Dimensional standards
Servicing
- Geographic extent
- Residential zoning districts in Portola Valley, with variations based on minimum parcel area (less than 1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones., 1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones., 2+ acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.) and proximity to riparian corridors, public trails, and road rights-of-way.
Extracted standards
30 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Fencing & walls
- Double fencing must be within building envelope
Double fencing ... must be located within the building envelope of a parcel.
- Entryway features must adhere to setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. requirements
Entryway features, including gates, must adhere to the setback requirements set forth in Section 18.42.016.
- Fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. measurement
The height of a fence is the vertical distance measured from the surface of the actual adjoining ground to the top of the fence.
- Fence not on fillGrading (cut & fill)Reshaping land by removing earth (cut) or adding it (fill), often capped by volume. to increase elevation
A fence of normally permitted height under this section shall not be placed on top of fill designed so as to effectively increase the elevation of the top of the fence.
- HeightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of fence on fillGrading (cut & fill)Reshaping land by removing earth (cut) or adding it (fill), often capped by volume. supported by retaining wall
The height of a fence placed on top of a fill supported by a retaining wall is measured from the top of the natural grade directly below the wall to the top of the fence.
- Fence types allowed in districts =1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
In districts requiring a minimum parcel area of one acre, domestic fences or horse fences are allowed in required yards, including along property lines, except that a domestic fence in a front yard must be set back at least twenty-five feet from the front property line.
- Fence types allowed in districts >=2 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
In districts requiring a minimum parcel area of two acres or more, only horse fences are allowed in required yards, including along property lines.
- Fence types allowed in districts <1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
In districts requiring a minimum parcel area of less than one acre, domestic fences or fences consistent with the standards of a horse fence are allowed in required yards, including along property lines.
- Horse fence member limits
There shall be no more than three horizontal wood members, each not to exceed six inches in width or no more than four horizontal wood or wire members, each wood member not to exceed four and a half inches in width.
- Horse fence post limits
The cross sections of posts must not exceed six inches by six inches; such posts shall not exceed four feet in height and shall be spaced no closer than five feet apart.
- Horse fence wire mesh allowance
Six inch by six inch wire mesh may be attached to a horse fence but shall not exceed the height of the horse fence.
- Maximum fence color reflectivity40 pct
The reflectivity value for colors used on fences shall not exceed forty percent, except that naturally weathered wood may exceed such limit.
- Maximum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. in front yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates.4 ft
Fence heights shall not exceed four feet in front yards
- Maximum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. in side and rear yards6 ft
six feet in side and rear yards
- Maximum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. in side yards along road rights-of-way4 ft
four feet in side yards along road rights-of-way
- Maximum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. adjacent to public trails/paths in districts >=1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.4 ft
Fences adjacent to public trails and paths in districts requiring a minimum parcel area of one acre or more shall not exceed four feet in height.
- Maximum fence member width6 in
Fence members shall not exceed a six inch width when viewed perpendicularly to the plane of the fence for fences subject to an opacity limit.
- Maximum domestic fence opacity in front yards (districts =1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.)50 pct
In districts requiring a minimum parcel area of one acre, domestic fences in front yards shall not exceed fifty percent opacity.
- Maximum fence opacity in front yards (districts <1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.)50 pct
In districts requiring a minimum parcel area of less than one acre, fences in front yards shall not exceed fifty percent opacity.
- Maximum fence opacity in side yards adjacent to road rights-of-way50 pct
Fences in side yards adjacent to road rights-of-way shall not exceed fifty percent opacity.
- Maximum fence opacity adjacent to public trails/paths in districts >=1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.50 pct
Fences adjacent to public trails and paths in districts requiring a minimum parcel area of one acre or more shall not exceed fifty percent opacity.
- Maximum horse fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.4 ft
Horse fences shall not exceed four feet in height.
- Maximum horse fence opacity50 pct
Horse fences shall not exceed fifty percent opacity.
- Minimum front yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. for domestic fences in districts requiring 1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.25 ft
a domestic fence in a front yard must be set back at least twenty-five feet from the front property line.
- Minimum setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from top of creek bank for fences along riparian corridors20 ft
Along riparian corridors, fences shall be set back a minimum of twenty feet from the top of a creek bank.
- Retaining wall heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. measurement
The height of a retaining wall, or a retaining wall with a fence erected on top of it, is measured from the exposed bottom of the wall to the top of the wall/fence.
Other
- Exemption from fence permit for small fences
Fences within required yards that are no more than two feet in height, and no more than twenty feet in total length shall be exempt from this section but shall meet all other provisions of this chapter except Section 18.43.040 regarding opacity.
- Fence permit required for fences in required yards
Fence permits are required for construction of all fences built within required yards, except as otherwise specified in this section.
- Replacement of >25% of fence must conform25 pct
When a portion of a fence exceeding twenty-five percent of the total length of fencing within required yards on a property is damaged or voluntarily removed, any replacement fencing of that portion shall conform to the fence regulations pursuant to a fence permit.
- Maximum slope for fences in districts requiring 1 acreacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones. or more20 pct
in districts requiring a minimum parcel area of one acre or more, domestic fences and horse fences in required yards shall be allowed only on slopes of twenty percent or less.
From the ordinance
In residential zoning districts fences may be erected in the following locations: ... (18.43.020)