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ORDINANCE NO. 41 s7
AN ORDINANCE of the City of Pasco, Washington,
Amending Section 25.75.050 "Design Standards" to Provide
for Uniform Fencing Standards in the I-182 Corridor
WHEREAS, the City has pursuant to PMC 25.58.020 identified the I-182 Overlay
District as significant to the well-being and image of the City requiring additional development
regulations to create an aesthetically attractive area within the City, including its visual
appearance from the I-182 freeway; and
WHEREAS, the visual attractiveness of this area contributes to the economic and
residential value of this area; and
WHEREAS, the residential areas within this Corridor adjacent to the freeway have
installed estate fences known as "Surewood" fences; and
WHEREAS, the City has found such fences have experienced rapid deterioration,
including slats that are easily broken or removed with a very light impact, as well as susceptible
to stains, discoloration, and the difficult removal of graffiti, and is no longer available in the
market for replacement of damaged or destroyed slats; and
WHEREAS, the City has previously organized an Estate Fence Committee to make
recommendations for alternatives to the failed fencing material and, having conducted public
hearings in this regard, has declared such fences nuisances and nonconforming to the purposes
for which they were intended; and
WHEREAS, it is recognized by the City Council that those fences within the I-182
Overlay Corridor represent a public interest in maintaining aesthetic attractiveness for this
district. NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PASCO, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN
AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. That Section 25.75.050 entitled "Design Standards" of the Pasco
Municipal Code shall be and hereby is amended and shall read as follows:
25.75.050 DESIGN STANDARDS.
(1) Fences, Walls and Hedges.
(a) The height of fences, walls and hedges located between a structure and
street or alley shall be measured from the street curb or alley grade except in those cases
where topographical irregularities occur. The height of fences, walls and hedges between
Ordinance Amending
PMC 25.75.050 - 1
a structure and a common lot line shall be measured from the grade along the common lot
line or top of any structural retaining wall occurring at the common lot line;
(b) Fences and walls in commercial districts shall complement the materials
used in any principal on -site structures;
(c) The height of fences, walls and hedges shall be limited to 3.5 feet within
the front yard area of residentially zoned lots, retail business and office zoned lots;
provided, when two contiguous corner lots, or two corner lots separated only by an alley
right -of -way, form the entire frontage between parallel or nearly parallel streets, the
height of fences, walls and hedges shall be limited to 6 feet within the front yard adjacent
to the side street; except where the front door of a house faces the side street all fences
greater than 3. 5 feet in height must be set back to the building line of the house facing
the side street;
(d) The height of fences, walls and hedges within the side and rear yards of
residentially zoned lots, retail business and office zoned lots shall be limited to 6 feet. A
gate or opening with a minimum 3 foot width leading into at least one side yard shall be
provided;
(e) Fences shall not be constructed out of tires, pallets, bed springs, multi-
colored materials, tarps, plastic sheets, corrugated sheet metal, except in industrial
districts, wheel rims and similar or like materials not traditionally manufactured or used
for fencing purposes. Hog wire, chicken wire, horseman wire mesh, v-mesh, field fence,
woven field fence, welded utility fence, or any similar or like wire fencing material is not
permitted in residential or commercial zones. Horseman wire mesh and the other wire
fencing listed above may be permitted in suburban residential districts on tracts larger
than one acre that are used for animal husbandry. Fences built with valid permits prior to
the effective date of this chapter or fences on properties annexed to the City after the
effective date of this chapter are exempt from this subsection;
(f) Fences constructed of wrought iron with interspersed brick or block
columns of up to 5 feet in height may be permitted within front yards in the R-S-20 & R-
S-12 districts provided said fencing is 85 percent transparent;
(g) Barbed and razor wire fencing is prohibited in all Residential districts, in
the Office district and the Central Business district. Barbed wire may be permitted in
suburban residential districts on tracts larger than one acre that are used for animal
husbandry. In the C-1 Retail Business district only one strand of barbed wire is permitted
along the top rail or within 2 inches of the top rail;
(h) Electrified fences are not permitted in residential districts except as a
secondary means of securing property where the electrified fence is located behind an
existing fence or in suburban districts to contain permitted farm animals;
Ordinance Amending
PMC 25.75.050 -2
(i) In all front yards, whether on properties with single, double, or triple
frontage, rails, posts and other structural fence supports shall not be visible from a public
street; except that posts and rails that are an integral part of the fence design and
aesthetics and not used solely for structural support may be visible from a public street;
(j) All fencing in commercial and industrial districts shall be placed on the
inward side of any required perimeter landscaping, with landscape treatments occurring
along the street frontage.
(k) No fence, wall or hedge, landscape material or foliage higher than 3 feet
above curb grade shall be located or planted within an area 20 feet along the property
lines from the intersection of two streets including the area between such points, or 15
feet from the intersection of a street and an alley; provided however, if an alternative
fence material is used such as masonry, wrought iron, wood, or combination there -of
then the fence must be 75 percent transparent and may be a maximum 6 feet in height, or
a smaller, 75% transparent fence set upon a maximum 3-foot wall or other structure not
exceeding a combined height of 6 feet, may be erected within said area of intersection of
street and alley so long as the fence is at all times unobstructed by foliage or other matter;
(1) Fences constructed in any zoning district may be permitted at the back of
sidewalks in public right-of-way upon approval of the City Engineer, except as provided
in 25.75.050(1)(j);
(m) All residential fencing within the 1-182 Overlay District as defined by
PMC 25.58.020 adjacent to the 1-182 right-of-way shall be constructed of masonry block.
Replacement of pre-existing "Surewood" fences within the district shall use masonry
block or cedar material prescribed by the city as pre-stained, knotless cedar 23/32s thick
and 5.5 inches wide and 6 feet tall.
(ten) No fence or wall shall be erected without first obtaining a building permit
from the building inspector.
(2) Clearance Distances. Where a fire hydrant is located within a landscape area it
shall be complemented by a minimum clearance radius of 3 feet; No tree, as measured from its
center, shall be located within 10 feet of a street light standard, within 5 feet of a driveway or a
fire hydrant;
(3) Commercial and Industrial Districts.
(a) The first 10 feet of all commercial and industrial property abutting an
arterial street and the first 5 feet of all commercial and industrial property abutting a local
access street shall be treated with landscaping at the time the property is developed. No
less than 65 percent of the landscaped area must be treated with live vegetation at the
time of planting.
Ordinance Amending
PMC 25.75.050-3
II
(b) In addition to the requirements contained in this chapter and unless
specified otherwise in Chapter 25.58, commercial and industrial zoned properties
adjacent to properties in less intense zoning districts shall have a 10 foot landscape buffer
on the side immediately adjacent to less intense zoning district. The landscaped buffer
shall meet the following standards:
(i) Live vegetation within the landscape buffer shall be planted with a
mix of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs interspersed throughout the
landscape buffer;
(ii) The live vegetation shall consist of 40 percent evergreen trees.
(iii) Trees shall be provided at a minimum rate of one tree for every 20
linear feet of property line and spaced no more than 30 feet on center spacing
along each property line, unless planted in groupings of 3 trees, with groupings
spaced no more than 50 feet on center along each property line.
(iv) Shrubs shall be provided at a minimum rate of 1 per 8 linear feet of
property line and spaced no more than 16 feet apart on center.
(v) Parking lots located adjacent to properties in less intense zoning
districts require 100 percent of the landscape buffer to be planted with live
vegetation.
(C) The area between property lines and the back edge of street curbs, within
right-of-way and exclusive of sidewalks and driveways for ingress/egress, shall be treated
with landscape materials.
(4) Residential Districts. At least 50 percent of the required front yard area for all
residential property including right-of-way but, excluding driveways, shall be treated with live
vegetation. Planting strips shall be treated as per PMC Section 12.12.047; and
(5) All areas of a lot or parcel not landscaped or covered with improvements, shall be
maintained in such a manner as to control erosion and dust. Gardens within established
landscapes are excluded from this provision in Residential Districts. Front yard areas not
covered by the required 50 percent live vegetation must be covered by mulches or decorative
rock. (Ord. 4110, 2013.)
Section 2. The City Council finds that Surewood fences within the I-182 Overlay
District are defective and constitute a public nuisance requiring their removal and replacement.
The City Council, by Resolution, shall provide a procedure for the transition from the
nonconforming "Surewood" fences to fences consistent with the standards provided in Section 1
above.
Ordinance Amending
PMC 25.75.050-4
Section 3. This Ordinance shall take full force and effect five (5) days after its
approval, passage and publication as required by law.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Pasco, Washington, and approved as
provided by law this day of .G(/ , 2014.
Matt Watkins, Mayor
At st: Appr to Form:c
Debbie ark, City Cler Leland B. Kerr, City Attorney
Ordinance Amending
PMC 25.75.050 -5