Palmdale, CA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

PMC § 17.87.200 (Loading Standards), in Chapter 17.87 (Off-Street Parking and Loading), requires every use, building, or structure to permanently maintain off-street loading and unloading space, with the number of spaces set by Table 17.87.200-1 based on gross floor area; a warehouse or industrial building of 30,001 to 80,000 square feet, for example, needs two spaces, stepping up by one space for each additional 100,000 square feet. Multi-tenant buildings are sized on the whole building's floor area, and the Review Authority can waive, reduce, or allow joint use of loading zones through site plan review if the applicant shows the specific use doesn't need dedicated space.

Placement is tightly controlled. Loading facilities must sit on the same site as the use they serve and cannot be located in required setbacks, driveways, or required parking spaces. No loading space may sit closer than 30 feet to any property in a residential zone unless it is completely enclosed within a building or screened by a solid fence or wall at least eight feet high, and no space may be located within 25 feet of the nearest point of a street intersection. Loading areas cannot face a public right-of-way and generally belong inside buildings, on non-primary street frontages, alleys, or at the rear or side of the building. Every loading zone and truck parking area must be screened by a minimum eight-foot wall or fence, and trucks must enter and exit moving forward: the design cannot force a truck to back into a public street or alley, or require use of the right-of-way to reach a loading dock. Passenger loading spaces need a minimum 10-by-20-foot footprint and must be positioned so passengers never cross a drive aisle to reach a building entrance.