Bike Parking Regulations for Oakland, CA

The City of Oakland, CA has comprehensive bike parking regulations designed to promote sustainable transportation and ensure that safe and convenient parking is available for cyclists throughout the city. The regulations differentiate between long-term (Class I) and short-term (Class II) bike parking, providing specific requirements and design standards for both. These rules apply to new developments, building renovations, and certain civic activities.

Long-term bicycle parking requirements

Long-term bicycle parking is intended for individuals who park their bicycles for extended periods, such as employees, residents, and commuters.
Each long-term parking space must consist of a locker or locked enclosure that protects the bicycle from theft, vandalism, and weather.
Long-term parking must be provided for multifamily residential buildings, offices, retail establishments, and other commercial activities.
The minimum requirement is typically one space for every four dwelling units for multifamily housing without private garages and one space per 10,000 square feet for offices.

Short-term bicycle parking requirements

Short-term parking is intended for visitors, customers, and others who need to park their bikes for shorter periods, usually less than two hours.
Short-term parking consists of bicycle racks placed in highly visible and accessible locations, usually near building entrances.
The number of required spaces varies by land use, with one space per 20 dwelling units required for multifamily housing and one space per 2,000 square feet for retail establishments.

Long-term bicycle parking design standards

Long-term parking facilities must provide security and weather protection, either in the form of bicycle lockers or covered parking enclosures.
Long-term parking spaces, with the exception of bike lockers, must allow the locking of the frame and one wheel with a U-lock, and must support the bicycle in a stable position without damage.
Long-term parking should be located on-site or within 500 feet of the main building entrance, and at least 50% of spaces must be accessible without using stairs or elevators.

Short-term bicycle parking design standards

Short-term racks must allow bicycles to be securely locked to prevent theft and must be provided as racks that allow bicycles to be locked using a U-lock. T
These racks must provide two points of contact with the bicycle frame to ensure stability. They should support the bike in a stable position without damaging the frame, wheels, or components.
The design must allow easy access to bicycles and should be located in visible, well-lit areas close to building entrances (within 50 feet).
Bicycle racks must maintain clearance from vertical obstructions and provide at least 30 inches of space in all directions to allow for proper maneuvering.

Table of Required Bicycle Parking Spaces by Facility Type

Facility Type	Short-Term Spaces	Long-Term Spaces
Multi-unit, without garage	1 space for each 20 dwelling units. For D-BV Zones, 1 space for each 15 dwelling units. Minimum citywide requirement is 2 spaces.	1 space for each 4 dwelling units. For D-BV Zones, 1 space for each 2 dwelling units. Minimum citywide requirement is 2 spaces.
Office	1 space for each 20,000 square feet of floor area. For D-BV Zones, 1 space for each 15,000 square feet of floor area. Minimum citywide requirement is 2 spaces.	1 space for each 10,000 square feet of floor area. For D-BV Zones, 1 space for each 8,000 square feet of floor area. Minimum citywide requirement is 2 spaces.
Retail	1 space for each 5,000 square feet of floor area. For D-BV Zones, 1 space for each 3,000 square feet of floor area. Minimum citywide requirement is 2 spaces.	1 space for each 12,000 square feet of floor area. For D-BV Zones, 1 space for each 8,000 square feet of floor area. Minimum citywide requirement is 2 spaces.
K-12 Schools	1 space per each 20 students of planned capacity. Minimum requirement is 2 spaces.	1 space for each 10 employees plus 1 space for each 20 students of planned capacity. Minimum requirement is 2 spaces.
Colleges	1 space for each 10 students of planned capacity.	1 space for each 10 employees plus 1 space for each 10 students of planned capacity; or 1 space for each 20,000 square feet of floor area, whichever is greater.
Manufacturing	No spaces required.	1 space for each 15,000 square feet of floor area. Minimum requirement is 2 spaces.

The above information represents a partial list of the facility types and their bike parking requirements for Oakland, CA. Please refer to the links below for more detailed information.

Showers and Personal Lockers

Oakland, CA, bike parking regulations require two showers per gender and four lockers per shower for commercial developments exceeding 150,000 square feet. These requirements increase with the size of the development.

Automobile Parking Credit

In Oakland, CA, the total number of required off-street automobile parking spaces may be reduced at the ratio of one automobile space for each six (6) bicycle spaces provided in excess of the minimum bike parking requirements. The bicycle parking provided for this automobile parking credit shall include both long-term and short-term bicycle parking in proportion to the minimum long-term and short-term requirements for the given project. The total number of required off-street automobile parking spaces cannot be reduced by more than five percent (5%).

Special Area Requirements

In certain zones like D-CE (Central Estuary District Zones), additional bicycle parking regulations may apply for specific activities such as boat and marine-related services.

Bike Parking Requirements for Events

Special events occurring between the months of April and October that expect 5,000 or more attendees shall be required to provide attended bike parking for event attendees at no charge.

A space that is enclosed and secured on three sides (“corral”) shall be provided. The corral can be indoors or may consist of metal barricades. One side of the corral shall consist of tables for checking in bicycles. The corral shall be placed:

at an easily accessible and visible location, preferably at the entrance gate to the event, or another location determined by the permitting officer
within a one-block radius maximum of the event
on the street, or in a parking lot, garage, or schoolyard with permission of the property owner.