Davis County, UT Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Davis County Code § 15.44.850
- Minimum berth size
- 12 feet by 35 feet
- Residential setback
- 50 feet unless screened
- Screening alternative
- 6-foot solid wall or fence
- Counts toward parking?
- No, separate from parking spaces
Summary
Davis County's zoning ordinance requires every commercial and industrial use to provide off-street loading berths sized at least 12 by 35 feet on the same lot, kept out of the front yard and away from residential zones unless screened.
Off-street loading berths shall be provided on the same lot as the use it serves and shall not occupy the front yard. No loading berths shall be located closer than fifty (50) feet to a residentially-zoned property, except when the berth area is enclosed, or screened by a six-foot high wall or solid fence, and will meet the setbacks of the adjacent residentially zoned property. Each loading berth shall be designed with access to a public street or alley and so designed as not to interfere with normal traffic movement. Each berth shall be at least twelve (12) feet by thirty-five (35) feet in size. Loading berths shall not be considered as off-street parking spaces. All or part of the required loading berths may be within buildings. Required off-street loading facilities, either existing or hereafter provided, shall not be decreased and shall be maintained in order to provide continuous use.
Full Breakdown
850 of the Davis County Code sets the design standard for off-street loading in the unincorporated county. Berths must sit on the same lot as the use they serve and cannot occupy the required front yard. A berth may not be located closer than 50 feet to a residentially-zoned property unless it is enclosed or screened by a six-foot solid wall or fence and meets the setback that applies to the adjacent residential zone. Each berth must have direct access to a public street or alley, laid out so it does not interfere with normal traffic movement, and must measure at least 12 feet by 35 feet.
830, so a commercial building cannot satisfy both requirements with the same pavement. Loading space may be provided inside a building rather than in an open berth. 850 bars the County from letting an owner reduce or eliminate them; the facilities must be maintained for continuous use for the life of the building. 830, which ties loading-space counts to floor area for uses like hospitals, medical offices and retail. 820, who also resolves how an unlisted use is classified for parking and loading purposes.
Violations & Fines
A property owner who builds, converts or leases a commercial building without the loading berths this section requires, or who later paves over, downsizes or repurposes an existing required berth, is out of compliance with Section 15.44.850 and can be required to restore the loading space before occupancy or a certificate of compliance is granted. Because the standard is tied to the building permit and occupancy process administered under Chapter 15.44, an owner who ignores it risks a stop-work order or withheld occupancy approval until the berth meets the 12-by-35-foot minimum and the residential-separation and screening requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big must a loading berth be in unincorporated Davis County?
Can a loading berth sit next to a house?
Do loading berths count as parking spaces?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis County
Compare Davis County to another location·View the Utah parking rules overview
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