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233 <br /> <br />ORDINANCE NO. NS-2402 <br /> <br />AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF <br />SANTA ANA TEMPORARILY PROHIBITING THE <br />CONSTRUCTION OF FRONT YARD FENCES IN <br />RESIDENTIAL ZONES <br /> <br /> The City Council of the City of Santa Ana finds, determines and declares as <br />follows: <br /> <br /> 1. Provisions of Article IV of Chapter 41 of Santa Ana Municipal Code ("Code") <br />that regulate walls and fences in residential zones, specifically section 41-610 of the <br />Code, needs review, study and possible revision in order to respond to recent concerns <br />relating to improper and illegal construction as well as visual blight. Because of the age <br />of the portions of the Code addressing walls and fences, such provisions fail to fully take <br />into account the potential impacts of such walls and fences on the character of <br />neighborhoods and fail to address the needs of the City and its residents today and in the <br />future. A survey of regulations in neighboring cities, for example, reveals that Santa <br />Ana's: maximum front yard fence height is approximately 20% higher than the County <br />norm. <br /> <br /> 2. Of particular concem are front yard fences, which can be visible for several <br />blocks and are especially intrusive and detract from a neighborhood when installed out of <br />proportion to the structure. A proliferation of inappropriate fences can erode the <br />character of a neighborhood and conflicts with design principles which reinforce <br />community safety. <br /> <br /> 3. The Council has expressed concern that the current regulations reinforce a <br />perception in the community that the City does not regulate front yard walls and fences in <br />residential neighborhoods. The Planning and Building Agency estimates that <br />approximately 50% of front yard fences constructed over the last several years exceed <br />City development standards. <br /> <br /> 4. Given these concerns, the City Council has requested that a review be <br />undertaken of the current provision of Article IV of Chapter 41 of the Code as it relates to <br />walls and fences, specifically front yard fences, in residential zones. The Council has <br />expressed concerns that walls and fences currently permitted under the Code contribute to <br />visual blight in the City. The Council has determined that no additional fences should be <br />constructed under the current regulations during this review so that the negative impacts <br />of inappropriate fences are not prolonge& <br /> <br />¸'7 <br /> <br /> <br />