This presentation summarizes the city's current retaining wall ordinance and regulations in other jurisdictions to gather input on a revised draft ordinance. The current ordinance definitions are unclear and restrictions on the number and height of walls encourages excessive grading. Other jurisdictions define walls and allow greater heights if stepped back or incorporating architectural features. Preliminary ideas for the draft ordinance include clarifying definitions, limiting cumulative wall height rather than numbers, and increasing minimum distances between walls based on height. Next steps are to compose a draft ordinance, hold a workshop, and public hearings before adoption.

1. Kick-Off Meeting Presentation Retaining wall ordinance Summer 2011

4. Regulations in other jurisdictions.

6. Background Current Retaining Wall Ordinance Effective: March 9, 2005 Follow-up to Baseline Hillside Ordinance Effective: May 9, 2011

8. Before BHO became effective, grading was not limited

9. BHO grading regulations will act as an indirect limit on the size (e.g., length) of new retaining walls

11. Current Zoning Code (cont’d) 3 ft. 10 ft. Min. Max. Wall 2 10 ft. Max. Wall 1 Maximum of one 12 ft. wall or two-10 ft. walls with a minimum distance of 3 ft. between them

13. Number of retaining walls allowed (2) is too restrictive and encourages excessive grading

14. Maximum length is not defined

15. Horizontal distance between retaining walls does not allow for appropriate landscaping

20. 6 ft. max. for stucco;

21. Fill slope: 6 ft. max. individual;12 ft. max. combined;

22. Cut slope: 8 ft. max. individual; 16 ft .max. combined;

23. Alternative to tall walls is stepped or terraced.Cut slope Fill slope Natural grade fill 8’ max. 6’ max. cut 12’ max. fill 16’ max. Natural grade Finish grade cut 6’ max. 8’ max.

24. Length Santa Barbara Max. 50 ft.; continuous walls acceptable if undulated, broken up by buttresses or pilasters, and made of natural materials. Undulated wall Buttress wall Pilaster wall

26. Horizontal Distance Between Walls La Verne 5 ft. Santa Barbara Minimum distance between 2 terraced walls will equal the min. average height of two walls. Santa Barbara

27. Preliminary Ideas Clarify If a single wall has a return or makes an angle as it traverses the site, is it considered one wall? No more than one elevation per wall. What if wall is attached to a building or structure? Should “garden walls” be defined? What height?

28. Preliminary Ideas Not limiting number of walls but limiting combined maximum height (cumulative height). Regulate length and/or surface area of wall. If so, what variables should be considered?

29. Preliminary Ideas 3 ft. Min. Wall 2 Wall 1 Increase minimum horizontal distance between walls. What should the distance be for proper landscaping/irrigation? Should minimum horizontal distance be related to the height of walls to be separated ?

30. Next Steps Compose draft ordinance Workshop for draft ordinance Public Hearing City Planning Commission

31. Thank You For further information or comments/questions please contact: David Olivo at david.olivo@lacity.org (213) 473-9769 For updates on this project and other Code Studies projects, please visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LACityCodeStudies