Chapter 19.328 — Development Standards—Fences, Walls, Hedges, and Berms

• A. Required Permits and Approvals. No fence shall be constructed within any single-family residential zoning district until the plans and design for such fence have been approved by the Planning Director pursuant to the zoning compliance review procedure (Section 19.128.090 ).

  1. Building Permit. Fences and walls may require a building permit as required by the California Building Code. Fences over 6 feet in height and block walls will require a building permit with the exception of the following: block or retaining walls that are not over 4 feet (1,219 mm) in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge.

• B. All fences, whether required or not, shall be located and limited in accordance with provisions of this Division.

• C. Fences are required under various provisions of this Division and other laws, including, but not limited to, the screening and protection of parking areas, storage areas, swimming and therapeutic pools, and utility facilities.

• D. Such required fences together with the facilities and activities required to be enclosed shall be located so as not to conflict with open space and yard setback requirements.

• E. Conflict with State Law. In the case of fencing requirements pursuant to state law which unavoidably conflict with the requirements of this Division, the State requirements shall prevail.

• (Ord. 1754, 6/24/2025)

• A. Each fence, wall, or screen shall comply with the height limits and locations shown in Table 19.328.020.

• B. Fence height shall be measured as the vertical distance between the finished grade at the base of the fence and the top edge of the fence material. Grade shall not be modified in order to increase fence height.

Notes:

(1) Non-view obscuring shall mean a design which does not obscure sight through more than 25 percent of the area in the vertical plane.

(2) Except as restricted above, the maximum height of any fence in residential zones shall be 7 feet, except where a greater height is required for noise reduction as determined by an acoustic analysis.

(3) Fences within required vision clearance areas adjacent to driveways or alleys intersecting with public streets must not obscure sight through more than 25 percent of the area in the vertical plane between 2 feet and 7 feet in height.

(Ord. 1754, 6/24/2025)

• A. All fences in each RS zone, whether required or not, shall:

  1. Utilize no salvaged materials unless reconditioned or refinished to the satisfaction of the Community and Economic Development Director;

  2. Be suitably finished on both sides unless the applicant prefers the lesser finish facing their property, such as stringers on interior for security purposes and stucco versus non-stucco finish;

  3. Shall be architecturally compatible with the primary structure and include matching paint, finish, and trim cap of the building;

  4. All fences shall be maintained in good repair and appearance;

  5. Unfinished wood or metal are not permitted.

• B. Vision Clearance Area. Any fence within a required vision clearance area adjacent to any driveway or alley where it intersects with a public street. The design of such fence shall provide a minimum of 4 inches of spacing between the vertical or horizontal elements between 2 feet and 7 feet in height.

• C. Any masonry wall shall be of a minimum 6-inch-wide block construction. In addition, the wall shall be of ornamental masonry in earth tone colors compatible with the structures on the property. Standard grey or pink block shall not be considered as ornamental masonry and may not be used except to match existing adjacent walls.

• D. Prohibited Materials. The following fence materials are prohibited in each RS zone unless approved by the designated approval authority for security needs or required by the City, State, federal law, regulation, or as specified below.

  1. Chain link fencing.

  2. Barbed wire or electrified fencing.

3. Razor or concertina wire in conjunction with a fence or wall, or by itself.

(Ord. 1754, 6/24/2025)

• A. Any parallel fences constructed with less than three (3) feet separation shall be considered double fences. It is the intent of the City to discourage double fences whenever possible in order to avoid areas in which children and animals may become lodged, areas which may encourage rodent infestation, and areas which may accumulate litter, debris, and weeds.

• B. In instances where double fences are unavoidable, the gap between the fences shall be completely sealed with flashing, cement cap, or other material in a manner acceptable to the Planning and Building Divisions.

• C. Where a new fence is required along a property line and an existing fence or wall is located on the opposite side of the property line, the Director of Community and Economic Development may suspend the requirement for the new fence provided that the existing fence can substantially satisfy all requirements of this Division and/or any conditions of an approval. Such suspension shall become null and void once the adjacent wall or fence is removed or found unacceptable by the Director and the requirement for the new fence shall be complied with at such time.

(Ord. 1754, 6/24/2025)