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Title 13 — Planning, Zoning and Development›Chapter V — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS›Article 9 — General Site Improvement Standards

§ 13-74. Elevation and screening requirements.

Costa Mesa Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Costa Mesa

  • (a) The finished elevations of all buildings, structures, walls and fences shall be approved by the planning division.

  • (b) All trash containers and mechanical equipment, such as air conditioning compressors, duct work, and vents shall be screened from public rights-of-way and adjacent properties.

  • (c) Temporary receptacles, as approved by the public services department for the purposes of public participation in the collection of recyclable products, shall not be considered a trash bin, container or receptacle subject to the requirements of this section. For the purposes of this section, temporary shall mean a period, or periods, of time not exceeding 90 days during any twelve-month period.

  • (d) Pipes and conduits including, but not limited to, plumbing pipes, vents, ducting, fire sprinkler systems and electrical conduits shall not be mounted on exterior walls and roofs.

    • (1) For existing pipes and conduits, painting to match the surrounding façade shall satisfy this requirement.

    • (2) If the wall, roof or other element(s) on which the pipe or conduit is located is structurally modified or demolished, the element(s) shall be relocated to conform with this standard.

  • (e) In residential zones, or in any zone adjacent to a residential development, ground mounted mechanical or electrical equipment proposed within eight feet of a neighboring property's windows or doors must comply with one of the mitigation methods listed below (subsections (e )(1) through (e)(3)):

    • (1) A minimum six foot-high block wall separates the equipment from the abutting property's window(s) and/or door(s) with a minimum separation of four feet between equipment and neighboring window(s) and/or door(s).

    • (2) The equipment does not generate more than 50 decibels (based on manufacturer specifications), is not greater than the minimum distance required by the building code and is setback at least five feet from between the equipment and neighboring window(s) and/or door(s).

(3) The equipment maintains the same setbacks and separations required for main structures. (Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97; Ord. No. 03-5, § 2, 6-2-03; Ord. 2025-07, 10/21/2025)

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▸ Contents — Costa Mesa Zoning Code
Costa Mesa Zoning Code
  1. ▸ Title 13 — Planning, Zoning and Development
    Overview
    1. Chapter I — IN GENERAL
    2. Chapter II — ZONING DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED
    3. Chapter III — PLANNING APPLICATIONS
    4. Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
    5. ▸ Chapter V — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
      Overview
      1. Article 1 — Residential Districts
      2. Article 2 — Residential Common Interest Developments
      3. Article 2.5 — Residential Small lot Subdivisions
      4. Article 3 — Commercial Districts
      5. Article 4 — Establishments Where Food or Beverages are Served
      6. Article 4.5 — Development Standards for Churches and Other Pla…
      7. Article 5 — Industrial Districts
      8. Article 5.5 — Non-Residential Common Interest Developments
      9. Article 6 — Planned Development
      10. Article 7 — Institutional and Recreational, Institutional and …
      11. Article 8 — Floor Area Ratios
      12. ▸ Article 9 — General Site Improvement Standards
        Overview
        1. § 13-70. Purpose.
        2. § 13-71. Utility requirements.
        3. § 13-72. Off-site improvement requirements.
        4. § 13-73. Trash enclosures.
        5. § 13-74. Elevation and screening requirements.
        6. § 13-75. Fences and walls.
        7. § 13-76. Right-of-way dedications.
      13. Article 10 — Floodway and Floodplain Districts
      14. Article 11 — Mixed-Use Overlay District
      15. Article 12 — Residential Incentive Overlay District
      16. Article 1 — Residential Districts
      17. Article 2 — Non-Residential Districts
      18. Article 3 — Development Standards
    6. Chapter VII — LANDSCAPING STANDARDS
    7. Chapter VIII — SIGNS
    8. Chapter IX — SPECIAL LAND USE REGULATIONS
    9. Chapter X — NONCONFORMING USES, DEVELOPMENTS AND LOTS
    10. Chapter XI — SUBDIVISIONS
    11. Chapter XII — SPECIAL FEE ASSESSMENTS
    12. Chapter XIII — NOISE CONTROL
    13. Chapter XIV — OIL DRILLING
    14. Chapter XV — GROUP HOMES
    15. Chapter XVII — AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE

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