Guadalupe City Zoning Code
LANDSCAPING, WALLS
SCREENING DEVICES, AND SWIMMING POOLS
§ 154.100 PURPOSE.
This subchapter is intended to provide standards for landscaping, walls, and screening devices, the creation of an attractive appearance, and by screening of uses which may be unattractive to the public eye.
(Zoning Code, Art. III Part I)
§ 154.101 APPLICABILITY.
This subchapter shall apply to all new uses of land and additions to all existing buildings and uses in all zoning districts except the one-family districts.
(Zoning Code, Art. III Part I)
§ 154.102 PROCEDURE.
(A) Any proposed building or use other than a single-family residence shall be clearly shown on a site plan indicating the location of existing and proposed buildings, parking areas, street improvements, location of landscaped areas, types of landscaping materials, watering system, walls, and screening devices. A copy of the site plan shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator at the time of application for a building permit. The Zoning Administrator shall review and approve the site plan prior to the issuance of a building permit. If the building or site requires rezoning, variance or use permit approval, or site plan review, the site plan shall be reviewed and approved by the Council.
(B) Landscaping, watering devices, walls, pools, and screening structures shall be installed in accordance with the approved site plan.
(Zoning Code, Art. III Part I)
§ 154.103 DEFINITIONS.
For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definition shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
LANDSCAPING. Include trees, shrubs, ground cover, vines, walkways, ponds, fountains, sculpture, or other organic and inorganic materials used for creating an attractive appearance.
SCREENING DEVICES. Any structure installed to conceal areas used for refuse mechanical equipment, parking (service and loading bays or lanes), multi-family habitation, and commercial or industrial activities from adjacent residential districts and from street views.
WALLS or FENCES. Any structure intended for the use of confinement, prevention of intrusion, boundary identification, or screening or an activity.
(Zoning Code, Art. III Part II)
§ 154.104 DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
(A) Each parcel shall be required to provide minimum landscaped areas equal to 10% of the total site area.
(B) Landscaping shall be sufficient to meet the purpose of this subchapter and shall be in accordance with standards as approved by the Town Council.
(C) Provision shall be made for water service to all landscaped areas requiring water.
(D) Lack of maintenance of the landscaped areas by the owner or the lessor of the property shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
(E) All outdoor storage areas for materials, trash equipment, vehicles, or other similar items which are located within 100 feet of a street or a residential district shall be provided with a screening wall, view obscuring fence, or dense hedge sufficient in height to screen such areas from view.
(F) Parking areas shall be screened from street view by the use of walls, berms, or a combination of the two to a minimum height of three feet above the highest finished grade of the parking area. Such screening may be supplemented by up to 25% intermittent landscaping.
(G) Masonry walls at least six feet in height shall be installed along the interior boundaries of the site where the site is adjacent to or across the alley from a residential district. Where deemed desirable, substitution of a screening fence, landscaping screen, or a reduced height of a fence may be permitted by the Town Council.
(H) All fences in the rear yard having an alley must allow for a three-foot by eight-foot inset with a gate, for storage of garbage cans.
(I) All outdoor lighting shall be directed down and screened away from adjacent properties and streets.
(J) Where the unusual nature, size, or location of a specified property justifies the modification of these requirements, the Council may by variance approve a site plan with lesser requirements than those specified in this section.
(K) With Council approval, in C-2, I-1, and I-2 districts, the fenced-in area for the storage of materials and equipment may include a three-strand barb wire or barbed tape for maximum security.
(Zoning Code, Art. III Part II)
§ 154.105 POOLS AND SWIMMING POOLS.
(A) Definition. For the purpose of this section, the following definition shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
POOLS. Include swimming pools, wading pools, fish ponds, or shallow decorative pools in hazardous locations accessible to children.
(B) Design and development standards.
(1) All swimming pools or pools hazardous to and accessible to children shall be enclosed by a non-climbable fence not less than five feet nor more than six feet in height so as to prevent uninvited access.
(2) All gates shall be self-closing and self-latching. Exception: gates not intended to provide frequent access to the enclosed area need not be self-closing, and may be secured by a padlock or similar device in lieu of a latch.
(3) The latches shall be at least five feet above the underlying ground or otherwise made inaccessible from the outside to small children.
(Zoning Code, Art. III Part I)