Community Standards District

A. Intent and Purpose. The Rowland Heights Community Standards District is established to implement the Rowland Heights Community Plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors on September 1, 1981, and to address the needs of residential property owners who are unable to comply with the restrictions contained in Section 22.20.025 in the keeping or parking of recreational vehicles on their lots, due to the prevailing size, shape, topography, and development of residential lots in the area. The Rowland Heights Community Standards District establishes development standards (1) to ensure that new development retains the residential character of the area, that the appearance of signs in commercial areas is appropriate for the community, and that increased landscaping requirements and building setbacks are implemented to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the community; and (2) to allow for the keeping and parking of recreational vehicles on residentially and agriculturally zoned lots in a manner that protects the health, safety, and general welfare of the entire community.

B. Description of District. The boundaries of the District are coterminous with the boundaries of the Rowland Heights Community Plan. The District boundary extends from the City of Industry on the north to Orange County on the south; the City of Diamond Bar forms the eastern boundary, while the western boundaries consist of Hacienda Heights and the City of La Habra Heights. The Pomona Freeway, Brea Canyon Road, Fullerton Road south of Pathfinder Road, Colima Road west of Stoner Creek Road, and the Schabarum Regional Park conform to the approximate boundaries of the District. The map of the District follows this section.

C. Community-Wide Development Standards. All properties shall be neatly maintained, and yard areas that are visible from the street shall be free of debris, trash, lumber, overgrown or dead vegetation, broken or discarded furniture, and household equipment such as refrigerators, stoves, and freezers.

a. Front yard landscaping. A minimum of 50 percent of the required front yard area shall contain landscaping consisting of grass, shrubs, trees, and other similar plant materials. Paved or all-gravel surfaces may not be included as part of the required landscaped area.

b. Trash containers and dumpsters stored in the front or side yard areas shall be screened from view from streets, walkways, and adjacent residences.

2. Zone C-1. Except as herein modified, all signs shall conform to Part 10 of Chapter 22.52.

i. Freestanding business signs shall be permitted on any lot or parcel of land for each street frontage having a continuous distance of 100 feet or more.

iii. The total sign area of a freestanding business sign shall not exceed 40 square feet per sign face plus one-fourth square foot of sign area for each one foot of street or highway frontage in excess of 100 feet.

iv. Freestanding business signs shall not be located in nor extend above any public right-of-way, including sidewalk areas.

i. Wall business signs shall be limited to one square foot for each linear foot of building frontage.

ii. To facilitate the identification or location of the premises in cases of emergency and for other public health, safety, and welfare purposes, business signs readable from a public right-of-way or parking area open to the general public shall include the following information on the sign:

Street address and name of the business, using Roman alphabet characters and Arabic numerals, in digits which are readable from the right-of-way or parking area.

d. Awning signs. The total area of awning signs shall not exceed 25 percent of the exterior surface of each awning for the ground floor and 15 percent of the exterior surface of each awning for the second floor level.

i. The owner or operator of a commercial center consisting of three or more businesses shall submit a sign program to the director to coordinate business signage within the commercial center. No new business sign shall be installed until the required sign program has been approved by the director.

ii. The sign program shall illustrate locations, styles, and standards for potential business signs within the commercial center.

iii. All new signs shall conform to the specifications set forth in the approved sign program.

iv. Existing signs that are inconsistent with the approved sign program shall be replaced within five years of the approval of the sign program.

a. The standards prescribed for Zone C-1, as contained in subsection D.2, shall apply to Zone C-2 with the exception of subsection D.2.b.iii.

sign shall not exceed 80 square feet per sign face plus three-fourth square foot of sign area for each one foot of street or highway frontage in excess of 100 feet.

c. Where a parking lot containing more than 20 parking spaces exists or is proposed, at least 5 percent of the gross area of the parking lot shall be landscaped. Landscaping shall be distributed throughout the parking lot to maximize the aesthetic effect and compatibility with adjoining uses. Where appropriate, all areas of the parking lot not used for vehicle parking or maneuvering or for pedestrian movement or activity shall be landscaped. This subsection shall not apply to a parking lot within or on the roof of a building.

d. The minimum required setback for new structures or additions shall be ten feet from the property line(s) along those portions of the property where there is street frontage. The ten feet of the setback area closest to the street shall be landscaped in accordance with an approved site plan.

e. A minimum setback of three feet from any property line adjoining a residential zone is required for new structures or additions. For such structures over 15 feet in height, the setback shall be increased by one foot for each additional foot of building height over 15 feet.

a. The standards prescribed for Zone C-2, as contained in subsection D.3, shall apply to Zone C-3.

b. A building or structure shall not exceed a height of 45 feet above grade, excluding chimneys and rooftop antennas.

a. The director may permit minor variations from the standards specified in subsections D.2.b.ii, D.2.b.iii, D.2.c.i, D.2.d, D.3.b, and D.3.c of this section where an applicant’s request for a minor variation demonstrates to the satisfaction of the director all of the following:

i. The application of these standards would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships inconsistent with the goals of the Rowland Heights Community Plan.

ii. There are exceptional circumstances or conditions applicable to the subject property or to the intended development of the property that do not generally apply to other properties within the District.

iii. Granting the requested minor variation will not be materially detrimental to properties or improvements in the area or contrary to the goals of the Rowland Heights Community Plan.

b. The procedure for filing a request for a minor variation shall be the same as for a yard modification as provided in Section 22.48.180.

c. All property owners within 100 feet of the subject property shall be notified in writing of the requested minor variation not less than 20 days prior to the date the director takes action on the request.

d. A minor variation shall not deviate more than 25 percent from the applicable development standard identified in subsection D.5.a.

a. Definition. As used in this subsection D6, "recreational vehicle" means a camper, camp trailer, travel trailer, house car, motor home, trailer bus, trailer coach or similar vehicle, with or without motive power, designed for human habitation for recreational or emergency occupancy. A recreational vehicle includes a boat, other watercraft, snowmobile, off-road vehicle that cannot legally be driven on public streets, and other similar types of vehicles. A trailer, whether open or enclosed, used to carry or tow property such as animals, boats or other watercraft, snowmobiles, off-road vehicles, racecars or other similar vehicles is also a recreational vehicle. Where a recreational vehicle is on or attached to such a trailer, they shall together be considered one recreational vehicle. A recreational vehicle shall not include a pickup truck used for transportation to which a camper shell has been attached.

b. A recreational vehicle may be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted on a lot or parcel of land in Zones A-1, A-2, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-A, and RPD subject to the following restrictions:

i. A recreational vehicle shall not be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted within five feet of the front lot line or corner side lot line;

ii. No portion of a recreational vehicle exceeding 36 inches in height shall be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted within 10 feet of the front lot line or corner side lot line;

iii. No more than one recreational vehicle may be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted in the front yard, corner side yard, or any additional area situated between the corner side yard and the rear lot line;

iv. No recreational vehicle shall be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted in a manner that prevents access to any required covered parking on the same lot or parcel of land;

v. A recreational vehicle may be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted only on premises owned or occupied by the owner of the vehicle;

vi. No disabled or otherwise nonfunctional recreational vehicle shall be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted in the front yard or corner side yard;

vii. A recreational vehicle shall be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted so as to maintain unobstructed line-of-sight for pedestrians and motorists using the public right-of-way; and

viii. A recreational vehicle shall be kept, stored, parked, maintained, or otherwise permitted so as not to constitute a health or safety hazard.

c. A yard modification may be filed with the director pursuant to Section 22.48.180 to authorize the parking or storing of a recreational vehicle within 10 feet of the front lot line or corner side lot line; provided, however, that under no circumstances shall a recreational vehicle be parked closer than five feet from the front or corner side lot lines. An application for a yard modification under this subsection shall be supported by evidence substantiating that the requested modification is necessary due to topographic features or other conditions in that compliance with the 10-foot setback line would create an unnecessary hardship or unreasonable regulation or where it is obviously impractical to require compliance with the setback line. The director may approve a yard modification if the director finds that parking or storing a recreational vehicle at the proposed location will not compromise pedestrian or motorist line-of-sight or other applicable safety standards as determined by the director, and that the applicant has substantiated to the satisfaction of the director that, due to topographic features or other conditions, compliance with the 10-foot setback line would create an unnecessary hardship or unreasonable regulation or where it is obviously impractical to require compliance with the setback line.

E. Area-specific Development Standards (Reserved). (Ord. 2002-0075 §§ 1--2, 2002; Ord. 2001-0110 § 2, 2001)

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The amendment appearing below was adopted by the Commissioners of the Los Angeles County Regional Planning on January 28, 2004 by 4-0 vote. After confirmation by the Board of Supervisors the new standards will apply to all future commercial projects in the Rowland Heights area.

(Applicable to Commercial and Industrial Zones for Proposed Commercial Development)

   The following development standards apply to all new structures:

          - Minimum 20 ft. building setback from front property line or 35 ft
            setback from front property line for buildings greater than 20 ft. in
            height

          - Minimum 15 percent of the net lot area shall be landscaped for
            properties under 1 acre in area; for properties 1 acre or more in
            area minimum 10 percent shall be landscaped

- Dedicated ingress/egress lane for properties with 600 ft. or more of
street frontage

- 25 percent of building facade shall contain architectural features to
avoid having long unbroken facades

Projects that do not meet the current and above-described standards
would need to apply for a variance.

Existing structures would not be required to comply with the new
development standards.

     2. Projects subject to discretionary director's review:

         - A change or intensification of use where no square footage is added
            to an existing structure and that generates 500 or more net daily
            vehicle trips.

        The discretionary director's review will be subject to CEQA
         requirements which allow the imposition of mitigation measures for
        environmental impacts (e.g. traffic) to a project's approval. In
        addition, the process grants both the applicant and non-
        applicants the right to appeal the director's decision to the Planning
        Commission

3. Projects subject to a conditional use permit as provided in Part 1 of
chapter 22.56

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