In “Planning and Building Church Facilities,” Gwenn McCormick wrote, “People today depend on their automobiles so much that churches are forced to provide adequate off-street parking space.”
According to him and other building professionals, good parking is so important that it often affects whether visitors attend a church.
“The goal is to provide abundant parking, not just enough to meet code requirements,” he said. “If people can’t find a place to park they will not likely visit the church.”
Because well-maintained parking has become such an important issue for today’s society, building experts advise churches to maintain convenient attractive parking on their property.
Gary Swafford, director of church planting and building services at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, recommends that churches provide one parking space for every two people in attendance and include visitor and handicap-accessible spaces.
Plan for maintenance
Swafford also advises church leaders to prepare in advance to maintain their parking lots to provide visitors with a pleasant atmosphere upon arrival.
“Churches should seal and re-stripe parking lots as needed,” he said. “When the surface begins to crack and especially when grass or weeds are visible, parking lots should be resealed.
“When lines have faded making it difficult to clearly determine allocated spaces, it’s time to re-stripe,” Swafford said.
If church leaders are planning to begin a parking project, experts advise them to consider the following tips early in the process:
-Consult a professional.
“Parking lots should be designed by professionals who understand the importance of adequate spacing, driveway width, traffic flow and landscape provisions,” McCormick noted.
-Follow building and safety codes for parking lots.
“Arrange parking lots so that there are controlled entrances and exits,” Swafford stated. “Safety starts at the street. Care should be taken to locate access in as safe a position as possible.”
He added, “Entrance (and exit) turn lanes are always advisable even for small roads and in many places they are required.”
-Avoid one-way driveways.
“Two-way drives allow an easier way of maneuvering around the site and finding a place to park,” said Gary Nicholson, a consultant in the LifeWay Christian Services church architecture department.
“One-way driveways can be another way that we create a negative experience and frustrate people during their arrival,” Nicholson said.
Make it appealing
-When possible, place islands throughout the parking lot.
“Islands in the parking area with landscaping and even trees can soften the harshness of the asphalt and paving and make it a much more appealing place to be,” Nicholson added.
-Instead of one parking lot, spread parking around the facility.
This allows the lots to be “smaller and easier to landscape and gives more accessibility to your whole building,” according to David Payne, president of Payne and Associates Architects.
-Use a master site plan when planning parking areas to avoid removal when future building expansions are necessary.
-Choose materials that are readily available and economical.
The entire parking lot does not have to be paved, but should be “well-drained with healthy sod or hardcore for convenient parking,” according to Swafford.
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