01-07-2003 - Code Amendment #02-02 Related to Walls, Fences, & Hedges (Including Driveway Cutback Area)t
City of West Covina
Memorandum
TO: Andrew G. Pasmant, City Manager AGENDA
and City Council
ITEM NO. C-1
FROM: Douglas N. McIsaac, Planning Director DATE January 7, 2003
SUBJECT: CODE AMENDMENT NO. 02-02 RELATED TO WALLS, FENCES AND
HEDGES (INCLUDING DRIVEWAY CUTBACK AREA)
RECOMMENDATION: .
The Planning Commission and staff recommend that the City Coun ' introduce ordinance
(Attachment "A") approving Code Amendment No. 02-02.
DISCUSSION:
On August 6, 2002, the City Council directed the Planning Commission to study an issue related
to Section 26-413 of the Zoning Code pertaining to "driveway cutback areas" in single-family
residential zones. The Planning Commission held a study session on October 8, 2002 to discuss
the issue and provided direction to staff. On December 10, 2002, the Planning Commission
voted to recommend approval of Code Amendment No. 02-02 as set forth in the attached exhibit.
Driveway Cutback Area:
The purpose and intent of the existing "driveway cutback" regulation is to ensure that there are
no visual obstructions within this area that would make it difficult for a motorist backing out of a
driveway to see a pedestrian walking across the path of the vehicle. In some cases, however, the
existing regulations are unnecessary and/or inequitable.
As recommended by the Planning Commission, the proposed code amendment would eliminate the
existing driveway cutback regulations in the front yard, which prohibit any walls, fences, or hedges
within a triangular area on either side of the end of a driveway. Instead, it was determined that the
existing height limit of 42 inches on solid walls, fences, and hedges within the front yard was
sufficient to provide the necessary visibility.
The driveway cutback regulation, however, was reestablished for driveways on a street side yard
where currently solid walls, fences, and hedges up to six feet in height are permitted. In addition,
the amendment would modify the method in which the cutback is measured. Currently, the code
requires the area to be measured from the property line, whether or not a sidewalk exists in the
public parkway. The proposed amendment would allow the cutback to be measured from the curb,
if no sidewalk exists in the parkway. In these type of situations, starting the cutback area at the curb
line is not generally needed as there is no walkway for pedestrians to travel upon.
Hedge Height:
The second issue is the zoning regulation of hedges. The Zoning Code currently regulates the
height hedges the same as walls and fences. The question was raised as to whether the height of
hedges should be regulated or amended to be less restrictive. Upon deliberating this issue, the
planning Commission recommended to continue to regulate the height of hedges the same as
walls and fences, with the exception that hedges in side and rear yards adjacent to arterial streets
or commercial areas should be allowed an additional height up to ten feet.
ZACase Files\CODE AMEND\2002\CA 02-02 DRiveway cutback\CC\CodeAmendSR-drivewaycutback I ec.doc
Code Amendment No. 02-02
Permitted Walls, Fences, and Hedges
January 7, 2003- Page 2
PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION:
On December 10, 2002, the Planning Commission held a public hearing and voted unanimously
to recommend approval of the proposed code amendment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
It is not anticipated that the proposed code amendment will have any significant fiscal impact.
r
Re ed/Approved by: Douglas McIsaac
Planning Director
Attachments:
Attachment A
— Draft Code Amendment Ordinance
Attachment B —
Planning Commission Staff Report Code Amendment No. 02-02
Attachment C —
Planning Commission Resolution
ZACase Files\CODE AMEND\2002\CA 02-02 DRiveway cutbackWC\CodeAmendSR-drivewaycutback I mdoc
January 07, 2003 5:14 PM Joanne Wilner 626-019-4416 p.01
January 7, 2003
Please orally read my letter into the record.
To the City Council:
Re: Agenda item C-1 related to walls, fences, and hedges
Safety, visibility, and beauty through openness is what I believe the Council has in mind with this
ordinance. If so, then I ask the following questions.
1- What action will be taken to enforce this code? There appears to be many violations to it at this
time.
2- The code speaks to hedges that can block view, but what of trees that are located in the triangles by
the driveways or columns of cypress that create a solid mass or foliage from trees that hangs down in
the area that's over 42 inches and under the top limit permitted for a fence?
3- Am I correct that this code effects a neighbor's landscaping when my driveway is less than 10 feet
from the property line?
4- How will residents receive notification of these rules? I think 90 % or more people do not know any of
our landscaping or other rules and regs regarding maintenance and construction on property.
Sorry I cannot be here to hear the answers to my questions.
Joanne Wilner
2108 Casa Linda Dr.
91791
N0720J
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
``,! OF WEST COVIi`dr?
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE
affiliated with
SGV Newspaper Group
1210 N. Azusa Canyon Road
West Covina, CA 91790
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
County of Los Angeles
IJpd Ge UUIUW [Ur use 01 %,UU11Ly %,ierK vliry)
AN 2 2663
V2 - DEC 33 _, j59
WES f COVINA
FINANCE DEH.
PROOF OF PUBLICATION
(2015.5 C.C.P.)
am a citizen of the United States, and a resident
of the county aforesaid; I am over the age of
eighteen years, and not a party to or interested in
the above -entitled matter. I am the principal clerk of
the printer of SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, a
newspaper of general circulation which has been
adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation
by the Superior Court of the County of Los
Angeles, State of California, on the date of
September 10, 1957, Case Number 684891. The
notice, of which the annexed is a true printed copy,
has been published in each regular and entire issue
of said newspaper and not in any supplement
thereof on the following dates, to wit:
12/27/02
I declare under penalty of perjury that the
foregoing is true and correct.
Executed at West Covina, LA Co. California
this 27 day of DECEMBER , 20 02
1
sign re
13
NOTICE OF PUBLIC I4EARI
CITY OF
COUNCIOL COVINA
PURSUANT TO THE LAW AND IN
CONFORMANCE I WITH 11THE
NOTIFIED
MUNICIPALRE HEREBY
OF ADPUBLIC E YOU AHEARING OF
THE WEST CITY OF WEST COVINA
CITY COUNCIL.
CODE AMENDMENT NO. 02 02
GENERAL EXEMPTION
APPLICANT: City of West Covin 1a
LOCATION: Citywide
REQUEST: The proposed code
amendment consists of certain
amendments to Chapter 26 (Zoning) of
the West Covina Municipal Code
amending regulations related to
permitted walls, fences and r hedges
(including the driveway cutback`area) in
single-family residential zones.
The Proposed code amendment is exempt
from 'the _ provisions of the California
Environmental Quality Act Jf (CEQA)
pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the
'
CEQA Guidelines in that it consists of a.
code amendment, which does not have
the potential for causing a significant
)effect on the environment.
If you wish to challenge the Iaction (s)
i taken on the request(s), you I' may. be
limited to raising only those issues, which �
I you (or someone else) raised Morally at'I
this public hearing or inl, written
correspondence received by the ;City at orI
-before the hearing.
PUBLIC HEARING WILL BEIEHELD:
PLACE: ll
144t Covina West, Garvey a
y
4Avenue,;
South City Council Chambers j
Level One -
DATE: January 7, 2003
TIME: 7:00 P.M. 7P
q If you have any questions, we urge you to i
icontact Michael Hitz at (626) 939-8422 or
4 Room 208, at City Hall. i
Only - through citizen -participation can
your government.build a better City.
BY ORDER OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF WEST COVINA
Publish: December 27, 2002 lF
1-San Gabriel Valley Tribune Adll No. 102234