth per additional 90,000 square feet.

Subsection (B) sets minimum dimensions for each required berth: at least 12 feet wide by 25 feet long, with at least 14 feet of overhead clearance. The clearance is measured overhead, so whatever sits above the berth has to leave that height open. The same subsection requires adequate, unobstructed means for the ingress and egress of vehicles. A berth that meets the size minimums but cannot be entered and exited freely does not satisfy Cary's standard.

Placement and appearance are regulated too. Cary's LDO requires loading berths to be located toward the rear of the lot and/or screened from streets and adjacent properties, following the town's landscaping standards.

The requirement has some flexibility. The Planning Director may waive or modify the berth requirement based on a use's actual delivery needs.