Anytime you’re building a commercial parking lot, it must meet a set of standards which comply with local ordinances and codes. You can ensure that your parking lot performs up to these standards, by first determining what kind of traffic is expected in the parking lot, as well as how large it has to be. The two things you want to be sure of when constructing a commercial parking lot is that it’s as functional as possible, and it’s in full compliance with all local codes and regulations. Here is how you can go about achieving both those objectives.
Drainage
All commercial parking lots must be capable of draining a specific amount of water every hour, and this is necessary because they must be able to handle a maximum amount of rainfall when it happens. If your parking lot lacks proper drainage, it might become flooded itself, or it might contribute to flooding on adjacent properties, neither of which is a desirable situation. When materials like asphalt and concrete are used, a rule of thumb is that the parking lot should have a 2% slope in the direction of the nearest storm drain or other drainage outlet. Another way you can guarantee that your commercial parking lot can handle drainage properly is to use a permeable product which will allow water to drain directly through the surface.
Storm water detention
In addition to draining the entire parking lot adequately, there must be a storm water detention area built into the lot itself. In the case of concrete and asphalt lots, this means that part of the parking lot must be designated as storm water detention area, and this of course means that a certain number of parking spaces would have to be sacrificed.
Strength
All commercial parking lots must comply with certain requirements for strength, and that’s why you’ll need to know what kind of traffic to expect in your commercial parking lot. If commercial vehicles will be using your parking lot, it could be that asphalt is not sufficient for handling the heavy loads. Concrete is certainly capable of managing heavy commercial traffic in your parking lot, but it will also cost considerably more to use as your paving material.
Striping
Striping is an important feature of your commercial parking lot, because it creates clearly defined parking spaces and that will allow for much greater space utilization. With increased parking capacity, you’ll be able to handle a great deal more traffic in your lot. Whether you use asphalt or concrete, a clear striping process must be painted on the surface, and it may be necessary to periodically redo this painting in order to maintain the clear lines for parking spaces.
Maintenance requirements
To achieve compliance with all local ordinances and codes, all you really have to do is meet these standards to the letter of the law. However, given the fact that your commercial parking lot represents a considerable investment, you should probably do your best to carry out regular maintenance on the parking lot to ensure that its always functional and looking attractive. Over a period of time, it may happen that cracks appear in the pavement, or that the striping begins to fade away.
Whenever any of these occurrences take place, it will be in your best interest to carry out whatever maintenance is necessary. In the case of an asphalt commercial parking lot, you may need to sealcoat the lot, and repair any cracks which have developed. If the lot was originally paved with concrete, it might be necessary to fill in cracks or even replace some sections, so that they can remain functional and have an extended useful life.
