Monrovia Municipal Code Ch. 5.84 Automobile Repair Facility Operational Requirements

The following words and phrases, whenever used in this chapter, shall mean as follows:

AUTOMOBILE REPAIR FACILITY. A business that conducts automobile repairs (heavy) and automobile repairs (light) as defined in § 17.08.030 of this code, or a similar business in the discretion of the Director.

DIRECTOR. The Community Development Director of the City of Monrovia.

COMMITTEE. The Development Review Committee.

ENCLOSED BUILDING. A building enclosed by a permanent roof and on all sides by solid exterior walls pierced only by windows and customary entrance and exit doors.

NONCONFORMING USE. A use of a building or land which was lawfully established, and, as of the effective date of this chapter, operated and maintained in compliance with Title 17, but which because of the application of this title to the building or land, no longer conforms to the use regulations of the zone in which it is located.

OVERSIZED VEHICLE. Any commercial vehicle, trailer, or recreational vehicle, which exceeds 20 feet in length, seven feet in width, or eight feet in height.

PARKING SPACE. A readily accessible space for vehicles, exclusive of driveways, ramps, columns, loading areas, office or work areas within a building, or open parking areas for the parking of one automobile.

PERMIT. An automotive repair operations permit required by this chapter for nonconforming automobile repair facilities.

PUBLIC VIEW. Any premises, or any part thereof not adequately screened pursuant to § 17.16.030, or any building or part thereof, which may be lawfully viewed by any member of the public, from a sidewalk, street, alleyway, or public property.

TEMPORARY SHADE STRUCTURE. An accessory structure, canopy, umbrella, or similar structure that lacks a permanent foundation and is assembled with non-permanent fasteners or structure.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

Unless otherwise approved by the Committee through an automotive repair operations permit pursuant to § 5.84.030, nonconforming automobile repair facilities shall comply with all of the following:

(A) All repair activities and operations shall be conducted entirely within an enclosed building. New outdoor hoists are prohibited.

(B) All vehicles awaiting repair shall be parked outside of public view on the premises of the automobile repair facility. No vehicle shall be stored at the facility for more than 60 days. There shall be no vehicles associated with the automobile repair facility parked on a public street overnight or in front of a residential use. Vehicles dropped off when the business is closed shall be brought into conformance with this section by the end of the first business day.

(C) Wrecked and dismantled vehicles shall not be parked on a public street at any time.

(D) Working on vehicles on the public street shall be prohibited.

(E) Designated exterior parking areas shall only be used for employee and customer parking, and not for the repair or finishing work or long-term storage of vehicles.

(F) The hoods of vehicles shall remain closed at all times when those vehicles are parked outside of an automobile repair facility to await future parts or repair while work is not being performed.

(G) The premises shall be kept in a neat and orderly condition at all times and all improvements shall be maintained in a condition of commercially reasonable repair and appearance.

(H) Private parking signs that conform to Cal. Vehicle Code § 22658 shall be posted in a number of locations determined by the Committee.

(I) Equipment, vehicle parts, and machinery stored outside of an enclosed building in public view shall be prohibited.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

Existing nonconforming automobile repair facilities in compliance with Chapter 17.48 of this code are subject to the operational standards contained in § 5.84.020, except the Committee may allow some or all of the following activities through the approval of an automotive repair operations permit:

(A) Outdoor operations. Work activities, including all equipment and tools involved in the vehicle repair operation, may be conducted outdoors on the premises of a nonconforming automobile repair facility, provided all of the following conditions are met:

(1) Work shall be performed entirely within a clearly marked area that is at least 50 feet from a property line abutting a residential property, and setback at least ten feet from any property line, and shall be conducted as close to the bay doors as possible.

(2) The outdoor work area shall not exceed beyond 20 feet from a bay door of an actively used bay.

(3) The outdoor work shall not violate the noise ordinance pursuant to § 9.44.030.

(4) Outdoor repair activities shall only be permitted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday and between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

(5) Automobile repair facilities that have regularly serviced and repaired oversized vehicles outdoors on their premises may continue to work on these vehicles outdoors without being subject to the area limitations set forth in this division if the vehicles cannot be serviced and repaired within existing buildings due to the size of the vehicles, and the outdoor servicing of vehicles is approved on the automotive repair operations permit. Oversized vehicles shall not be stored on the premises for more than 14 days or on a public street or alley.

(B) Outside storage may be permitted if adequate screening from public view pursuant to § 17.16.030 is provided.

(C) Vehicles awaiting repair may be parked in an approved location.

(D) Commercial vehicles used in conjunction with the business operations may be parked in public view in an approved location. All commercial vehicles must be operable at all times.

(E) Temporary shade structures. The use of temporary shade structures may be permitted in an approved area. These structures shall be adequately maintained in good condition and shall only be in public view during the approved hours for outdoor repair activities.

(F) Storage containers. Reusable or recyclable automobile parts that do not impact required parking may also be stored in approved containers at least five feet from the interior side or rear property line and at least five feet from any structure on the property. An automobile repair facility seeking to utilize storage containers outside the enclosed structure shall submit an operational plan to the Committee for review that includes a site plan of the location and dimensions, information on items stored, including chemicals, and material of the container. Approved containers shall be maintained in a condition of reasonable repair and appearance. The Committee may permit storage containers that do not meet setback requirements, provided they are not visible from a public street.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

Nonconforming automobile repair businesses that require a permit shall file an application with the Committee, accompanied by a nonrefundable filing fee as provided in § 2.56.060. The filing fee shall not be required through the end of the calendar year 2024. The application shall be in a form prescribed by the Director, shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee as established by City Council resolution, and shall contain, at a minimum, the following:

(A) The legal name and current address and telephone number of the applicant;

(B) The business name and address;

(C) A site plan depicting dimensions and locations of structures and activities;

(D) A description of the outdoor storage containers, including location, dimensions, purpose, types of items stored including chemicals, and types of materials that are in public view;

(E) A description of the parking area for employees and customers, including location, dimensions, and number of parking spaces;

(F) A description of the area designated for vehicle storage that includes the location, dimensions, and type of surfacing that vehicles will be parked on in public view;

(G) A description of any area to be used for outdoor work that includes the location, dimensions, setbacks, proximity to residential properties, and proposed outdoor use; and

(H) Any other reasonable information regarding the business operations as deemed required by the Director.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

(A) Automotive repair operations permit applications shall be reviewed by the Committee. The Committee may approve, conditionally approve, or deny a permit.

(B) The Committee may conditionally approve a permit if imposing such conditions will eliminate any grounds requiring denial of the permit.

(C) The Committee shall deny a permit based upon any of the following grounds:

(1) Information contained in the permit application, or supplemental information requested from the applicant, is false in any material detail;

(2) The applicant has failed to provide a complete application, after having been notified of the requirement to produce additional information or documents;

(3) The applicant has failed to demonstrate an ability to physically accommodate and conform to the operating standards set forth in § 5.84.030; or

(4) Implementation of the operational permit would violate provisions of the building, zoning, health, safety, fire, or other municipal codes, or any county, state or federal law which substantially affects public health, welfare or safety.

(D) The Committee shall review the application at a public meeting. The Committee shall make findings and render its decision, in writing.

(E) If the permit is denied, written notice of such denial and the reasons therefor shall be provided to the applicant.

(F) A permit applicant that receives a written notice of permit denial shall be provided with a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Committee, before the automobile repair facility must terminate its nonconforming use.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

A permit granted pursuant to this chapter shall be valid as long as the automobile repair facility remains in operation and in compliance with the permit, unless the permit is revoked pursuant to § 5.84.070, or the nonconforming use is superseded by a permitted use, or discontinued or abandoned as defined in § 17.48.020(E) or (F) of this code.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

A permit may be called for further review by the Committee, including modification or revocation, at any time by the Director or the City Council if a violation of the approved conditions or the Monrovia Municipal Code (MMC) is alleged, or if it is alleged that the business, or its customers, are creating a public nuisance, and such violation or public nuisance is verified as valid by the Police Department, Code Enforcement, or other City Department. The Committee may impose additional conditions that would mitigate the public nuisance.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Committee to approve, conditionally approve, amend, or deny operations permits for nonconforming automobile repair facilities may appeal the decision to the Planning Commission. The appeal shall be filed with the City Clerk within ten days following the date of the Committee decision.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

This chapter shall not be in conflict with any conditional use permit conditions.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, any person who violates any provision of this chapter, or who fails to comply with any obligation or requirement of this chapter or a condition of a permit, is guilty of a misdemeanor unless the offense is charged as an infraction by a prosecuting attorney. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Director may instead issue an administrative citation for any such violation, pursuant to Chapter 1.17 of this code.

(B) Each person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day, or part thereof, during which a violation of this chapter, or of any law or regulation referenced in this chapter, is allowed, committed, continued, maintained or permitted by such person, and shall be punishable accordingly.

(Ord. 2024-06 § 8, 2024)