In addition to any requirements imposed pursuant to title 9 of this Code, a building permit shall be required for any wall or fence greater than six feet (6') in height and shall also be required for any wall or fence, regardless of its height, that is located in a front yard.
A. Thickness: No wall or fence shall exceed two feet (2') in thickness. Cavities or spaces within a wall or fence shall not be used for the support, storage, shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, or personal property.
B. Finish: A wall or fence located within five feet (5') of a property line and approximately parallel to that property line shall have a finished appearance in a similar manner on both sides. Acceptable finish treatments include colored stucco, wood stain, natural or polished stone, slumpstone, split-faced concrete block, prefabricated finish texture, color coated tubular steel or wrought iron, or a combination thereof. Plain or colored concrete block masonry shall be permitted only if coated with colored stucco or other coating finish approved by the Director of Building and Safety.
If the construction of a wall or fence along shared property lines requires access on a neighboring property in order to provide an equivalent finish on the side of the wall or fence facing the neighboring property, and access is not granted by the neighboring property owner, documentation to this effect shall be provided to the Director of Community Development, or his or her designee. This documentation shall be satisfactory to the Director of Community Development to relieve the requestor of the above requirement regarding the finish of the wall or fence on that side, and may include a written letter stating that access has not been granted, or proof that a request for access has been sent but no response has been provided.
C. Supporting Elements: No column, pillar, post, or other supporting element of a wall or fence shall be more than twenty four inches (24") in width.
D. Front And Street Side Yards: No wall or fence shall be located within three feet (3') of a front lot line or street side lot line.
Walls or fences located more than three feet (3') from a front lot line or street side lot line, but less than or equal to ten feet (10') from a front lot line or street side lot line shall be no more than three feet (3') in height.
Walls or fences located more than ten feet (10') from a front lot line or street side lot line, but within a front yard or street side yard, shall be no more than six feet (6') in height. Furthermore, any portion of such walls or fences that exceeds three feet (3') in height shall be open to public view.
1. Hillside R-1 Permit: Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection D, a reviewing authority may issue a Hillside R-1 permit to permit a wall of no more than six feet (6') in height to encroach into a front yard or street side yard without otherwise complying with the requirements of this subsection D.
2. Minor Accommodation: Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection D, a reviewing authority may issue a minor accommodation permit pursuant to article 36 of this chapter to allow a wall or fence of up to six feet (6') in height to be located between three feet (3') and ten feet (10') from a front lot line or street side lot line, provided that the wall or fence is open to public view and provided that the reviewing authority finds that the wall or fence will not have a substantial adverse impact on the scale and massing of the streetscape or the garden quality of the City.
E. Areas Other Than Front And Street Side Yards: The maximum allowable height for that portion of a wall, fence, or hedge located outside of all front and street side yards shall be seven feet (7'), as measured per the definition of "height of wall, fence, or hedge" located in section 10-3-100 of this chapter. Further, under no circumstance shall the height of the wall, fence, or hedge, measured on the side farther from a property line exceed twelve feet (12'). See Figure 1 of this section.
F. Series Of Walls: If a series of walls, or portions of a wall, are constructed on the same property so that a perpendicular section cut through a wall would intersect more than one wall segment and would intersect a total height of seven feet (7') or more, then a minimum ten foot (10') landscaped area must be provided between the wall segments. Such landscaping shall consist of climbing vines or alternative vegetation that will substantially screen the walls. Furthermore, the cumulative height of a series of walls shall not exceed twelve feet (12') within any fifty-foot (50') perpendicular section cut through the wall segments. See Figure 2 of this section
1. Hillside R-1 Permit: A reviewing authority may issue a Hillside R-1 permit to allow a series of walls to deviate from the standards set forth in this subsection F pursuant to section 10-3-2550M.
(Ord. 18-O-2751, eff. 4-6-2018; amd. Ord. 22-O-2860, eff. 6-10-2022; Ord. 24-O-2894, eff. 6-7-2024)