(A) Basements. Basements may be allowed subject to the review and approval by the department. Floor area of basements in dwellings and accessory structures shall not be counted toward the maximum floor area allowed.
(B) Fences, hedges and walls. Requirements for fences, hedges and walls in all residential zones shall be as follows:
(1) Screening. Screening not to exceed six feet in height shall be permitted on all property lines with the following exceptions:
(a) Front yard. No fence over four feet in height, nor any hedge or wall over three feet in height will be permitted in a required front setback.
(b) Corner lot. No fence over four feet in height, nor any hedge or wall over three feet in height will be permitted within five feet of the street side property line of a corner lot and must be set back five feet from the front of the house.
(c) Corner cut off areas. No fence, hedge or wall over three feet in height will be permitted in the areas defined in division (E) of this section.
(d) Fences over six feet in height shall be treated the same as the main dwelling with respect to setback from property line.
(e) Fences six feet and over in height and adjacent to a public street shall be screened with landscaping. A landscape plan consisting of trees, shrubs and ground cover shall be submitted and approved by the city.
(f) Wrought iron fences without points, spikes or sharp edges on the end of any vertical bar shall be permitted a maximum height of eight feet, and spacing between vertical bars shall not exceed six inches along the rear and side property lines enclosing the back yard area behind a house on hillside lots that back up to unimproved wilderness areas. POINTS, SPIKES AND SHARP EDGES shall mean any end of a vertical bar that is capable of causing, or is likely to cause injury to persons, pets, or undomesticated animals.
(g) Multiple-family residential projects shall be enclosed by five- to six- foot decorative walls.
(2) Measurement of height. The height of any screening shall be measured as follows:
(a) For street property lines, at sidewalk grade;
(b) For interior property lines, at highest elevation of adjacent property’s finished grade.
(3) Materials. All screening under this section shall be composed of the following:
(a) Masonry walls;
(b) Wooden fencing, if of adequate aesthetic and structural quality and durability;
(c) Wrought-iron fencing: Spacing between vertical bars on all wrought iron fencing shall not exceed six inches. If located north of Foothill Boulevard or east of Mountain Avenue above Lemon Avenue, the end of any vertical bar of a wrought iron fence shall not be pointed, spiked or have sharp edges that are capable of causing, or are likely to cause, injury to persons, pets or undomesticated animals. Spacing of vertical bars on all wrought iron fencing shall not exceed six inches;
(d) Chain link fencing is allowed for properties improved with single-family residences only along the side (if not in the front yard setback or adjacent to a street) and rear property lines.
(e) All other materials as approved by the Committee, after giving consideration to appearance, structural quality and durability.
(f) Nothing in this division (B) shall be deemed to set aside or reduce the requirements established for security fencing by local, state or federal law.
(C) Minimized visible garage. On blocks where the predominant pattern of the placement of garages is detached at the rear of the property or otherwise minimally visible from the street, the provisions for a minimized visible garage shall apply when a new garage is proposed.
(1) Applicability. The predominant pattern shall be based on a review of properties located on the same side of the street in the same block, no less than 400 feet on either side of the subject property. Minimized visible garage requirements shall be required of new development when at least 50% of those properties have minimally visible garages. For purposes of determining this requirement, minimally visible garage shall mean a property where the garage is in the rear yard. In cases where the predominant pattern should be determined by other means, based on the subject property's location, topography and proximity to corners, the director shall decide on the averaging method.
(2) Requirements. When the predominant pattern requires a minimized visible garage. The following regulations shall apply:
(a) Attached garages shall be setback a minimum of 20' from the front facing wall of the primary structure closest to the street.
(b) In the front yard setback, paved driveways shall be limited to 14' in width leading to a two-car garage and 10' in width leading to a one-car garage.
(c) Side loading garages shall not be permitted in front of the primary structure.
(d) Garages attached to the rear of the primary structure, or which are otherwise not visible from the street shall be allowed to add an additional 400 square feet added to the maximum size of the primary structure. This provision only applies to properties developed with single family dwellings.
(3) Properties developed with more than one dwelling unit, the primary structure shall be the dwelling closest to the street.
(4) Exemptions. Properties not covered by the minimized visible garage placement requirement shall be reviewed pursuant the applicable regulations of the zoning district where the property is located in addition to the neighborhood compatibility design review process.
(D) Irregularly shaped lots. For lots that are not generally rectangular in shape and if there is uncertainty on the method for determining lot orientation, lot depth and/or lot width, the committee shall have the power to determine the appropriate method. Existing development on the property and in the neighborhood shall be considered in making this determination. Once a determination is made and the resulting development is completed, a subsequent determination shall not be made to permit additional improvements that would make the previous improvements nonconforming.
(E) Lot consolidation. Consolidation or merger of lots in any residential zone requires a conditional use permit. In addition to the findings specified in §17.52.200, the Commission must also find that the proposed consolidation will not result in the demolition of a residential structure built prior to January 1, 1940 with architectural or known historic value.
(F) Mechanical equipment. Ground-mounted air conditioning mechanical equipment shall be set back at least five feet from a side property line, with the exception that in the rear yard area equipment may be set back three feet from the side and rear property lines. Roof-mounted mechanical equipment is not permitted, with the following exceptions:
(1) Equipment is entirely screened by building parapet; or
(2) Replacement of existing equipment shall be permitted if the equipment is of the same or of lesser dimensions and approved screening can be provided and it is economically impractical to relocate.
(G) Setbacks—corner cutoff. In all zones, no buildings, walls, fences, hedges, shrubs, ground signs or other physical obstruction higher than three feet above grade shall be located in the triangular area defined by the intersections diagramed on the following pages (the diagrams are not to scale).
(H) Swimming pools. Swimming pools shall not be located in the front yard and must be at least five feet from the side and rear property lines. Mechanical equipment is subject to the provisions set forth in division (E) above.
(I) Trash areas. All outside trash and garbage collection areas shall be enclosed or screened and garbage collection areas with gates and shall be located so as to allow for convenient pick-up and disposal.
(`83 Code, § 17.12.040) (Ord. 94-03 § 6, 1994; Ord. 97-08 §§ 1, 2, 1997; Ord. 2001-10 § 4, 2001; Ord. 2002-04, § 4, 2002; Ord. 2004-11 § 7, 2004; Ord. 2016-08 §§ 29 - 31, 2016)