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Home My WebLink About2069 ORDINANCE NO. 2069 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, DELETING CODE SECTIONS 9283.8.7 AND 9283.8.8 OF THE ARCADIA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO FRONT YARD WALL AND FENCE HEIGHTS; AND CREATING NEW CODE SECTIONS ESTABLISHING NEW HEIGHT LIMITATIONS AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR WALLS, WROUGHT IRON FENCES, COLUMNS AND LIGHTING IN THE FRONT YARD AREAS (TEXT AMENDMENT 97-001) WHEREAS, Text Amendment 97-001 was initiated by the City proposing changes to the Zoning and Land Use Section of the Arcadia Municipal Code relating to front yard walls and fences, and establishing architectural design guidelines for decorative columns, wrought iron fencing and lighting, Text Amendment 97-001. WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on February II, 1997, before the Planning Commission at which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Arcadia recommended approval of the subject text changes to the City Council, and WHEREAS, a public hearing was held before the City Council on March 4, 1997, at which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence; and WHEREAS, the City Council hereby finds that the proposed text amendment will provide flexibility in the height requirement, for which homeowners and builders may further enhance their properties with height variations for fencing and columns at the front gate entrance - as well as at intervals across the front yard area. The proposed amendment will also result in -1- 2069 creating separate code sections for fences, walls and gates, and delete sections 9283.8.7. and 9283.8.8. Based upon the evidence presented, the City Council determines the public necessity, convenience and general welfare justifies the proposed text changes. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA , CALIFORNIA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section I. That Section 9283.8.7. "SAME. FENCES AND WALLS" be repealed. Section 2. That Section "9283.8.8. SAME. SAME" be repealed. Section 3. That Section 9283.9 be added to read as follows: 9283.9. FENCES, WALLS AND GATES. SAFETY PROTECTION Fences, walls or guard railings for safety protection around depressed ramps, if not more than four (4) feet in height, may be located in any front yard, side or rear yard, except within twenty-five (25) feet of an intersection where the height shall not exceed three (3) feet, and provided that it does not interfere with the visibility or ingress and egress to the property and adjoining properties as per the standards on file with the Community Development Division. Section 4. That Section 9283.9.1 be added to read as follows: 9283.9.1. FENCES, WALLS AND GATES. FRONT YARD Decorative wrought iron fences and decorative columns with caps located in the front yard area shall not exceed four (4) feet in height. No solid decorative walls greater than two (2) feet in height shall be allowed in the front yard area. Decorative wrought iron shall mean aesthetically significant in design and construction with a non-detracting color compatible finish, consistent with the main dwelling and adjacent properties. A column is the vertical supporting member located between wrought iron fencing or which flanks a gate entrance. A -2- 2069 decorative column is a vertical supporting member with an aesthetically significant textured surface, including, but not be limited to stucco, split-face, stoned veneer, brick veneer, wood veneer, solid stone, solid brick, solid wood and glass block. A cap is the horizontal surface atop a column. All decorative wrought iron fences, walls, gates, columns, posts and caps shall be subject to Community Development Division review and approval. Chain link or wire type fencing shall not be allowed in the front yard or front street side yard areas, unless used as a temporary construction fence. EXCEPTION. (a) Any arched or curving portions of a decorative wrought iron fence/gate shall not exceed six (6) inches in height above the four (4) feet height maximum fence/column height. (b) Front gate entrances of decorative wrought iron with decorative columns shall not exceed six (6) feet in height in the R-O Zone nor five (5) feet in height in the R-l Zone. ( c) On corner lots, fences and walls within the required side yard shall not exceed five (5) feet in height, measured at the street side property line. (d) On Jots containing less than seventy-five (75) feet of frontage, decorative wrought iron front gate entrances and columns shall not exceed a height of five (5) feet in any residential zone. (e) On lots where more than twenty (20) linear feet of any portion of the main dwelling is set back less than thirty (30) feet from the front property line, the maximum front yard fence, wall and gate entrance height shall not exceed four (4) feet at any point. Section 5. That Section 9283.9.2 be added to read as follows: o -J- 2069 9283.9.2. SAME. FENCES, WALLS AND GATES. DESIGN ELEMENTS. (a) Decorative wrought iron fences with decorative columns located in the front yard area shall be of open work design. Said fences with columns extending from the front property line along the side property line, shall not exceed four (4) teet in height and shall be a compatible continuation of the fence and columns along the front property line. (b) Columns including caps or posts shall not exceed four (4) feet in height and placed at horizontal intervals no less than seven (7) feet, six (6) inches apart. Said columns or posts shall not have any dimension greater than twenty-four (24) inches and caps atop said columns shall not have any dimension greater than thirty (30) inches. (c) Decorative lights may be attached to decorative columns, posts, walls or fences within the front yard or street side yard areas and shall be limited to entry points at drivcways and pedestrian entrances only, and shall not exceed eighteen (18) inches in height above the maximum fence/column height. (d) Solid decorative walls extending from the front property line, located along the front side property lines, shall not exceed two (2) feet in height above adjacent grade. Decorative wrought iron may be placed atop of the solid decorative wall, not to exceed a combined total height of four (4) feet to four (4) feet, six (6) inches above adjacent grade. (e) Where a front or street side property line abuts an existing sidewalk, proposed fences and walls shall be set back a minimum of eighteen (18) inches from said property line. Section 6. That Section 9283.9.3 be amended to read as follows: 9283.9.3. SAME. FENCES, WALLS AND GATES. SIDE AND REAR YARD Fences, walls and gates not more than six (6) feet in height, may be located along the side or rear lot lines, provided such fence, wall or gate does not extend into the required front -4- 2069 yard, nor into the side yard required along the side street on a corner lot, nor in the case of a corner lot into that portion of the rear yard abutting the intersecting street wherein accessory buildings are prohibited. The provisions of this section shall not prohibit the erection of a fence enclosing an elementary or high school site if such fence does not project beyond the front line of the building. Section 7. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause a copy of the same to be published in the official newspaper of said City within fifteen (15) days after its adoption. Passed, approved and adopted this 1st day of April 1997. {i~;'f1€/;/k ATTEST: /~ , . Clerk of the CIty of AD C' APPROVED AS TO FORM: Mi1fJ~/j lJ;~ City Attorney -5- 2069 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS: CITY OF ARCADIA ) I, JUNE D. ALFORD, City Clerk of the City of Arcadia, hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. 2069 was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Arcadia, signed by the Mayor and attested to by the City Clerk at a regular meeting of said Council on the 1st day of April , 1997, and that said Ordinance was adopted by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Councilmember Chan,o" Harbicht, Kovacic, Young and Kuhn NOES: None ABSENT: None -6- 2069