Lancaster Municipal Code Art. III School (S) Zone

The purpose of the School (S) zone is to implement policies contained in the Lancaster General Plan, particularly policies pertaining to school facilities, prescribed within the Public Use land use category. It is the further purpose of these regulations to provide the city and public with increased involvement in the planning of future uses at existing school sites, including working with local school districts and neighborhood residents on appropriate land uses for school sites no longer needed for educational purposes, coordination with the school districts on joint use of school facilities for community-wide use, and acquisition of closed school sites for recreation, childcare and other appropriate public purposes.

(Ord. No. 947, § 1, 7-13-2010)

The following categories of uses are permitted in the S zone subject to any stated exceptions, development regulations, and approval of the site plan as follows:

A. Schools—Public. This category is limited to elementary, middle, high-school and colleges and associated uses and activities including day care facilities and dormitories as appurtenant uses to public schools.

(Ord. No. 947, § 1, 7-13-2010)

The following uses may be permitted in the S zone provided a conditional use permit has first been obtained as provided in Article I of Chapter 17.32, and while such permit is in full force and effect in conformity with conditions of such permit:

A. Schools—Private. This category is limited to elementary, middle, high-school and colleges and associated uses and activities including day care facilities, dormitories, athletic facilities, and administrative offices as appurtenant uses to private schools.

(Ord. No. 947, § 1, 7-13-2010)

A. The following uses are considered as accessory uses to the permitted uses in the S Zone:

1. Community Education. For purposes of this chapter, community education includes uses customarily accessory to school uses including:

a. Citizen/parent-teachers' associations;

b. Camp Fire girls;

c. Boy and Girl Scout troops;

d. Boys and Girls Club;

e. School-community advisory councils, senior citizens' organizations, clubs, and associations formed for recreational, educational, political, economic, artistic, or moral activities of the public school districts;

f. Public, literary, scientific, recreational, educational, or public agency meetings; administration of examinations for the selection of personnel or the instruction of precinct board members by public agencies; and

g. Supervised recreational activities including, but not limited to, sports league activities.

B. The following uses are considered as temporary uses in the S zone:

1. Building materials, storage of, used in a building or construction project, during the construction and 30 days thereafter, including the contractor's temporary office provided that any lot or parcel of land so used shall be part of the project, or on property adjoining the construction site.

2. Temporary Commercial Coach. Use of commercial coaches as temporary offices subject to the provisions of Article X of Chapter 17.40 and this zone.

(Ord. No. 947, § 1, 7-13-2010)

A. General.

1. No new building or commercial coach shall be erected, constructed, moved onto, or established on an existing legal lot or parcel of land unless said building or temporary commercial coach shall comply with all of the regulations set forth in city ordinances, standards, guidelines or policies and subsection B of this section, or Article X of Chapter 17.40 which are pertinent to its placement on said lot or parcel.

2. No existing building or temporary commercial coach located on an existing legal lot or parcel of land shall be converted, enlarged, or moved unless said building, or addition thereto, shall comply with all of the regulations set forth in city ordinances, standards, guidelines or policies and subsection B of this section, or Article X of Chapter 17.40 which are pertinent to its placement on said lot or parcel.

3. No new lot shall be created or any building, or portion thereof, existing on such new lot be used, unless said lot and said building location shall comply with all of the regulations set forth in city ordinances, standards, guidelines or policies and subsection B of this section.

B. S Zone. Wherever property is designated as a S zone on the zoning map, the following regulations shall apply:

1. Lot dimensions and Yard requirements. Lot dimensions and yard requirements for this section shall be determined by the director on a case by case basis. Determination of lot dimensions, yards, setbacks and projections permitted in yards for a proposed public facility shall take into consideration the configuration of the lot, and the type, height layout, and intended use for the facility, the surrounding land uses, and any potentially adverse impact on surrounding properties from the intended use. In determining lot dimensions, yards and setback requirements for a particular public use, consideration shall be given to similar requirements on adjacent properties and to required lot dimensions and yard requirements in other sections of this title that most closely approximate the intended public use.

2. Height. The height of buildings and structures shall comply with the following:

a. No building in the S zone which is within 100 feet of any RR, SRR or R zone shall exceed a height of 2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is less.

b. No building may be constructed which would shade any existing active solar energy system on adjoining property without the consent of the affected property owner. (See subsection 1 in the definition of solar energy system in Section 17.04.240.)

c. Exceptions for Solar Systems. Solar collectors may exceed the height limit when mounted on the roof of a legal, conforming building. The right to exceed the height limit shall be exercised only in the event that: there is no other practical means or location for achieving an efficient placement on the building or site in question; such collectors may exceed the height limit only to the extent necessary to achieve efficient placement; in no case shall such solar collectors (or related equipment) encroach more than 5 feet beyond the limit. Also the placement of a solar collector shall not shade or otherwise diminish the efficiency of existing solar collectors on neighboring property, or preclude such property from sufficient solar access to successfully operate a solar energy system sufficient to serve the needs of the business or occupants.

3. Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): 1.0. (See definition in Section 17.04.240.)

4. Landscaping. Landscaping requirements for this section shall be determined by the director on a case by case basis. Determination of landscaping requirements for a proposed public facility shall take into consideration the type, height, layout, and the intended use for the facility, the surrounding land uses, and any potentially adverse impact on surrounding properties from the intended use. In establishing landscaping requirements for a particular public use, consideration shall be given to landscaping requirements in other sections of this title that most closely approximate the intended school use.

5. Outside Storage. Outside storage requirements for this section shall be determined by the director on a case by case basis. Determination of outside storage requirements for a proposed public facility shall take into consideration the type, layout, and the intended use for the facility, the surrounding land uses, and any potentially adverse impact on surrounding properties from the intended use. In establishing outside storage requirements for a particular public use, consideration shall be given to outside storage requirements in other sections of this title that most closely approximate the intended public use.

(Ord. No. 947, § 1, 7-13-2010)

The following design and performance standards shall be met for development in the S zone:

A. General Requirements. Design and performance standards including access, paving, size and marking of spaces and circulation of parking lots, loading spaces, buffering, building design, landscaping, lighting, outside storage and display, screening, service for utilities, signs and similar requirements not hereafter detailed in this subsection, shall be determined by the director on a case by case basis. Determination of design and performance standards for a proposed public facility shall take into consideration the configuration of the lot, the height, type, layout, and the intended use for the facility, the surrounding land uses, and any potentially adverse impact on surrounding properties from the intended use. In determining design and performance standards for a particular public use, consideration shall be given to design and performance standards in other sections of this title that most closely approximate the intended public use.

B. Specific Requirements.

1. Refuse/Recycling Storage Enclosures. All public uses shall have on the same lot or parcel a refuse/recycling storage area at a ratio of 20 square feet of refuse/recycling storage area for each 1,000 square feet or portion thereof of net floor area of the facility or as may be determined necessary by the director. The enclosure shall be a minimum size of 6 feet in width by 18 feet in length (exterior dimension). Such storage areas shall be enclosed on 3 sides by a minimum 5-foot-high reinforced masonry or concrete wall with a sight-obscuring gate (chain link with slats is not acceptable) of noncombustible materials which is substantially the same height as the enclosing walls. The floor of the enclosure shall be of concrete construction. Such storage areas shall not be placed in a location which is openly exposed to a fronting street or a neighboring residential area.

2. Hazardous Materials. Applicants must obtain the approval of the Los Angeles County fire department prior to obtaining any city permits for any use which includes the use of hazardous materials or the storage of hazardous materials or wastes.

3. Radioactive Materials. The use of radioactive materials shall be limited to measuring, gauging or calibration equipment.

4. Noise. Uses which generate noise by the nature of their function and/or processes shall be required to demonstrate that the noise levels emitted from the use shall not exceed 65 dBA at any property line which abuts a residential zone or use. A detailed noise attenuation study by a qualified acoustical engineer may be required by the director to determine appropriate mitigation and methods to incorporate same into project design. Site design methods which may be utilized to reduce noise include:

a. The use of building setbacks and dedication of noise easements to increase the distance between the noise source and receiver;

b. The location of uses and orientation of buildings which are compatible with higher noise levels adjacent to noise generators or in clusters to shield more noise-sensitive areas and uses;

c. The placement of noise-tolerant land uses, such as parking areas, between the noise source and receiver;

d. The placement of noise-tolerant structures to shield noise-sensitive areas.

C. When adjacent to a residential zone or use the following requirements shall also be applied:

1. Artificial lighting used to illuminate the premises shall be directed away from adjacent residential zone or use.

2. Where multistory buildings are to be utilized on lots abutting residentially zoned or used properties, such buildings shall be located or oriented in a manner which will minimize visual intrusion into neighboring property which is residentially zoned or used. (This may be accomplished by setting the building back from the abutting property line beyond the distance required for the yard, selective placement of windows, orienting the building in a manner which will not give occupants a direct view into the yards or windows of neighboring residents.)

3. No signs shall be placed in a manner which visually intrudes into adjoining property which is residentially zoned or used.

4. Trees shall be utilized as a means of improving the interface between public uses and residential uses where appropriate.

5. Buffering. When abutting property which is residentially zoned or used a masonry wall of not less than 6 feet in height shall be provided at the property line in accordance with the provisions for walls specified in Section 17.28.030C to minimize conflicts between public uses and residential uses. A 10 foot landscaped setback shall be placed next to the wall. This requirement shall be modified, where necessary to preclude interference with line-of-sight of a driver within 10 feet of any street, highway or alley, down to a maximum height of 42 inches. The design of the wall shall be considered as part of the site plan review. The site and any buildings thereof shall be designed to locate noise- and odor-generating equipment and activity in a manner which will have a minimal impact on abutting property which is residentially zoned or used. Such techniques may include, but are not limited to, no windows on the building wall(s) facing residentially zoned property, insulating structures housing equipment against noise, limitation of the hours of equipment operation, and other controls designed for specific problems. It shall be the burden of the applicant to prove that his project will not have a detrimental effect on neighboring residential property at the time of site plan review.

(Ord. No. 947, § 1, 7-13-2010)