Franklin County, NC Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

Section 6.4.6 of the Unified Development Code requires any building erected after the ordinance's enactment to provide off-street loading space when the district regulations call for it, sized either inside or outside the building on the same or an adjoining lot. The ratios differ by use: retail business needs one loading berth for every 20,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof, and office or institutional uses, including schools and government buildings, need only one berth per 50,000 square feet, reflecting their lighter delivery demand.

Every berth must meet a minimum plan dimension of 12 feet by 60 feet with 14 feet of overhead clearance, though the code allows a lesser 'loading space' short of a full berth if the Administrator finds it sufficient for the kind and volume of loading and unloading the property generates. Critically, no loading operation, whether in a full berth or a reduced space, may hinder the free movement of vehicles or pedestrians over a public street, sidewalk or alley, giving the Administrator authority to require redesign if a loading area backs traffic onto the right-of-way.

These standards sit within Article 6, Design Criteria, alongside the county's general off-street parking rules, which require paved surfaces and landscaping under related sections. A site plan for any new commercial or institutional building must show the loading area location and dimensions to the Administrator's satisfaction before a Zoning Compliance Permit issues. Failing to provide the required loading berths, undersizing them, or operating loading in a way that obstructs the street is enforced under Section 3.4.2: the Administrator can deny the permit or issue a civil citation up to $500, with continuing noncompliance treated as a fresh violation each day and possible Class 3 misdemeanor liability.