Hold a public hearing, discuss, and consider approval of Ordinance # 09-2026-604 amending portions of City Code Chapter 106, "Zoning," Article 8, "Landscaping, Screening & Open Space Standards," Section 106.93, "Screening and Fencing," subsection D, "Single-Family Residential Fencing," to allow vinyl fencing as a permitted fencing material for residential privacy fencing. Case # ZCA-2026-003.

Staff Report & Agenda Item Details

OVERVIEW The applicant has requested a zoning code amendment to allow vinyl as a permitted fencing material in single family residential zoning districts. The request does not propose any specific standards such as minimum thickness or UV resistance. The request was initiated after the applicant was denied a fence permit for an address on Glendale Street in the R-3 Single-Family Residential zoning district. When the permit application was denied, the applicant asked for clarification from Council on whether vinyl is a permitted material. Following the meeting, staff spoke with the applicant and informed them vinyl is not considered a permitted material under the zoning code. The applicant then applied for a code amendment. The zoning ordinance permits the following materials in the R-2, R-3, and R-4 residential zoning districts. Masonry or any other sustainable material with more than a 30-year life expectancy; Ornamental metal rail fencing; Cedar and redwood with metal posts; Composite fencing with metal posts; and Other wooden picket fences, only if constructed with metal posts, metal brackets, and metal caps The ordinance expressly prohibits the following materials in these districts. i. Chain link (unless replacing or repairing an existing chain link fence); ii. Sheet, roll, or corrugated metal; and, iii. Cast off, secondhand, or other items not originally intended to be used for constructing or maintaining a fence. The prohibited materials list is not intended to be an exclusive list of materials that would not be permitted. All new and replacement fences must use materials from the approved materials list. Vinyl fencing has become more common over the past 30 years due to improvements to the product that made it more suitable for residential purposes. It has grown in popularity because, performing as claimed by the manufacturers, it supposedly requires less routine maintenance than wooden fencing and supposedly can last 30-50 years. However, this is not true o