Landscaping. Prior to issuance of a grading or building permit, the applicant shall submit a landscaping plan to the planning division for approval. Vegetation provided for in the plan shall be situated on the property so as not at any time (given consideration of its future growth) to obstruct significantly the primary view from private property, and shall otherwise be in conformance with all city requirements. Vegetation, excepting that with a mature height of six feet or less, shall not be planted on the property unless in conformance with an approved landscaping plan. The planning manager/director may approve modifications to a landscaping plan. Assistance and information will be provided by the city biologist.
"Primary view" means visually impressive scenes of the Pacific Ocean, offshore islands, the Santa Monica Mountains, canyons, valleys, or ravines shall be protected. The planning manager/director shall assess the "primary view corridor" of any principal residence located within 1,000 feet of a proposed structure or addition. The primary view corridor shall be assessed from a single fixed location and direction within only one of the selected main viewing areas, at an elevation of five feet as measured from the room floor or on an abutting outdoor deck or patio at any one point within 10 feet of the nearest outside wall of the building as selected by the affected property owner and the city.
The "main viewing area" shall be limited to the ground floor of the principal residence, or the primary living area (excluding bedrooms) if not located on the ground floor, or abutting outdoor deck or patio area at relatively the same elevation as the ground floor of the principal residence whichever has the superior view corridor. Hallways, closets and mechanical rooms shall not be considered main viewing areas.
The planning manager/director shall determine the "main viewing area" by balancing the nature of the view to be protected and the importance of the area within the structure where the view is taken.
The affected property owner shall be entitled to one primary view corridor; and once finally determined for a particular application, the main viewing area and primary view corridor may not be changed for any subsequent application. In the event the city and owner cannot agree on the main viewing area, the decision of the city shall control.
The width of the primary view corridor shall extend the entire width of the protected primary view not to exceed a maximum of 180 degrees in width from the selected fixed location and direction. The primary view corridor shall exclude the first 18 feet of the proposed building height as measured from the existing natural grade or finish grade whichever results in a lower building height. No view obstruction within blue-water ocean, mountain or canyon-view elements per project shall be permitted. Existing foliage shall be considered to have no visual impact to the primary view corridor. New foliage shall not be placed in a manner that creates visual impacts to the primary view corridor and shall meet all landscaping requirements as outlined in this section.