Where permitted or required by this article, obscuring walls shall be subject to the following requirements:

(1)

Location. Required obscuring walls shall be placed inside and adjacent to the lot line except in the following instances:

a.

Where underground utilities interfere with placement of the wall at the property line, the wall shall be placed on the utility easement line located nearest to the property line.

b.

Subject to planning commission approval, required walls in a nonresidential district may be located on the side of an alley right-of-way closest to the adjacent residential zone when mutually agreed upon by affected property owners and residents. The continuity of the required wall shall be considered by the planning commission in reviewing such requests.

c.

Walls shall not extend closer to the front lot line than the required front setback.

(2)

Corner clearance. Obscuring walls shall comply with the specifications for maintenance of unobstructed sight distance for drivers, section 32-625.

(3)

Substitution or waiver.

a.

As a substitute for a required obscuring wall, the planning commission may, in its review of the site plan, approve the use of other existing or proposed living or manmade landscape features (such as closely spaced evergreens) that would produce substantially the same results in terms of screening, durability, and permanence. Any such substitute screening shall comply with the applicable requirements in sections 32-625 and 32-715.

b.

If a fence is approved by the planning commission as a suitable substitute for a required obscuring wall, the fence shall be constructed of redwood, cedar, or No. 1 pressure-treated wood. Chainlink fences shall not be permitted for screening purposes.

c.

The zoning board of appeals may waive the requirements for an obscuring wall only upon making the determination that:

1.

The adjoining residential district is in transition and will become nonresidential in the future; or

2.

Existing physical features provide adequate screening.

(4)

Wall specifications. Required walls shall be constructed of masonry material that is architecturally compatible with the materials used on the facade of the principal structure on the site, such as face brick, decorative block, or poured concrete with simulated brick or stone patterns. Alternately, walls may be constructed of pre-cast steel-reinforced panels, anchored in place by steel I-beam columns, provided that the pre-cast panels have a simulated brick or stone pattern that is compatible with the architecture of the principal structure. Required walls may not contain advertising or other signage.

(5)

Wall requirements. For the following uses and districts an obscuring wall shall be provided as specified along property lines that abut a residential district, except where landscaped screening is permitted by the planning commission in lieu of a wall (see section 32-715(e):

(Ord. of 7-16-1992, § 6.01)

(a)

General standards. Walls shall be permitted in residential districts, subject to the standards for location and height set forth in section 32-636. Walls in residential districts shall be constructed of masonry material that is architecturally compatible with the materials on the facade of the principal structure, such as face brick or decorative block, based upon the determination of the building official.

(b)

Subdivision entrance structures. Residential subdivision entrance structures, such as walls, columns or gates that mark the entrance to a single-family subdivision or multiple-family development, shall be permitted in the required setback area, provided that all of the following conditions are met:

(1)

The entrance structure shall comply with the requirements for unobstructed site distance in section 32-625.

(2)

Entrance structures shall not exceed four feet, six inches in height.

(3)

Entrance structures shall not be located in the existing or planned right-of-way.

(4)

Approval of the building official and issuance of a building permit shall be required prior to construction.

(5)

Signage on the entrance structure shall comply with article XI of this chapter.

(Ord. of 7-16-1992, § 6.02)