(a) In residential districts, the maximum height of all fences, walls, and hedges at all locations, except in the required front yard, is six feet (6'), unless otherwise stated in this Chapter. In all other districts, the maximum height at all locations, except the required front yard, is eight feet (8'), unless otherwise stated in this Chapter. The height shall be measured from the top of wall to finished grade.
(b) Retaining and Crib Walls
The heights of any portion of wall or fence which retains earth or water, except in the required front yard, shall be limited as follows. The height of the wall shall not include any guard rail or open fence (defined in section c.4, below) required by the Uniform Building Code or the City.
(1) Walls Built on Slopes of Less Than 15 Percent - For walls constructed on slopes with a less than fifteen percent (15%) grade, the fence and wall heights specified in subsection (a) above shall apply.
(2) Alternative to Height Limit of Retaining Walls - Stepping of retaining walls is permitted subject to approval of a Planning Use Permit, as described in Chapter 17.150. Stepping is allowed, provided that the minimum horizontal distance between the top of the downslope retaining wall, fence, and/or landscaping, and the bottom of the up slope retaining wall, fence, and/or landscaping, shall be equal to the vertical height of the downslope retaining wall, fence, and/or landscaping. Approval shall be considered when the wall is landscaped and does not create conditions or situations that may be detrimental or incompatible with other permitted uses in the vicinity. Any guardrails required by the Building Official shall be open-type guardrails, and the rail shall be exempted from maximum required height measurements. Crib walls with a vertical slope of at least one-half to one (½:1) are exempt from these stepping requirements.
(c) Height Within the Required Front Yard
(2) Fences, whether solid, open, or transparent, with the exception of subdivision (3) below, shall not exceed forty-eight inches (48") in height.
(3) Brick or concrete pilasters used in conjunction with wrought-iron fencing shall not be greater than eighteen inches (18") by eighteen inches (18") in width, and not greater than forty-eight inches (48") in height, and not spaced closer than eight feet (8') apart. Wrought iron in a fence constructed with pilasters shall not exceed forty-eight inches (48") in height.
(4) Open fence material, whether wood or wrought iron, shall not exceed two inches (2") in width nor be spaced less than four inches (4") apart.
(5) The height of retaining walls in the front yard shall be equal to or less than thirty inches (30"). The total height of any wall in a front yard, including a retaining portion, shall be equal to or less than forty-eight inches (48").
(d) Fences or walls shall provide a gate or other suitable opening no less than thirty inches (30") in width to provide access to primary or accessory structures.
(e) Fences, which were legally constructed prior to the adoption of this Zoning Code, but made nonconforming as a result of the adoption of the Zoning Code, are exempt from amortization.
(f) Chain link fencing shall not be permitted in any single-family residential subdivision built after these standards are adopted and are not permitted in any existing subdivision unless more than 50 percent of houses on the same block have existing chain link fences.
(1) Chain link fencing may be approved by the Community Development Director for individually built single-family residential units located in the following zoning designations: DL-2.5, DL-5, DL-9, and AP.
(2) Chain link fencing may be approved by the Community Development Director for use inside an existing solid fence as long as it is not visible from the Right-of-way.
[Ord. No. 515, Exhibit E, 5/22/13; Ord. No. 528, Exhibit F, 9/10/14.]