On through lots one hundred fifty feet or less in depth, the height of a building on such lot may be measured from the sidewalk level of the street on which the building fronts. On through lots of more than one hundred fifty feet in depth, the height regulations and basis of height measurements for the street permitting the greater height shall apply to a depth of not more than one hundred fifty feet from that street.

(Prior code § 9750)

A.

Penthouses or roof structures for the housing of elevators, stairways, tanks, ventilating fans, or similar equipment required to operate and maintain the building; fire or parapet walls, skylights, towers, roof signs, flagpoles, smokestacks, and similar structures may be erected above the height limits prescribed by this chapter, but no penthouse or roof structure or any other space above the height limit prescribed for the zone in which the building is located shall be allowed for the purpose of providing additional floor space. The height of antennae is governed by Chapter 17.93 of this code.

B.

Chimneys may be erected above the height limits prescribed by this title, but in no event shall a chimney be allowed to exceed a height of six feet from the point where it penetrates the roof.

(Ord. 1247 § 5, 2006: prior code § 9751)

(Ord. No. 1375, § 4, 2-9-16)

Except as provided in this chapter every required front, side and rear yard shall be open and unobstructed from the ground to the sky. No yard or open space provided around any building or buildings for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this chapter as it pertains to any given lot shall be considered as providing a yard or open space on any adjoining property.

(Prior code § 9752)

When the common boundary line separating two contiguous lots is covered by a building or permitted group of buildings, such lots shall constitute a single building site, and the side yard as required by this chapter shall then not apply to such common boundary line.

(Prior code § 9753)

Where two or more buildings are, by definition of this chapter, considered main buildings, then the front yard requirement shall apply only to the building closest to the front lot line and the rear yard requirements shall apply only to the building closest to the rear lot line, and there shall be a distance between such main buildings equal to twice the required width of the side yard on such lot.

(Prior code § 9754)

A building or structure shall not be erected or maintained on a lot which abuts a highway having only a portion of its required width dedicated, or where no part of such dedication would normally revert to the lot if the highway were vacated, unless the yards provided and maintained in connection with such building or structure have a width or depth of that portion of the lot needed to complete the road width, plus the width or depth of the yards required on the lot by this chapter, if any. This section applies to all zones and whether or not yards are required.

This section does not require a yard of such width or depth as to reduce the buildable width of a corner lot to less than forty feet.

(Prior code § 9755)

Front yard requirements shall be measured from the front property line or the indicated edge of a public or private street for which a precise plan exists or from the edge of any setback established by a setback ordinance, whichever is the greatest distance from the centerline of the street.

(Prior code § 9756)

Editor's note— Section 8 of Ord. No. 1375, adopted Feb. 9, 2016, repealed former § 17.48.080 which pertained to modified front yard on cul-de-sac, and derived from prior code § 9757.

Notwithstanding the modified required front yard around a cul-de-sac, the depth of the standard required front yard shall continue to be used in determining the required width of a lot on a cul-de-sac.

(Prior code § 9758)

Where there is not a clear ability to determine the orientation of the required yards, the planning commission may determine the front, sides and rear yards of property as necessary. Based upon the determination by the planning commission of the orientation of the required yards of a property, the provisions of this title shall apply.

(Ord. 1177 § 3 (part), 2000)

All corner lots subject to yard requirements shall maintain for safety vision purposes a triangular area; one angle of which shall be formed by the front and street side edge of roadway, and the sides of such triangle forming the corner angle shall be fifteen feet in length measured from the aforementioned angle. The side of the triangle shall be a straight line connecting the last two mentioned points which are distant fifteen feet from the intersection to the front and side lines, and within the area comprising the triangle, no tree, wall, fence, hedge or shrub or other physical obstruction higher than forty-two inches above the established grade shall be permitted as follows:

A.

Corner lots, which as of May 30, 1990, comply with such rule, as set forth above, no violations of such rule shall be permitted.

B.

Corner lots, which as of May 30, 1990, are not in compliance, shall be subject to a noticed public hearing to determine whether (based upon a study, evaluation, and a finding by the chief of police) a traffic and safety problem exists with regard thereto.

C.

If the city council determines pursuant to subsection B of this section, that such corner lot constitutes a hazard with regard to such corner sight obstructions with regard to the configuration, physical conditions, hazard, pedestrians, obstructed vision, speed or other reasons, that the city council may order the removal in whole or in part of such obstructions, fences, walls, berms, or vegetation down to street level in order to remove the hazard.

D.

Any violation of this section or order of the city council shall be deemed a misdemeanor.

(Ord. 1067 § 1, 1990: prior code § 9759)

Front yard and side yard requirements shall not be applicable to dwellings and apartments erected above stores.

(Prior code § 9760)

A.

Cornices, Eaves, Etc. Cornices, eaves, belt courses, sills and other similar architectural features may extend or project into a required side yard; provided, that in no case may such encroachment be located closer than three feet to any property line, nor nearer to finish ground level than seven feet.

B.

Fireplaces. A fireplace structure, not wider than eight feet measured parallel to the side lot line upon which it faces and which is incorporated as a part of the side of the main building, may project into the required side yard a distance of eighteen inches, provided such projection does not reduce the remaining side yard to less than three feet.

C.

Fire Escapes. A fire escape may extend or project into any front or side yard not more than four feet.

D.

Stairways and Balconies. An open, unenclosed stairway or balcony not covered by a roof or canopy may extend or project into a required front yard not more than thirty inches.

E.

Uncovered Porches and Platforms. An uncovered porch, platform or landing place which does not extend more than six inches above finish grade or above the level of the first floor of the building, whichever is lesser, may extend or project into any required front or side yard not more than six feet, provided such projection in a side yard shall not reduce to less than three feet the unobstructed pedestrian way or sidewalk on ground level.

F.

Guard Railings. Guard railings for safety projection around depressed ramps, open work fences, hedges, or landscape architectural features not more than forty-two inches in height may be located in any front or side yard.

G.

The director may grant minor variances allowing wing walls and porte cocheres to project into a required side yard to within three feet of the property line.

H.

A covered porch (with or without supports and nonhabitable) may encroach six feet into the front yard setback, but may be no closer than ten feet to the property line.

I.

A single-story garage measuring less than six hundred square feet, no more than fifteen feet in height from slab to the top of the ridge, considered as a group M occupancy, may be constructed within three feet of the side lot line and within three feet of the rear lot line.

(Ord. 1115 § 15, 1995; Ord. 1084 § 1 (part), 1992; Ord. 1076 § 1, 1992; prior code § 9761)

(Ord. No. 1466, § 76, 3-28-23)

The following standards shall apply to all walls and fences in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones:

A.

Front Yards. Walls and fences within the required front yard setback, as set forth in Sections 17.20.050, 17.24.050 and 17.28.100, shall not exceed a maximum height of forty-two inches.

B.

Interior Side and Rear Yards. Walls and fences not in excess of six feet in height are permitted on, or adjacent to, the interior side or rear property lines. The walls and fences shall be reduced to forty-two inches within the required front yard pursuant to the provisions of Section 17.48.130(A).

C.

Reverse Corner Lots. A wall or fence not in excess of six feet in height is permitted on, or adjacent to, the secondary street frontage property line except as follows:

1.

Primary Front Yard. The wall or fence shall be reduced to forty-two inches within the primary front yard, as required in Section 17.48.130(A).

2.

Adjacent to a Driveway. Where a driveway is located adjacent to the rear property line of the "reverse corner" property, the wall or fence shall be subject to the provisions of Section 17.48.100. For the purposes of this subsection, a driveway shall be determined to be "adjacent" to the rear property line of the "reverse corner" property if the edge of the portion of the adjoining driveway is within five feet of the property line of the "reverse corner" lot.

D.

Through Lots. Walls and fences a maximum six foot in height may be permitted within twenty-five feet of the secondary frontage property line, with the approval of a conditional use permit pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 17.60.

E.

Retaining Walls. The following provisions shall apply:

1.

Retaining a Cut. Where a retaining wall protects a cut below the natural grade and is located on the line separating lots, such retaining wall may be topped by a fence or wall of the same height that would otherwise be permitted at the location if no retaining wall existed.

2.

Retaining a Fill. Where a retaining wall contains a fill, the height of a protective open work fence or wall of not more than forty-two inches in height may be erected at the top of the retaining wall. For the purposes of this chapter, an open work fence means a fence in which the component solid portions are evenly distributed and constitute not more than sixty percent of the total surface area of the face of the fence. Examples of an open work fence include, but are not limited to, tubular steel, wrought iron and wooden pickets.

3.

Determination of a Cut or Fill. Where a retaining wall exists and no reasonable determination can be made that the subject retaining wall is retaining a cut or a fill, the maximum height of the wall or fence that may be placed on top of the subject existing retaining wall shall be determined by establishing the midpoint of the difference between the elevation of the two adjoining properties, and measuring upward. Regardless of the height of the existing retaining wall, an open work fence or wall of not greater than forty-two inches, as defined in subsection (E)(2) of this section, shall be permitted to be placed on top of the existing retaining wall.

F.

Minor Conditional Use Permit. The following fencing materials, features and designs shall require the approval of the director of a minor conditional use permit, pursuant to the provisions of Section 17.60.055.

1.

Barbed Wire. Fencing which includes barbed wire, razor wire or similar material.

G.

Decorative Features and Landscaping.

1.

Decorative features and items, such as entrance arbors, decorative yard lights and similar items greater than forty-two inches in height, but less than ten feet in height, within the required front yard setback are permitted, except as provided in Section 17.48.100.

2.

Landscaping, vegetation, trees and similar organically grown material shall not be subject to the height provisions contained in this chapter, except as provided in Section 17.48.100.

H.

Prohibited Fencing. Spiked fencing shall be prohibited in all zones. Points, spikes and sharp edges shall mean any end of a vertical bar that is capable of causing, or are likely to cause, injury to persons, pets or undomesticated animals. Barbed wire fencing shall be prohibited in all residential zoned property.

1.

Exceptions. For the purposes of this chapter, a wooden picket fence shall not be considered a spiked fence.

(Ord. 1197 §§ 1 and 2, 2002; Ord. 1177 § 3 (part), 2000: prior code § 9762)

(Ord. No. 1455, § 5(Exh. D), 5-24-22; Ord. No. 1466, § 77, 3-28-23)

Where two-family dwellings or multiple family dwellings, group houses, court apartments or row dwellings are arranged so that the rear of such dwellings abut upon the side yards, and such dwellings have openings onto such side yards used as a means of access to the dwellings, the required side yards to the rear of such dwellings shall be increased by one foot for each dwelling unit having an entrance or exit opening into or served by such yard, provided such increase need not exceed five feet. Open, unenclosed porches not extending above the level of the first floor may project into the required width of such side yard, provided such porches shall not reduce to less than three feet the unobstructed pedestrian way or sidewalk at the ground level.

(Prior code § 9763)

The minimum width of the side yard upon which dwellings front shall be not less than one and one-half times the width of the side yard to the rear of such dwellings. Open, unenclosed porches not extending above the level of the first floor may project into the side yard upon which such dwellings front a distance of not more than twenty percent of the width of such side yard.

(Prior code § 9764)

Any building which is the only building on a lot or building site is a main building unless authorized by variance.

(Prior code § 9765)

Through lots one hundred eighty feet or more in depth may be improved as two separate lots, with the dividing line midway between the street frontages, and each resulting one-half shall be subject to the control applying to the street upon which such one-half faces. If the division results in parcels having less than the minimum lot area required in this chapter, then no division may be made. If the whole of any through lot is improved as one building site, the main building shall conform to the zone classification of the frontage upon which such main building faces and no accessory building shall be located closer to either street than the distance constituting the required front yard on such street.

(Prior code § 9766)

No lot area shall be so reduced or diminished that the lot area, yards or other open spaces shall be smaller than prescribed by this chapter, nor shall the density of population be increased in any manner except in conformity with the regulations established by this chapter.

(Prior code § 9767)

Greater lot areas than those prescribed in the various zones may be required when such greater areas are established by the adoption of a precise plan, in the manner prescribed by law, designating the location and size of such greater required areas.

(Prior code § 9768)

When a lot has less than the minimum required area of width as set forth in any of the zones contained herein, or in a precise plan, and was of record on October 1, 1955, such lot shall be deemed to have complied with the minimum required lot area or width as set forth in any such zone or precise plan. The area per dwelling unit shall, however, remain as specified in each zone, except that such substandard lot shall qualify for one single-family residence, in any event.

(Prior code § 9769)

When any lot in any zone contains a greater area than the required minimum area of the zone in which it is contained, then each unit of the required minimum area contained in such lot may be utilized as a separate lot; provided, that any division does not create more than four lots and that each such lot thus created complies with the provisions of the subdivision title governing split lots.

(Prior code § 9770)

The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to limit or interfere with the installation, maintenance and operation of public utility pipelines and electric or telephone transmission lines or railroads when located in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Public Utilities Commission of the state of California, within rights-of-way easements, franchises or ownerships of such public utilities.

(Ord. 1084 § 1 (part), 1992; prior code § 9771)

One temporary real estate office and one temporary real estate billboard containing not more than one hundred twenty square feet in area may be located on any new subdivision in any zone; provided, that such office and billboard, if in any R zone, shall be removed at the end of two years from the date of recording of the map of the subdivision upon which said office and billboard are located.

(Ord. 1084 § 1 (part), 1992; prior code § 9772)

Temporary structures for the housing of tools and equipment or containing supervisory offices in connection with major construction on major construction projects may be established and maintained during the progress of such construction on such project; provided, that such temporary structure may not be maintained for a period exceeding one year.

(Ord. 1084 § 1 (part), 1992; prior code § 9773)

The storage of one trailer on any lot of record is permissive provided such trailer is not used for living or sleeping purposes while on the premises, is not connected to any sewer or water facility and is not located in any required front or side yard.

(Ord. 1084 § 1 (part), 1992; prior code § 9774)