Camarillo Municipal Code Ch. 19.38 Walls, Fences, and Landscaping

The purposes of this chapter include to:

A. Regulate the location and height of walls, fences and landscaping, so as to provide for the beneficial use of private property, while protecting the public safety of persons using sidewalks and streets from visibility impacts.

B. Protect the public welfare by enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the city through the regulation of landscaping and the use of water for landscape irrigation purposes.

(Ord. 403 § 1 (part), 1978: prior code § 9502 (part).)

(Ord. No. 1090, § 1, 6-11-2014)

A. Wall and fences not exceeding six feet in height shall be permitted along all side and rear yard lot lines. All walls and fences in any front yard may not exceed three feet in height. In the corner cutback area of corner lots, the height of mature landscaping without pruning, walls, fences, or other obstructions may not exceed three feet in height unless visual clearance can be shown due to the open type of landscaping proposed and a determination is made by the director of public works as to the adequacy of visual clearance.

B. Notwithstanding the above provisions, existing walls and fences shall be permitted to remain unless the wall or fence creates a public nuisance or a public hazard.

C. Fences enclosing tennis courts located in the rear half of a lot may be over six feet in height and shall be wire mesh or other materials whose vertical surface is not more than forty percent solid.

D. A fence, wall or hedge may be located or maintained along the side or rear lot lines provided such fence, wall, or hedge does not exceed six feet in height and does not extend into the required front yard or a side yard along the street side of a reverse corner lot. If access is provided to the rear of a reverse corner lot, a fence or wall shall be limited to three feet in height.

E. When within five feet of the opposite sides of a fence or wall the ground level differs by more than two feet, the wall may be increased in height one foot for each two feet of difference in grade but in no case greater than eight feet. The wall design shall be approved by the department of public works.

(Ord. 403 § 1 (part), 1978: prior code § 9502(A).)

A fence or wall six feet in height may be required by the director of public works or director of planning and community development along the perimeter of any area considered dangerous when one of the following is determined to be a physical hazard, such as frequent inundation, erosion, excavation, or grade differential.

(Ord. 403 § 1 (part), 1978: prior code § 9502(B).)

A. Security fencing as required by any governmental agency or jurisdiction shall be permitted notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter within the general yard setback area.

B. Barbed wire and concertina wire may only be used in the commercial industrial zones under a permit from the director of planning and community development.

(Ord. 403 § 1 (part), 1978: prior code § 9502(C).)

A. Intersection Visibility at Uncontrolled Intersections.

1. At intersections where traffic is not required to stop on any approach, there shall be no visual obstruction within the corner cutoff area of any corner lot. The corner setback shall be defined by a line on a horizontal plane connecting two points along the front and side street property lines and forming a triangle. These points shall be measured fifty feet back from the intersection or the prolongation of the front and street side property lines. Properties that were approved or developed prior to April 26, 1995 shall be considered exempt and may continue to be subject to the comer setback of thirty feet as measured from the front and side lot line.

2. Projects which are located in a planned development area with private streets would be considered under a residential planned development permit subject to review and approval by the planning commission. However, intersecting streets from the private project to the public street shall comply with the corner cutback provision or include appropriate traffic control measures approved by the city.

B. Intersection Visibility at Controlled Intersections. At controlled intersections, the procedure for providing the "sight triangle" which is the area to be clear of obstruction for sight distance at controlled intersections shall be in accordance with Caltrans Design Manual (Figure 1, set out at the end of this section, illustrates the sight triangle). The manual specifies a driver eye height of 3.5 feet, an approaching vehicle height of 4.25 feet, a driver's eye setback of fourteen feet from the flowline (four-foot stop bar setback plus ten-foot eye setback from the stop bar) and the sight distances included in Table 1. Within the sight triangle, all objects shall be below three feet in height and above seven feet in height. In cases where providing intersection sight distance is unreasonable due to site characteristics as determined by the director of engineering services and the director of planning and community development, adjustment can be made as long as a safe stopping sight distance can be provided. Examples of unreasonably costly conditions include areas where a wall or building exists on an adjoining lot or in hillside areas where extreme grading would be necessary.

Table 1 Sight Distance at Controlled Intersections

[Figure]

(Ord. 874, § 1, 1997; Ord. 403, § 1 (part), 1978; prior code § 9502(D).)

The city council may by resolution establish guidelines for the regulation of landscaping and irrigation within the city. Residential, commercial, and industrial development projects that include new landscaping modifications to existing landscaping must comply with such guidelines.

(Ord. No. 1090, § 2, 6-11-2014)