Nota Parkeerbeleid Gemeente Bernheze – Parking Policy and Standards 2023-2028
The Nota Parkeerbeleid Gemeente Bernheze is the official regulatory framework governing parking policy and standards within the municipality of Bernheze, Netherlands. Effective from September 9, 2024, this document serves as the primary assessment framework for spatial developments, new construction, renovations, and changes in building use. It replaces the previous Parkeernormennota gemeente Bernheze (2015) and establishes the municipal vision and technical requirements for the 2023-2028 period.
The document defines the technical and legal requirements for car and bicycle parking across various functional categories, including residential, commercial, retail, sports, and healthcare. Its scope includes specialized regulations for the Blue Zone in Heesch, charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EV), and parking for large vehicles. The policy is structured into sections covering parking vision, a detailed standards framework based on CROW Publication 381, and a practical step-by-step plan for developers to calculate required parking capacity and apply mobility corrections.
Professional users, including architects and project developers, must use this document to determine the normative parking demand based on specific zoning categories such as Centrum, Rest bebouwde kom (Remaining built-up area), and Buitengebied (Rural area). It provides exact calculation metrics for shared use through occupancy percentages and defines the criteria for discharging parking obligations on-site or in public spaces.
Parking Vision and Strategic Goals
The municipality prioritizes the optimal use of existing parking capacity, both public and private, while ensuring that new developments do not negatively impact traffic safety or liveability. The vision is based on several core principles:
- Free Parking: Parking remains free of charge throughout Bernheze to maintain accessibility.
- On-site Principle: Spatial developments must generally accommodate their parking demand on their own grounds according to the rules in Chapter 4.
- Sustainable Mobility: The municipality facilitates the transition to cleaner transport by providing EV charging stations and high-quality bicycle parking facilities.
- Accessibility: Specific attention is given to ensuring accessible outdoor spaces and parking for persons with disabilities.
Basis for Parking Standards
Bernheze utilizes CROW Publication 381 (December 2018) as the foundation for its parking standards. The municipality is classified as Weinig stedelijk (Low urban density) with an address density between 500 and 1,000 addresses per square kilometer. Standards are calibrated based on three primary zones:
- Centrum: The village hearts of Heesch, Nistelrode, and Heeswijk-Dinther, where proximity to amenities reduces the need for secondary car ownership.
- Rest bebouwde kom: Areas within the defined built-up limits but outside the central zones.
- Buitengebied: Areas outside the built-up limits as defined by the Road Traffic Act (Wegenverkeerswet).
Standards are applied to seven main categories: Housing (Wonen), Work (Werken), Shopping (Winkel en boodschappen), Sport and Culture (Sport, cultuur en ontspanning), Hospitality (Horeca), Healthcare (Gezondheid), and Education (Onderwijs).
Calculation Methodology and Shared Use
The document specifies a process for determining the parking requirement (Parkeereis) through the application of Aanwezigheidspercentages (occupancy rates) to facilitate shared use (dubbelgebruik). This ensures that parking spaces are used efficiently throughout different times of the day.
- Residential Occupancy: Residents are calculated at 100% occupancy during work nights, while visitors are calculated at 10% during the same period.
- Commercial Occupancy: Offices are calculated at 100% during work mornings and afternoons, dropping to 0% at night.
- Retail Occupancy: Supermarkets peak at 100% on Saturday afternoons and Friday evenings.
Mobility Corrections and On-site Requirements
In specific cases, developers may apply a correction to the normative parking demand if alternative mobility solutions are implemented. These corrections are capped at maximum percentages:
- Car-sharing (Deelauto): A maximum reduction of 20% on the normative residential parking demand, where one shared car replaces four regular private cars.
- Target Groups: A maximum reduction of 15% if the specific target group (e.g., elderly or youth) has a demonstrably lower car ownership rate.
- Other Shared Mobility: A maximum reduction of 5% for solutions like shared bicycles or scooters.
For residential calculations, on-site provisions are weighted according to Table 2. For example, a garage with a driveway counts as 1.0 space, while a garage without a formal driveway counts as 0.0 spaces toward the requirement because garages are frequently used for storage rather than parking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum parking duration in the Heesch blue zone?
Visitors may park for a maximum of 2 hours using a parking disc (parkeerschijf) within the designated blue zone in the center of Heesch.
How is the parking requirement for a home-based business handled?
Parking demand for home-based professions and light business activities is generally excluded from the calculation, provided the activities have negligible visitor and employee impact as defined in Section 4.3.
What are the rules for disabled parking spaces at large facilities?
For parking locations with more than 50 spaces, at least 2% of the capacity must be designated as general disabled parking spaces, located as close as possible to the main entrance.
Does a private garage count toward the required parking spaces?
No, a garage attached to a house is not counted as a parking facility (0.0 calculation value) unless it includes a driveway or carport that meets the specific dimensions in Table 2.
What is the acceptable walking distance for residential parking?
According to Annex B3, the maximum acceptable walking distance between a residence and its allocated parking space is 100 meters.
Can I get an exemption from the parking requirement for small expansions?
The municipality grants an exemption if the difference between the old and new parking demand is less than 1.5 spaces, though this does not apply to residential functions.
Are there specific standards for bicycle parking in new residential buildings?
Yes, Section 4.9.1 specifies standards based on dwelling size, ranging from 2.0 spaces for homes under 50m² GFA to 4.5 spaces for homes over 125m² GFA.
Who is responsible for the costs of new public parking spaces?
The direct costs for realizing parking within the public space are fully charged to the initiator/developer, as stated in Section 5.2.5.
