Laguna Woods Municipal Code Ch. 13.12 Open Space Districts

(a) Open space-passive (OS-P). To provide for the protection and preservation of open space areas for the purposes of passive recreation, visual enhancement, and resource conservation.

(b) Open space-recreation (OS-R). To provide for the development and preservation of public and private parks and associated recreation facilities within open space areas.

(Ord. No. 03-03, § 5(18.20.305), 4-16-2003; Ord. No. 11-01, § 4(Exh. 5), 1-19-2011)

State Law reference— Open space zoning, Government Code § 65913 et seq.

The Permitted Open Space Uses Table, which follows, specifies whether a use or structure is permitted within the respective district and denotes the type of application process required to establish said use or structure See Section 13.18.020 for those principally permitted uses that may be exempt from the site development permit process. _____

PERMITTED OPEN SPACE USES LEGEND:

1 An approved use permit is not required if the land use type is located on property owned by the City and the design thereof is subject to an approval process set forth in a lease agreement or other agreement approved by the City Council. In such cases, the land use type shall be considered permitted as the principal use within the district.

(Ord. No. 03-03, § 5(18.20.310), 4-16-2003; Ord. No. 11-01, § 4(Exh. 5), 1-19-2011; Ord. No. 11-02, § 6, 1-19-2011; Ord. No. 14-01, § 5, 4-16-2014; Ord. No. 15-02, § 2, 8-19-2015; Ord. No. 17-03, § 3(Exh. A), 4-19-2017; Ord. No. 17-05, § 5(Exh. A), 5-17-2017; Ord. No. 17-06, § 5(Exh. A), 7-19-2017; Ord. No. 17-10, § 3(Exh. A), 11-15-2017; Ord. No. 23-01, § 3(Exh. A), 8-16-2023; Ord. No. 23-03, § 3(Exh. A), 11-15-2023; Ord. No. 25-01, § 3(Exh. A), 3-19-2025)

The Open Space Development Standards Table, which follows, specifies standards for the development of property within open space districts.

Open Space Development Standards

Notes:

1 Except as otherwise provided for by an approved use permit, up to a maximum of 35 feet.

(Ord. No. 03-03, § 5(18.20.315), 4-16-2003; Ord. No. 11-01, § 4(Exh. 5), 1-19-2011; Ord. No. 25-01, § 3(Exh. A), 3-19-2025)

(a) Screening. Walls and fences over three feet in height shall be installed in accordance with the following limitations

(1) Nonopaque fences shall be a minimum of zero feet from the ultimate right-of-way line of any street or highway.

(2) Masonry or solid wood fences shall be shielded from view from any street or highway by landscaping, berm, or other topographic feature, and they shall be set back a minimum distance of five feet from the ultimate right-of-way line of any street or highway.

(3) Exceptions to Subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) above may be considered through the approval of a site development permit when it can be determined that such an exception will not result in or create a traffic hazard or conditions that may be considered objectionable, detrimental or incompatible with other uses in the vicinity.

(b) Lighting. All lights shall be designed and located so that direct light rays shall be confined to the premises.

(Ord. No. 03-03, § 5(18.20.320), 4-16-2003; Ord. No. 11-01, § 4(Exh. 5), 1-19-2011)