ORD 032ORDINANCE NO. 32
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE CITY'S ZONING
ORDINANCE BY ADDING THERETO REGULATIONS RELATING TO
LOCATION AND HEIGHT OF WALLS AND FENCES.
The city council of the City of La Quinta, California, does ordain
as follows:
SECTION 1. Riverside County Ordinance No. 348 (which was adopted
by reference by this city council by Ordinance No. 5, operative August
29, 1982) hereby is amended by adding thereto a new section, to be
numbered SECTION 18.40, and reading as follows:
SECTION 18.40 WALLS, FENCES AND LANDSCAPING. No person shall
erect a fence or wall or visual obstruction, or permit the growth
of a hedge or landscaping, on a residentially zoned lot, which is
in violation of any of the following provisions:
(a) Height Standards. Except as provided in subsection (b) below,
walls or fences not exceeding six (6) feet in height shall be
permitted in all side, rear and front yards and along all
property lines, excepting the corner cutback areas.
(b) Protection of Intersection Visibility. The following regula-
tions shall apply regarding corner lots at the intersections
of streets.
(1) There shall be no visual obstructions as herein defined
within the corner cutback area. The corner cutback
area is hereby defined as the triangular area created
by a forty-five (45) degree angle line on a horizontal
plane connecting two (2) points on intersection property
lines as shown on Exhibit "A".
(2) In the corner cutback area, visual obstructions are
hereby defined as any wall, fence, obstacle, mature
landscaping or anything allowed, installed, set out or
maintained which exceeds a height of three and one-half
(33�) feet above the joining top of curb at the applicable
corner of the street intersection, or three (3) feet
above the nearest pavement surface where there is no
curb, or the existing traveled roadway where there is
no curb or pavement.
(3) Exceptions. Visual obstructions shall not include
existing or future permanent buildings, which are other-
wise constructed or maintained in accordance with
applicable zoning and building regulations; public
utility poles, trees trimmed at the trunk at least
eight (8) feet above the level of the reference point
as defined herein provided trees are spaced so that
trunks do not create a visual barrier, and official
traffic or other governmental signs.
(4) In residential zones, the corner cutback area shall
consist of a triangular area created by the diagonal
connection of two (2) points measured twenty (20)
feet back from the intersection of the prolongation
of the property lines abutting the two streets.
(c) Method of Height Measurement. The height of walls, fences,
hedges and landscaping, as permitted, shall be measured
from finish grade as defined in Chapter 70 of the Uniform
Building Code. In the event that practical difficulties
and hardships result from the strict enforcement of these
regulations due to grade problems of abutting street, slope
of property, or other site conditions, the applicant requesting
a building permit may apply for a variance as provided for. in
Section 18.27 of this zoning ordinance.
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of Section 18.8 to the
contrary, any fence, wall, hedge or landscaping which is
destroyed or damaged to the extent of more than 50% of its
total replacement value, may not be reconstructed, repaired,
rebuilt or reestablished. For purposes of this subsection,
the portion thereof, which is in a corner cutback area shall
be considered separately from the rest of any fence, wall,
hedge or landscaping to which it is or was attached.
SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance shall be in full force
and effect thirty (30) days after passage.
SECTION 3. POSTING. The City Clerk shall within 15 days after passage
of this ordinance, cause it to be posted in at least the 3 public places
designated by resolution of the City Council; shall certify to the
adoption and posting of this ordinance; and shall cause this ordinance and
its certification, together with proof of posting, to be entered in the
book of ordinances of this City.
The foregoing ordinance was approved and adopted at a meeting of the
City Council held on this 7th day of June 1983, by the
following vote:
AYES: Council Members Allen, Wolff and Mayor Baier.
NOES: Council Members Cox and Henderson.
ABSENT: None.
VIM Wi 74 W1,
ATTEST:
CITY L K
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED AS TO CON ENT:
CITY ATTORNEY f GER
clip a
PROPEITY LIIIE -�
EXHIBIT "A"
PERMITTED
FENCES, HEDGES OR WALLS
COFZNEF? LOT
STREET
SIOEVIALK
LEGEND
X X 3.5' MAX. HEIGHT FENCE OR WALL
� 6' MAX. HEIGHT FENCE OR WALL
CORNER
CUT-OFF
'LINE
Gen. Conds.
9302.00 Diagram
-135 A -
I hereby certify that the foregoing ordinance was adopted by
the City Council of the City of La Quinta, California, at a meeting
held June 7, 1983, and that the Ordinance was posted in at least
the three public places specified for such postings by the City
Council.
Frank M. Ushe ,Ci y Clerk