Screening and fencing

A. Screening of trash containers. All commercial and industrial uses and residential uses of seven households or more shall provide trash and/or garbage collection areas enclosed on at least three sides by a solid wall, fence or shrubbery of at least the height of the container it is intended to screen, if such area is not within an enclosed building or accessory structure. Said collection area, including the material constituting the enclosure, shall not be located closer than two feet to any property lines, nor within 10 feet of any principal structure located on the lot or adjacent thereto. Said screening shall consist of fencing, shrubbery, construction material or other accepted means, as approved by the Director of Zoning and Code Enforcement or his designee. The Director of Zoning and Code Enforcement may waive any or all of the aforementioned requirements for commercial or industrial use when said use does not abut a residential property.
[Amended 3-22-2001 by Ch. No. 2592; 9-20-2001 by Ch. No. 2621]
B. Screening of on-ground utilities. Utility structures, substations, telephone exchange substations and similar uses shall be enclosed on at least three sides by a vegetative screen of hardy evergreens or shrubs at least three feet high at time of planting and which shall be sufficient to effectively provide a visual screen from adjacent residential zones.

C. Fences.

(1) Materials permitted; repair and condition.
- (a) Materials permitted in fences. All fences provided by an owner or agent on the premises shall be constructed of manufactured metal fencing material, wood, masonry or other inert material. A hedge composed of plant material may be used in conformity with the maximum height requirements of this section. Wooden posts shall be treated with a preservative before being placed in the ground. Barbed wire is permitted in manufacturing, commercial and public districts over the height of eight feet.
  [Amended 10-23-1997 by Ch. No. 2470]
- (b) Repair and condition. All fences shall be maintained in good condition and free from insects and rodents.

(2) Maximum height by zoning district. Maximum height of fences by zoning district shall be as follows:

[Amended 11-21-2007 by Ch. No. 2881; 3-26-2020 by Ch. No. 3217]

Maximum Height in Feet
Zoning District	Yards With Street Frontage ³ (feet)	Side Yard (feet)	Rear Yard (feet)
Residential	3 ¹ - 4 ²	6	6
Riverfront Development	6	6	6
Commercial	8	8	8
Manufacturing	10	10	10
Public Cemetery	10	10	10
Public Open	10	10	10

NOTES:
¹
Closed fence: a fence of which more than 50% of the side area is opaque or covered.
²
Open fence: a fence where 75% or more of the side area can be seen through; for example, a chain link fence.
³
In an instance where a property is a corner lot and has multiple yards with street frontage, the determination of which lot lines are the front, side, or rear for the purposes of maximum allowable fence height shall be made by the Zoning Director in coordination with the Planning Department as required. All fences located on a corner shall comply with street corner visibility setback requirements in accordance with §
410-55
.

(3) Driveway requirements. At driveways, a reduction of all closed fences to a three-foot height for a distance of eight feet from the property line, either front or side lot line, is required for safety and visibility of persons backing out of the driveway.
[Amended 6-23-1999 by Ch. No. 2531]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(4), Power of Director to waive requirements, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 10-23-1997 by Ch. No. 2470.