A. Compliance. This Section establishes standards for the screening and separation of adjoining residential and non-residential land uses, equipment and outdoor storage areas, and surface parking areas.
B. Screening Between Different Land Uses.
1. An opaque screen consisting of materials, such as solid masonry wall and/or plant material, a minimum of 6 feet in height, shall be installed along parcel boundaries whenever a commercial or industrial development adjoins a residential zoning district.
2. The maximum height of the walls shall comply with the provisions of § 17.300.030 (Fences, Hedges, and Walls).
3. The walls shall be architecturally treated on both sides, subject to the approval of the Director.
C. Mechanical Equipment, Loading Docks, and Refuse Areas.
1. Mechanical equipment (e.g., air conditioning, heating, exhaust, and ventilation ducts, and the like), loading docks, refuse and recyclable materials storage areas, and utility services shall be screened from public view from adjoining public streets and rights-of-way, and surrounding area(s) zoned for residential or open space uses as determined by the Director. In single-family residential zones, mechanical equipment located on roofs, upper level terraces, patios and balconies, and structures housing mechanical equipment shall not exceed the maximum zoning envelope and shall not encroach upon a 1:1 upward- and inward-inclining plane starting at the base of the roof or exterior deck surface along front and side yard- facing facades.
Figure 3-6 1:1 Allowable Placement for Roof-Mounted and Upper-Story Mechanical Equipment
2. The method of screening shall be architecturally compatible with other on-site development in terms of colors, materials, and architectural style as determined by the Director.
3. Plant materials shall be installed adjacent to the walls, at the discretion of the Director, in compliance with Chapter 17.310 (Landscaping).
4. All mechanical equipment screening shall be subject to review and approval by the Director and Fire Department.
D. Outdoor Storage and Work Yards. Uses with outdoor storage of materials, recycling facility processing centers, waste resource and waste recycling operations, and similar uses shall comply with the following:
1. Outside storage and work areas shall be screened with a solid sight-obscuring masonry wall, a minimum of 6 feet in height, of a type and design approved by the Director. The wall shall include sight-obscuring gates. The wall and gate(s) shall be continuously maintained in good repair; and
2. Site operations in conjunction with outdoor uses, including the loading and unloading of equipment and materials, shall be conducted entirely within the walled area.
(Ord. No. 2005-007 § 1 (part); Ord. No. 2020-010; Ord. No. 2021-012 § 3 (part))