§ 30-20. GENERAL REGULATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS.

[Added by Ord. #1557, § 9160.1]

The purposes of the general regulations and exceptions of this Chapter are to allow certain exceptions under specified conditions to the usual requirements of this Chapter and to provide for general regulations applicable to all zone classifications.

[Added by Ord. #1557, § 9160.2; Ord. #2101, § 14]

• a. Lot Areas Less Than Required. Where a person either owns or has a right of possession to any lot or parcel of land having less area than required by this Chapter by virtue of a duly recorded deed or contract of sale, the required area shall mean the area of such lot or parcel of land provided the deed or contract of sale, by which such right of possession was separated, was recorded prior to the following dates:

  1. In all residential zones: September 20, 1946;

  2. In the Automobile Parking Zone (P): February 20, 1951; and

  3. In all other zones: April 13, 2004.

• b. Substandard Lots. When several previously subdivided contiguous lots, each having less than the required area and width, are acquired by one owner, the required area shall mean the total area of the resulting parcel and all future development shall conform to the provisions of this Chapter.

• c. Parcels Divided by City Boundaries. Where a parcel of land which would otherwise have been shown as one lot is divided into two or more lots because of a City boundary line, the required area shall mean the total area of such parcel of land.

• d. Lot Areas Affected by Street Widening.

  1. Where a building or structure is located on property acquired for public use, such building or structure may be relocated on the same lot or parcel of land although the lot area regulations of this Chapter cannot reasonably be complied with. Further, where any part of such a building or structure is acquired for public use, the remainder of such building or structure may be repaired, reconstructed or remodeled with the same or similar kinds of materials used in the existing building.

  2. If a lot or parcel of land contains the required area, and less than 45% of such lot or parcel of land is acquired for public use, the remainder shall be considered to comply with the lot area requirements of this Chapter.

[Added by Ord. #1557, § 9160.3; Ord. #1733, § 1; Ord. #1758, § 1; Ord. #2222, § 1]

• a. Permitted Projections into Required Yards.

  1. Fire escapes may protrude into any rear yard not more than four feet and into any side yard not more than three feet.

  2. Fireplaces, water heater closets, cornices, canopies, eaves, belt courses, sills and other similar architectural features may protrude into a front or rear yard not more than four feet and into a side yard not more than six inches for each one foot of required side yard width.

  3. Open, unenclosed stairways or balconies not covered by a roof or canopy may protrude into a required front or rear yard not more than four feet.

  4. Uncovered porches, platforms, or landing places which do not extend above the level of the first floor of the main building may protrude into any front yard or rear yard not more than six feet. Any open-work railing not more than 30 inches in height may be installed or constructed on any such porch, platform, or landing place.

• b. Use of Required Yards. Required yard or other open spaces around an existing building, or any building erected on or after May 4, 1978, shall not be considered as providing a yard or other open space for any other building on an adjoining lot or building site.

• c. Through Lots. Through lots or parcels of land 180 feet or more in depth in any residential zone may be improved as two separate lots or parcels of land with the dividing line midway between the street frontages provided each resulting half shall not be less than the required area and subject to the controls applying to the street upon which each such half faces. Through lots or parcels of land having a depth of less than 180 feet in any residential zone may be improved as two separate lots or parcels of land subject to approval by the Commission of a plot plan showing that each parcel shall not be less than the required area and to the controls applying to the street upon which each such parcel faces.

• d. Property Development Standards for Schools, Churches, Institutions, Small and Large Family Group Homes and Other Residential Care Facilities in Residential Zones.

  1. Setbacks. In all residential zones no building shall hereafter be erected, structurally altered, or used for a school, church, institution, large family group home, or other similar use permitted under the use regulations of this Chapter, unless such buildings are removed at least 15 feet from every boundary line of a property included in any residential zone and provided that no front yard as required in the zones nor any side yard as required in this subsection d1 shall be used for play or parking purposes.

  2. Overconcentration. In all residential zones no building shall hereafter be erected, structurally altered, or used for a school, church, institution, small or large group home or other residential care facility within 300 feet of any existing or proposed similar facility.

• e. Storage and Parking in Yards.

1. No portion of any residential yard area visible from a public right-of-way shall be used for the storage of motor vehicles, tents, trailers, airplanes, boats, or parts thereof, garbage or rubbish receptacles or the temporary hanging of clothing or rugs.

   2. No portion of any residential yard area shall be used for the storage of rubbish, garbage, junk, dismantled or inoperative vehicles, furniture equipment, appliances, or the storage of building materials (except building materials for use on the premises stored thereon during the time a valid permit is in effect for construction on the premises).

   3. "Storage" as used in this subsection shall mean the presence for a period of 48 consecutive hours or more of such restricted items.

   4. No portion of any unpaved front yard or street side yard shall be used for the parking of motor vehicles, airplanes, boats or trailers.

   5. Except for violation of paragraph 4 above, all other violations of this subsection shall constitute an infraction.

• f. Paving of Yards. Not more than 25% of any required front or street side yard shall be paved; provided, however, this requirement shall not be construed to reduce the paved area required for parking ingress and egress.

[Added by Ord. #1557, § 9160.4]

• a. Exceptions. Except as otherwise provided in this section, no building shall be erected, reconstructed, or structurally altered to exceed the height limit established by this Chapter for the zone in which such building is located. The following are exceptions:

  1. In the thirty-five-foot height zones, public or semi-public buildings, schools, hospitals, or institutions may be erected to a height not exceeding 75 feet when the required front, side, and rear yards are increased an additional one foot for each four feet in height that such buildings exceed 35 feet.

  2. Roof structures for the housing of elevators, stairways, tanks, ventilating fans, or similar equipment required to operate and maintain the buildings and fire or parapet walls, skylights, flagpoles, chimneys, domestic radio and television masts, or similar structures may be erected above the maximum height permitted in each zone. No structure shall be allowed for the purposes of providing additional floor space.

• b. Height Limits Around Airports. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code respecting height limitations, no building or structure erected or structurally altered on or after May 4, 1978, shall exceed a total height of 35 feet on land located within 1,000 feet of an airport. This provision shall apply regardless of the zone classification of the land.

[Added by Ord. #1557, § 9160.5; Ord. #1733,§ 1; Ord. #1921, § 1; Ord. #1941, §§ 10, 11; Ord. #2025, § 1; Ord. #2026, § 1]

• a. Trash Storage. All trash, refuse, garbage, combustible and noncombustible rubbish, garden refuse, and/or litter in any zone within the City shall be placed in and kept in receptacles, and, where applicable, such receptacles shall conform with the provisions of Chapter 21 . All such receptacles shall be kept and stored in such manner as to be concealed from the public view, except for the purpose of collection and removal as provided in Chapter 21 and where such receptacles are for the primary use of customers on the premises.

• b. Trailers.

  1. No trailer shall be used for living or sleeping quarters in any zone, except when such trailer is located in an approved trailer park.

  2. A trailer may be used as a temporary structure for temporary occupancy by operators of fireworks stands and Christmas tree lots but not to exceed a period of 30 days within any calendar year.

  3. The Planning Director may permit the temporary use of trailers for offices and classrooms, except that the continuance of such use for more than six months shall require a conditional use permit from the Commission.

• c. Corrugated Metal. Corrugated metal shall not be used as an exterior wall, fence, or roof in any zone.

• d. Fences and Walls. The provisions of Section 30-44 of this Chapter shall apply.

• e. Small Collection Facilities for Schools, Churches and Community Facilities. Schools, churches and community facilities which are licensed by the City of Compton may operate a small collection facility on the premises a maximum of 10 days a year (the provisions of subsection 30-12.4i of this Chapter shall apply).

• f. Compliance with Trash Enclosure Requirements. All uses which do not have a trash enclosure in conformance with the provisions of this Chapter shall be required to comply on or before one year from the date of adoption unless a variance is granted pursuant to the provisions of the Chapter.

• g. Trash Bins and/or Containers. It shall be unlawful to cause any trash bin and/or container to be or remain outside of the trash enclosure, where such enclosure is required by this Code, except during trash collection operations. The terms of this section shall apply equally to owners, operators and lessees of the property at which the offense occurs, and to persons engaged in the collection of trash from said premises.

• h. Penalties. Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, failure to keep and store trash bins and/or containers within a trash enclosure, except during trash collection operations, as required by this Chapter is hereby deemed an infraction unless the City Attorney files the violations as a misdemeanor whenever a continuing violation is shown to exist. A continuing violation is deemed to be two or more violations for the same or different sections of the Municipal Code whereupon the violator was previously cited for an infraction.

, except during trash collection operations, as required by this Chapter is hereby deemed an infraction unless the City Attorney files the violations as a misdemeanor whenever a continuing violation is shown to exist. A continuing violation is deemed to be two or more violations for the same or different sections of the Municipal Code whereupon the violator was previously cited for an infraction.

• i. Razor Wire, Concertina Wire, Cut Glass. Razor wire, concertina wire and/or cut glass shall not be used on the exterior surface of any wall, fence, building, structure, or roof in any zone within the City, unless an exemption has been granted by the Chief of Police, or his or her designee, when such use is deemed necessary and there exists no reasonable alternatives for security purposes. An exemption may be granted only for property located in a Light Manufacturing Zone (M-L) or Heavy Manufacturing Zone (M-H).

[Ord. #2101, § 14]

This subsection is established to provide standards for the outside storage and display of merchandise and equipment in the commercial and manufacturing zones.

• a. Limited Commercial (C-L) and Commercial Manufacturing (C-M) Zones. All uses, storage and display shall be located entirely within a building except for the following:

  1. Automobile sale or rental display areas (subject to approval by the Architectural Review Board);

  2. Automobile service stations (a maximum of 30 square feet may be used to display, but not store, auto related items);

  3. Childcare centers (play areas);

  4. Carnivals, temporary;

  5. Christmas tree lots;

  6. Employee and customer parking (24 hours or less);

  7. Florist shops (a maximum of 30 square feet may be used to display flowers and plants);

  8. Monument and tombstone sales (a maximum of 30 square feet may be used to display, but not store, monuments and tombstones);

  9. Motorcycle sales display areas (subject to approval by the Architectural Review Board);

  10. Pottery and porcelain sales (a maximum of 30 square feet may be used to display, but not store, pottery and porcelain);

  11. Nurseries, horticultural;

  12. Restaurants, outside seating areas (subject to approval by the Architectural Review Board);

  13. Special outside sales may be permitted as an accessory use to any licensed use provided, however, such sales shall require a separate license and shall not be held on more than 12 days in any calendar year;

  14. Shoeshine and newsstands (subject to approval by the Architectural Review Board); and

  15. Storage of commercial vehicles, limited to four operating vehicles (cars, pickup trucks or vans only) maintained as an accessory to a permitted use.

• b. Limited Manufacturing (M-L) and Heavy Manufacturing (M-H) Zones. The outside storage and display of merchandise, materials or equipment in conjunction with a permitted use shall be permitted as follows:

  1. Any outside storage or display permitted in the Limited Commercial (C-L) or Commercial Manufacturing (C-M) zones;

  2. Accessory storage and display areas not to exceed 30% of the size of the building (subject to screening and approval by the Architectural Review Board);

  3. Accessory parking of service vehicles, including trucks (24 hours or less);

  4. Boat sales (subject to approval by the Architectural Review Board);

  5. Truck, trailer and recreational vehicles sales and rental display areas (subject to approval of the Architectural Review Board);

• c. Development Standards. Except for those uses listed in paragraphs a and b, above, all outside operations, display and storage, including equipment, shall comply with the following standards:

1. Fences, Walls and Gates.

   • (a) All outside storage and display shall be conducted within an area enclosed by solid fences, walls and gates developed and constructed in accordance with Section 30-44 of this Chapter;

• (b) All fences, walls and gates visible from a public right-of-way shall conform to the provisions of the Uniform Paint Ordinance and the Corridor Improvement Plan and shall be landscaped or treated with an anti-graffiti substance approved by the City;

2. Paving. The entire yard shall be paved with a minimum thickness of two inches of asphalt on a minimum of four inches of aggregate base material or a minimum of four inches of Portland cement concrete or other approved permanent impervious surfacing material.

3. Parking. The provisions of Section 30-21 of this Chapter shall apply.

4. Landscaping. The provisions of Section 30-43 of this Chapter shall apply.

5. General.

   • (a) No materials, equipment or wrecked or dismantled vehicles shall be placed or allowed to remain outside the enclosed yard area or stored at a height greater than that of the surrounding fence, wall or gate.

   • (b) Required parking spaces shall not be used for the storage of materials or parking of equipment or wrecked or dismantled vehicles.

6. Violations. The violation of this subsection is an infraction. The penalty for the violation of this subsection is a fine of $50 for the first violation, $75 for the second violation and $100 for each additional violation of this subsection within one year. The City Attorney shall have the authority to file the violation as a misdemeanor when a continuing violation is shown to exist. A continuing violation is deemed to be two or more violations for the same or different sections of the Municipal Code whereupon the violator was previously cited for an infraction.