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Grand Forks, ND Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Trigger
6,000+ sq ft gross floor area with deliveries
Minimum berth size
250 sq ft, excluding maneuvering
Retail/industrial berths at threshold
1 berth, 6,000-24,999 sq ft
Public assembly berths at threshold
1 berth, 6,000-29,999 sq ft
Right-of-way rule
No truck may extend into ROW while loading

Summary

In the City of Grand Forks, any retail, industrial, warehouse, freight, hospital or similar use with six thousand square feet or more of gross floor area must build off-street loading berths on its own lot, sized on a sliding scale, so delivery trucks never block the public right-of-way outside.

(15)Required off-street loading Any use with a gross floor area of six thousand (6,000) square feet or more which requires deliveries or shipments must provide off-street loading facilities in accordance with the requirements specified below.(A)Every retail establishment, industrial or manufacturing use, warehouse, wholesale use, freight terminal, railroad yard, hospital, or sanitarium having an aggregate gross floor area of six thousand (6,000) square feet or more shall provide off-street loading facilities as follows: ... (C)The minimum area for each off-street loading space, excluding area for maneuvering, shall be two hundred fifty (250) square feet.(D)At no time shall any part of a truck or van be allowed to extend into the right-of-way of a public thoroughfare while the truck or van is being loaded or unloaded.

Full Breakdown

City Code Section 18-0302(15) triggers once a covered use reaches 6,000 square feet of gross floor area and requires deliveries or shipments: it must provide off-street loading facilities under the standards in that subsection. Retail, industrial and manufacturing uses, warehouses, wholesale operations, freight terminals, railroad yards, hospitals and sanitariums scale up berths as floor area grows: one berth from 6,000 to 24,999 square feet, rising in steps to seven berths at 320,000 to 381,999 square feet, with one more berth added for every additional 72,000 square feet.

Public-assembly uses such as auditoriums, convention halls, stadiums, office buildings, welfare institutions, funeral homes with twenty or more units, and restaurants or hotels over 30,000 square feet follow a separate, gentler schedule, from one berth at 6,000 square feet up to eight berths at 588,000 to 689,999 square feet, adding a berth every additional 105,000 square feet. Every loading space, excluding maneuvering area, must measure at least 250 square feet, and Section 18-0302(15)(D) is absolute: no part of a truck or van may extend into the public right-of-way while it is being loaded or unloaded.

The Planning and Community Development Department reviews these requirements as part of site plan and building permit approval for covered commercial and industrial development in the city's zoning jurisdiction.

Violations & Fines

Loading facilities are checked at site plan and building permit review by Planning and Community Development; a project that omits required berths or undersizes them cannot receive final approval. Trucks caught extending into the right-of-way during loading or unloading are subject to code enforcement action under Chapter XVI (Streets and Sidewalks) and Chapter XVIII enforcement provisions, which can include citation and required correction of the obstruction.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does a Grand Forks business have to be before it needs a loading berth?
Section 18-0302(15) sets the trigger at 6,000 square feet of gross floor area for a use that requires deliveries or shipments; below that threshold, off-street loading facilities are not required by this section.
Can a delivery truck block the street while unloading in Grand Forks?
No. Section 18-0302(15)(D) states that at no time may any part of a truck or van extend into the right-of-way of a public thoroughfare while it is being loaded or unloaded, regardless of how briefly.
How many loading berths does a large warehouse need in Grand Forks?
The berth count rises with floor area on the schedule in Section 18-0302(15)(A): from one berth at 6,000 square feet up through seven berths at 320,000 to 381,999 square feet, with an additional berth for every extra 72,000 square feet beyond that.

Sources & Official References

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