Article 47 — COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION OVERLAY DISTRICT (C/RTO)

The C/RTO District applies to properties on the west side of Ashley Avenue between the public alley south of 182nd Street and 186th Street, the precise boundaries of which are shown on the map attached to the ordinance codified in this Article, Marked Exhibit A which is incorporated into this Code by this reference.

All parcels of land within the overlay area retain their underlying zoning, as shown on Exhibit A referenced in Section 91.47.1 above. The underlying zoning is either R- 2 Two Family Residential District, or HBCSP Hawthorne Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan Zone.

All parcels of land zoned R-2 remain subject to the provisions of that district, and no part of this Article applies until such time that an application is made for a change in use to a commercial parking lot. At the time that such a change in the use of the land is approved by the Torrance Planning Commission, the underlying zoning of the subject parcel will automatically change from R-2 to HBCSP.

The provisions of this overlay take precedence over the provisions of the underlying zone for all parcels of land zoned HBCSP where such provisions are in conflict, otherwise the provisions of the HBCSP apply.

No conversion in the use of a residential property to a commercial parking lot shall occur without approval of a Development Permit as provided for in Article 35, Chapter 2 of this Code. Nor will consideration be given to an application for a Development Permit unless both the subject residential parcel of land and the commercial parcel it is intended to support are jointly part of the application and entitlement, and are either owned by the same person, or are irrevocably joined.

The public alley shall be maintained for use by all properties bounded by Hawthorne Boulevard to the west, 182nd Street to the north, Ashley Avenue to the east, and 186th Street to the south. No obstructions to free and clear access through the alley will be permitted. Dedication of right-of-way will be required to provide a continuous public alley.

Those parcels of land located east of the alley and zoned HBCSP must be used exclusively as parking lots in support of those parcels of land located on the west and/or north side of the alley. No structures other than fences or trash enclosures will be permitted. Trash enclosures will be permitted only when located adjacent to and are accessible from the alley.

All parcels of land within the overlay district and zoned HBCSP are subject to the standards following:

a) A minimum landscaped setback of ten (10) feet must be provided along the west side of Ashley. At the setback line, a wall six (6) feet in height must be constructed. In order to establish a consistent appearance, the landscaping and wall materials as provided on individual parcels of land shall conform to a uniform set of standards as provided for herein (refer to Figure IV-1 in the Hawthorne Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan, which is hereby incorporated in this Code by this reference). The landscaping provided in this setback area will be considered a part of the required parking lot landscaping.

b) Within the required setback area, the following plant materials are required:

1. Nicol’s Willow-Leafed Peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii) trees shall be planted in random clusters at a ratio of one (1) tree per 25 (25) feet of street frontage;

2. Tobira Dwarf Wheeler (Pittosporum tobira) shrubs shall be planted along the base of the wall at a ratio of one (1) shrub per twenty (20) square feet of landscaped setback area;

3. Gazania shall be planted as groundcover, at a spacing to provide on hundred (100%) percent ground coverage within on e(1) year of planting. Turf shall not be permitted due to maintenance considerations;

4. Yellow Trumpet Vines (Macfadyena unguniscati) shall be planted at the base of the wall in sufficient number so as to provide one hundred (100%) percent coverage of the wall within one (1) year of planting.

c) The wall must be constructed of masonry block finished in plaster. Decorative wrought iron may be interspersed with the solid wall.

d) Common area maintenance agreements are required of all property owners to ensure that the required setback area is maintained in good condition. This agreement is a condition of approval of a Development Permit subject to the approval of the City Attorney, and must be recorded.

e) Shared access and reciprocal parking agreements will be required of all property owners. These agreements will be a condition of approval of a Development Permit subject to the approval of the City Attorney, and must be recorded. Where shared access and reciprocal parking agreements are provided, the requirements for perimeter landscaping along interior side property lines may be waived.

f) A five (5%) percents reduction in required parking will be permitted in cases where vehicular access is taken exclusively from the public alley and where there are no driveways onto Hawthorne Boulevard.