Bike Storage Requirements
Before you can put together any sort of ideas, plan or layout for your bike storage area, you need to know your local municipal codes.
If you're unfamiliar with the local ordinances, we recommend using the website, library.municode.com.
Here you will find a collection or municipal codes and can even search within the text of the documents.
Bike Storage Space Requirements
In your review of the codes, the first thing you will want to look up are requirements for the number of bicycle parking spots. Often this is a mandated ordinance, typically based on the number of rooms, building occupants or square footage of the building.
Knowing exactly how many bicycles you need to store is crucial information moving forward. It will impact your decisions on the type of bike racks to use and necessary space to install them.
If there is no ordinance requiring a certain number of bike storage spots, we suggest following the APBP recommendations. Which vary depending on the type of building.
- For office buildings, the guideline is 1 bike storage space for every 10,000 square feet of floor area.
- For Multifamily housing, plan on a half space of bike storage for every bedroom.
- Health care and hospitals - Either one and a half spaces for every 20 employees or one space for each 50,000 square feet of floor area. Whichever is greater.
- Public elementary, junior high and high schools should have one and half spaces for each 10 employees. Plus, one and half spaces for each 20 students of planned capacity.
- For colleges and universities, it's one and a half spaces for each 10 employees, plus one space for each 10 students of planned capacity. OR, one space for each 20,000 square feet of floor area. Whichever is greater.
There is also a third option for determining bike storage spaces, store as many bicycles as possible in the area designated for bicycle storage.
It's also worth remembering, these are guidelines for long-term bike storage areas. These do not reflect the spots needed for short-term bike parking.
Bike Racks & Spacing Ordinances
In addition to the number of bicycle storage spots you will need to create, you will want to review the municipal codes for items pertaining to approved bike racks.
Ordinances can list out criteria a bike rack must adhere to. This might include materials or certain measurements. It may also restrict certain types of bike racks. For example, bike racks requiring the user to lift the bicycle, like a vertical bike rack or two tiered, might not be permissible in senior facilities.
You'll also want to be aware if there are any ordinances on the spacing of bike racks. Things like how far apart each rack needs to be placed. If there needs to be aisle space behind the bike rack. Or setbacks from walls and other objects.
