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Item No: 07C Meeting Date: November 9, 2015 Type of Business: PH & CB City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Public Hearing, Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 909, an ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 1103 of the Mounds View Zoning Code Pertaining to Fences, Screening and Landscaping Introduction The Planning Commission discussed allowing 6-foot or 8-foot fences in the second front yard of corner lots. The Zoning Code currently allows fences up to 4-feet tall in any part of a property, but fences that are taller than 4-feet are only allowed behind the front line of the house. Properties that are on corners have two front yards and therefore are limited in where they can put a taller fence. Property owners often desire taller fences for privacy and safety reasons, and the Planning Commission has been very understanding of this and approved every fence height variance request. Commissioners have suggested that the zoning code should be amended to allow for these taller fences since there have been several variance requests for taller fences and they are always approved. Discussion Staff researched several nearby cities’ codes pertaining to fences, and all 12 of the cities checked allow at least 6-foot tall fences in a street abutting side yard of a corner lot. The Planning Commission suggested allowing up to a 6-foot fence in the second front yard of a corner lot with at least a 1 foot setback on the street frontage side. A fence taller than six feet on a corner lot would still need to go through the variance process. In addition to the corner lot fence height issue, staff has proposed additional language revisions to this chapter based on issues that have come up: - Specified that no plantings, not just trees and shrubs, over 30-inches tall would be allowed in the 30-foot sight triangle at intersections, - No fence or wall may interfere with natural drainage, and - Public or semi-public properties may have fences up to 8-feet tall in any yard area. The Planning Commission reviewed the proposed code amendment on October 7, 2015, and approved Resolution 1037-15 recommending approval of the revisions to the zoning code pertaining to fences, screening and landscaping, and recommended adoption by the City Council. The City Council considered proposed Ordinance 909 at its meeting on October 26, 2015, and approved the first reading as presented.