Chapter 18.135
ACCESSORY STRUCTURES
Sections:
18.135.010 Requirements for accessory structures.
18.135.020 Lot coverage by accessory structures.
18.135.030 Height of accessory structures.
18.135.040 Accessory structures in front yards.
18.135.050 Accessory structures near streets.
18.135.060 Accessory structure setbacks.
18.135.010 Requirements for accessory structures.
(1) The requirements set forth in this chapter shall apply to accessory structures in the RS, RM, RH, MX and CO zones.
(2) Any accessory building attached to the main building shall be considered a part of the main building and shall be subject to the same requirements as the main building.
(3) Any accessory building not attached to the main building shall be subject to the requirements of this chapter.
(4) Any accessory structure other than a building shall be subject to the requirements of this chapter, regardless of whether the accessory structure is attached to the main building.
(5) The requirements of this chapter shall apply only to accessory structures and not to main buildings. Requirements for the yards, height, and lot coverage of main buildings shall be determined according to the provisions of the zone in which the main building is located. (Amended by Ord. 1260, January 3, 2008. Code 1983 § 96.105.)
18.135.020 Lot coverage by accessory structures.
The area covered by accessory structures shall not exceed 25 percent of the total area of any lot. (Code 1983 § 96.110.)
18.135.030 Height of accessory structures.
(1) The maximum height of any accessory structure attached to a main building shall be determined in accordance with the height requirements of the zone in which the main building is located.
(2) The maximum height of any accessory structure not attached to a main building shall be 15 feet.
(3) Television and radio antennas for the personal use of the owner of the lot on which they are located shall be exempt from the height requirements of subsections (1) and (2) of this section; such antennas shall have a maximum height of 50 feet above grade regardless of whether they are attached to a main building or are freestanding. (Amended by Ord. 1260, January 3, 2008. Code 1983 § 96.115.)
18.135.040 Accessory structures in front yards.
No accessory structure exceeding two feet in height except a fence shall be permitted in a required front yard. (Amended by Ord. 1260, January 3, 2008. Code 1983 § 96.120.)
18.135.050 Accessory structures near streets.
Notwithstanding any other requirement or standard set out in this chapter, no accessory structure or fence shall be constructed or located so as to obscure vision clearance required by MCC 18.140.110. (Amended by Ord. 1260, January 3, 2008. Code 1983 § 96.125.)
18.135.060 Accessory structure setbacks.
(1) Side Yards. Accessory structures located in a side yard shall be set back at least five feet from the nearest side lot line.
(2) Rear Yards. All accessory structures located within rear yards shall be set back at least five feet from the rear lot line. (Amended by Ord. 1260, January 3, 2008. Code 1983 § 96.126.)
18.135.070 Fences.
Fences, walls and hedges may be located in any required yard or along the edge of any yard, subject to the maintenance of required clear-vision areas. Front yard fences along a front property line or within a front yard setback shall not exceed a height of five feet when the fence is at least 50 percent open. All other front yard fences, walls or hedges shall not exceed a height of three and one-half feet.
All fences located within the legs of a vision clearance area at street and alley intersections shall not exceed three and one-half feet in height from the adjacent curb elevation and shall be constructed of a material which is non-sight-obscuring.
Side yard fences located within 15 feet of a front property line shall not exceed three and one-half feet in height. All other side or rear yard fences, walls or hedges in residential zones, shall not exceed seven feet in height without approval of a variance. All other side or rear yard fences, walls, or hedges in commercial and industrial zones shall not exceed nine feet in height without approval of a variance.
Fences shall not be constructed of or contain any material which could cause bodily harm such as barbed wire, broken glass, spikes, or any other hazardous or dangerous materials. Barbed wire fences shall not be constructed or maintained, nor shall barbed wire be allowed to remain as part of a fence along a sidewalk or public way. No electric fences shall be installed, maintained, or operated in any residential or commercial zone or adjacent to any sidewalk or public way.
The height of a fence adjoining a street shall be determined by measuring the vertical distances from the sidewalk to the highest part of the fence. If no sidewalk exists, the height of the fence shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance from the curb to the highest part of the finished shoulder grade of the right-of-way or from the finished grade of the property along the fence. (Amended by Ord. 1260, January 3, 2008; Ord. 1352, § 1 (Exh. A), December 2, 2014; Ord. 1408, § 1 (Exh. A), May 2, 2023. Code 1983 § 96.127.)