Hawthorne, CA Zoning Ordinance

The principal objective to be served by the UOS (urban open space) zone and its application is to provide for outdoor recreation for the public health, safety and general welfare; for areas particularly suited for parks and recreation purposes; for areas of outstanding scenic, historic and cultural value; and for protection from hazardous natural and manmade features and forms.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982)

The following uses only are permitted in the UOS zone as hereinafter specifically provided and allowed by this chapter:

Property classified in the UOS zone shall be utilized for recreational purposes, including but not limited to:

Community gardens, and nursery stock uses;

Golf courses or golf driving ranges;

Historical buildings, sites, or landmarks;

Libraries;

Museums;

Public parks, playfields, swimming pools;

Schools, elementary, junior high and high schools, (public or nonprofit private), subject to the general provisions and conditions set forth in Section 17.14.020;

Nonprofit recreation centers;

Trails; hiking and bicycle;

10.

Other open space uses when interpreted by the planning commission as to performance standards as set forth in Chapter 17.10;

11.

Accessory buildings, structures and uses including, but not limited to, the following:

Recreational buildings and equipment,

Restroom facilities,

Concession stands (no alcoholic beverage sales, no separate enterprise),

Maintenance buildings and equipment yards,

Parking lots.

12.

Unclassified uses as provided for in Chapter 17.36.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982; Ord. 1836 § 1, 2005; Ord. 2185 § 6, 2019)

The establishment or operation of the following uses shall be permitted in a UOS zone only upon a conditional use permit authorizing such use being granted by the planning commission:

Arboretum and botanical gardens;

Boarding stables and equestrian trails;

Private recreation facility;

Exceptional use which, because of its unique characteristics, is found to meet one or more of the following criteria:

The use will have an adverse environmental impact on the surrounding pattern of development,

The use will be owned and/or operated by another governmental agency over which the city has only limited or no zoning authority.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982)

Every use permitted in the UOS zone shall be subject to the following conditions and limitations:

All uses shall conform to the general provisions, conditions and exceptions set forth in Chapters 17.06 through 17.12 and 17.38 through 17.62.

Parking areas, loading areas, and trash storage areas shall be developed and maintained in the manner specified by this code.

All landscaping and irrigation must comply with Chapter 17.89, Water Efficient Landscaping, of this title.

Any additional features shall be provided to meet any unusual or special requirements for police protection, health protection and fire protection as may be required by the law.

Storage shall be limited to accessory storage of materials or equipment utilized in connection with the primary use. Outside storage areas shall be entirely enclosed by a solid wall or equivalent view-obscuring fence of solid brick or decorative block, not less than six feet or more than eight feet in height.

On any boundary line which is a common property line with R classified property, a solid wall or viewobscuring fence of solid brick or decorative block, not less than six feet or more than eight feet in height, shall be installed and maintained for screening purposes and controlling trespass; except where the wall of a building is on such common property line, no separate wall need be installed along the portion of the property line occupied by the wall of a building; where said six or eight-foot wall is used to contain an outdoor activity or use, open, chainlink fencing may be added to the top of said fence to a height subject to the approval of the director of planning.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982; Ord. 1939 § 7, 2009; Ord. 2140 § 5, 2017)

In the UOS zone, there is no minimum lot area or lot width. No such lot shall be further reduced in area or width except:

An acquisition of a portion of a lot may be made for public purposes; or

When determined, in connection with the approval of a parcel map or tract map that the division of land will not detract from the open space character of the area.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982)

In the UOS zone the maximum lot coverage permitted by buildings and structures, i.e., the area included within the exterior walls and/or supporting columns of all roofed structures, shall not exceed forty percent of the lot area unless otherwise approved by a conditional use permit.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982)

There shall be no restriction on the height of buildings and structures in the UOS zone, except as may be required by the planning commission when approving a conditional use permit.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982)

Each lot in the UOS zone shall have a yard with a uniform depth of twenty-five feet from each abutting street, unless otherwise approved by the director of planning for the purpose of maintaining a larger contiguous open space area on the interior portion of a lot.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982)

On interior lots in the UOS zone, there is no required side or rear yard setback.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982)

All lighting of buildings, structures, landscaping, parking lots and recreation areas, as permitted, shall be directed away from adjoining properties.

(Ord. 1268 § 2, 1982)

Radios, Television Sets and Similar Devices. It is unlawful for any person within any UOS zone of the city to use or operate any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph, television set or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound between the hours of ten p.m. of one day and seven a.m. of the following day so as to create any noise which would cause the noise level at the property line to exceed the ambient noise level by more than five decibels.

Machinery, Equipment, Fans and Air-Conditioning. It is unlawful for any person to operate any machinery, equipment, pump, fan, air-conditioning apparatus or similar mechanical device in any manner so as to create any noise level at the property line of any property to exceed the ambient noise level by more than five decibels.

Ambient Noise Base Level.

For purpose of this section, the ambient noise level shall not in any event be less than the following levels at the respective times and zones, regardless of the ambient noise level actually measured:

Zone	Time	Decibels
Property zoned UOS and all residentially zoned property abutting such UOS zoned property	10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.	50 dBA
Property zoned UOS and all residentially zoned property abutting such UOS zoned property	7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.	60 dBA
Property zoned UOS other than that abutting residentially zoned property	Anytime	65 dBA

If the ambient noise level actually measured exceeds the above levels at the times and within the zones specified above, then the noise level actually measured shall be used as the "ambient noise level" for purposes of application of this subsection.

Decibel Measurement Criteria.

Any decibel measurement made pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be based on a reference sound pressure of 0.0002 microbars as measured in any octave band with center frequency, in cycles per second, as follows: 63, 125, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000 and 8,000, or as measured with a sound level meter using the "A" weighting network, using the slow meter response.

Measurements shall be taken with the microphone located at any point on the property line, but no closer than three feet from any wall and not less than three feet above the ground.

A minimum of three readings shall be taken at two-minute intervals. The sound level shall be the average of these readings.