Hillsborough Municipal Code Ch. 12.08 Visibility

A. Whenever any outdoor fixture (as defined in Section 12.12.010), hedge, shrubbery or tree, located on or growing in any street right-of-way or upon any private property significantly obstructs the view of any intersection or of any traffic upon the streets approaching such intersection and, in the good faith judgment of the director of public works or the director's designee, creates a safety hazard, the director of public works or the director's designee may require the owner of the outdoor fixture, hedge, shrubbery or tree promptly to modify the same to the extent necessary to remove the obstruction to the view.

B. For street intersections having a ninety degree angle or less (or any larger angle where nonetheless, in the good faith judgment of the director of public works or the director's designee, certain outdoor fixtures or vegetation would constitute a traffic hazard), no vegetation which can exceed two and one-half feet in height, at maturity, above existing grade at the property line or pavement grade of the street, whichever is higher, shall be planted or maintained in the triangular area, defined below (provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to certain types of trees of a certain size and spacing as set forth in a policy established by the director of public works or the director's designee setting forth the height, trunk diameter, spacing, type, and other specifications of trees which do not obstruct the view), and no outdoor fixture taller than two and one-half feet above existing grade at the property line or pavement grade of the street, whichever is higher, shall be located in the triangular area (provided, however, that the director of public works or the director's designee may except any specific outdoor fixture which does not, in fact, obstruct the view). The triangular area is that area bounded on two sides by forty feet of the property lines abutting the street, as measured from the intersection of the property lines, and on the third side by a line connecting the property lines at points forty feet from their intersection, as illustrated in the following diagram:

[Figure]

C. Subject to the provisions of subsection B of this section, which shall control in the event of a conflict between that paragraph and this one, no hedge shall be maintained at a height greater than four feet if the hedge is twenty-five feet or less from the center line of the street; provided, however, that any hedge so located which was higher than four feet as of December 1998 may be maintained at its existing height until such time, if ever, as the hedge is reduced to below four feet, in which case the hedge shall thereafter be limited to a maximum height of four feet.

D. Whenever, in the good faith judgment of the director of public works or the director's designee, any material, plantings, shrubs, fences, walls, hedges, trees, vines, clippings, trimmings, or similar items (which are attached to, installed, constructed, planted, grown, stored, stacked or piled around, near, in front of or adjacent to any public fire hydrant, directional sign, regulatory or warning sign, catch basin, spillway, culvert or other public object) obstruct the view or clear visibility of or interfere in any manner with the primary purpose of such public fire hydrant, directional sign, regulatory or warning sign, catch basin, spillway, culvert or other public object, the director of public works or the director's designee may require the owner of the material, plantings, shrubs, fences, walls, hedges, trees, vines, clippings, trimmings, or similar items promptly to modify the same to the extent necessary to remove the obstruction or interference.

(Ord. 614 § 4 (part), 2000)