9392.1. - Outdoor storage and display standards enumerated.

No property in the commercial land use districts shall be used for outside storage or display of raw materials, equipment or finished products unless said storage complies with the following:

A.

Compliance. The activity shall comply with all the provisions of the land use district in which it is located.

B.

Yards. The activity shall not be provided in any required front, side, or street side yard and any required rear yard abutting property located in a residential land use district.

C.

Enclosure requirements:

1.

All outside display areas which are visible from the exterior boundary of the lot or parcel of land upon which the display is located shall be enclosed by a wall, landscaped berm or combination thereof.

2.

All such walls, or other enclosures shall be a minimum of six (6) feet in height and shall not exceed ten (10) feet in height.

3.

All walls shall be constructed of masonry, decorative concrete, or wrought iron, except that for temporary storage, the director may approve the use of other comparable materials such as wood or chainlink with redwood slats and/or vines provided that the director determines that such materials will not be detrimental to the surrounding area.

4.

All walls, or other enclosures shall provide a solid visual screen around the display, except that an area no greater than twenty-five (25) percent of the total surface area per property line may remain open, except that no more than fifty (50) percent of the total street frontage may be exposed.

5.

All gates shall be constructed of materials compatible with the material of the fence and/or wall to which such gates are attached.

6.

Whenever planting materials are used to form the required enclosure, all such materials shall provide the required height and amount of screening within one (1) year of planting.

7.

The director may modify the requirements for the design of any fence, wall, or other enclosure required hereunder in either of the following situations:

a.

Where the proposed outdoor display area is not visible from a street or highway, or from an area in a residential or agriculture district, and where it is located adjacent to a commercially zoned parcel which has been developed with another outside storage use; or

b.

Where the proposed outdoor display area is not visible from a street or highway, or from an area in a residential or agricultural district, and where existing fences, walls or buildings located adjacent to the outdoor display area provided adequate screening as determined hereunder.

In the event that any of these special conditions ceases to exist, then a wall or enclosure in full compliance with the terms of this sections shall be constructed within two (2) months after the cessation of the special condition.

D.

Landscaping requirements:

1.

A minimum of fifteen (15) percent of the outside display area shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs and ground cover as approved by the director. Wherever possible, the director shall require that native plants and existing trees be incorporated into the landscaping plan.

2.

All trees and shrubs shall be evergreen and shall be of a minimum size of fifteen (15) and five (5) gallons respectively.

3.

All landscaped areas shall be maintained in a neat, clean and healthful condition subject to the continuing review of the director. Such maintenance shall include proper pruning, mowing of lawns, weeding, removal of litter, fertilizing, replacement of plants when necessary, and regular watering of all plants.

4.

All landscaped areas shall have a fixed and permanent water system. All sprinklers used to satisfy the requirements of this provision shall be properly spaced throughout the landscaped area to assure complete coverage of the area.

5.

Container landscaping maintained for sale by a business may be utilized to screen outdoor storage and display areas in lieu of permanent landscaping and screen walls for business whose primary use is the sale of plant material, subject to the approval of the director of planning and community development. Required setbacks from public right-of-way and customer parking shall be permanently landscaped.

E.

Parking requirements. In addition to the parking requirements contained in section 9654 et seq. of this Code, any use subject to the provisions of this section shall provide one (1) parking space for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of outside display area. For the purposes of calculating this parking requirement, such outdoor display area shall include the interior landscaping areas.

F.

Display provisions.

1.

All products or merchandise displayed outside shall be located within the required enclosures. Container landscaping may be displayed outside an enclosure provided the business' primary use is the sale of plant materials. Hardscape materials and unsightly storage shall be screened by permanent landscaping and decorative screen walls from public right-of-way and other sensitive land uses. The location of plant material shall be subject to approval of the director of planning and community development.

2.

No products or merchandise displayed outside shall exceed the height of the required enclosures, except such products or merchandise, as approved by the director, which cannot feasibly be displayed at a height lower than the required enclosures.

All products or merchandise shall be displayed in the manner that such products or merchandise are used normally.

G.

Other requirements. The city may impose any other conditions he deems necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare.

H.

Violation of this section is an infraction and shall be punishable as provided in section 1200(b) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code.

(Ord. No. 142, § 1, 12-9-87; Ord. No. 219, §§ 1, 2, 10-28-92)