DATE: November 17, 2015
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Development Services
SUBJECT
Title
Establishment of New Regulations for Vacant Property Fencing Requiring Introduction of Ordinances to Amend Chapter 5, Article 7 (Community Preservation and Improvement), and Chapter 10, Article 1 (Zoning Ordinance), of the Hayward Municipal Code; and Adoption of a Resolution to Make Findings Related to Text Amendments; City of Hayward (applicant)
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the that City Council introduce the attached ordinances to amend the Hayward Municipal Code (HMC) related to new regulations for fencing around vacant property, subject to specific design standards; and adopt the attached resolution making findings to support the proposed text amendments.
Body
SUMMARY
In response to City Council and community concerns about the proliferation of blight associated with dilapidated chain link fencing around vacant properties, staff recommends establishment of regulations and standards for fencing around vacant property. Under the proposed regulations, property owners would be permitted to install six foot tall perimeter fences around properties that are vacant more than 30 days in all zoning districts, subject to specific design and maintenance standards.
Fencing along the front of vacant properties in Downtown and along major roadways in commercial areas would be required to be higher quality design than chain link, with options for alternative fencing that would cost approximately 26% to 233% more than a standard chain link fence (see Attachment IX for cost estimates per fence type).
The proposed regulations would not require property owners to install such fencing, but would require that all existing non-conforming fencing on vacant sites be removed and/or replaced with conforming fencing within one year of the adoption of the regulations.
BACKGROUND
According...
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