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Costa- l\11esci
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DETERMINATION
No. 08-3
SUBJECT : TEMPORARY WINDOW SIGN AREA
CMMC:
DATE:
TABLE 13-115
APRIL 28, 2008
BACKGROUND
This determination supercedes the Zoning Administrator Determination issued on January 15, 2001.
Table 13-115 limits temporary window signs in commercial and industrial zones to a maximum of 20% of contiguous window area. "Contiguous window area" is further defined below.
DETERMINATION
Contiguous window area includes window panes separated only by mullions and shall be considered as a single window area, of which 20% may be covered by temporary signs for a period not to exceed 60 days. For example, a building with 10 window panes separated by mullions would be allowed to display temporary windows on 20% of that window area-whether that is 20% of each individual pane or any other combination totaling 20% of the total contiguous window area.
Windows that are separated from other windows by solid walls are not contiguous window areas.
Please note that an increase in allowable temporary window sign area may be approved by the Zoning Administrator as specified in Table 13-115.
Kl~b:tat~ ~
Zoning Administrator
ATTACHMENT 7
1 Costa· M:esci
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DETERMINATION
No. 08-5
SUBJECT: COUNSELING (INCLUDING GROUP COUNSELING)
CMMC SEC: TABLES 13-30 AND 13-89
DATE: MAY 19, 2008
BACKGROUND
This determination supercedes the Zoning Administrator Determination issued on October 8, 2004.
There is a need to clarify the treatment of counseling offices under the Land Use Matrix (Table 13-30) and parking requirements (Table 13-89) of the zoning code.
Uses in question include career and vocational counseling; marriage, family, and child counseling (MFCC); psychologists; psychiatrists; substance abuse counseling; and similar services. Counseling may be provided on an individual, family, or group basis.
DETERMINATION
Individual and family counseling services will be classified as "general office" uses, and not as "medical offices." This is because many, if not most, counseling services are provided by professionals without medical credentials - thus, technically not "medical" uses - and because of differences in operational characteristics (number of clients/patients being served simultaneously, number of clients/patients in waiting rooms, number of exam or treatment rooms, number of support personnel, etc.).
Thus, individual and family counseling will be a permitted use where general offices are permitted and a conditional use where general offices are conditional uses.
Parking requirements for individual and family counseling services will be the same as for "general office" uses - currently 4 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area.
Group counseling services will (except in l&R and l&R-S zones) be classified in the same way as "trade and vocational schools," which is a listed use (currently #37) in Table 13-30. This determination is in accordance with Section 13-30(d) which allows a use that is not listed (group counseling) to be treated in the same way as a substantially similar use. Operational characteristics common to both group 2 counseling and trade/vocational schools include groups of people arriving and departing at the same times, assembling for approximately hour-long sessions, and having similar staffing levels. Thus, group counseling would be a permitted use in most commercial zones, and a minor conditional use in industrial zones. However, unlike trade and vocational schools, group counseling, would not be permitted in l&R and l&R-S zones, unless it's part of the approved institutional use (e.g., hospital, school, church).
Parking requirements for group counseling services will be the same as for "trade schools, business colleges, dancing and music academies" - currently 10 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area. Where hours of operation or other unique operating characteristics indicate that a lower parking requirement would be sufficient, a minor conditional use permit may be processed, in accordance with Section 13-89.5.
Planners should use their discretion in cases where an office which primarily provides individual or family counseling may hold occasional group sessions.
K~~
Zoning Administrator
3 Costa- :M:esci
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DETERMINATION
No. 08-12
SUBJECT: EXPOSED PIPES AND CONDUIT
CMMC: SECTION 13-74(a)
DATE: AUGUST 28, 2008
BACKGROUND
This determination supercedes the Zoning Administrator Memorandum issued on August 12, 2003.
On rare occasions, individuals faced with replumbing their homes or businesses will choose to mount the new piping on the exterior wall surface, instead of within the walls. Also, surface mounted conduit is sometimes used for new electrical services or circuits, and fire sprinkler supply lines are frequently mounted to the exterior of commercial and industrial buildings. The Plumbing Code does not specifically prohibit installation of piping on exterior wall surfaces.
Costa Mesa Municipal Code Section 13-74(a) specifies that the finished elevations of all building and structures shall be approved by the Planning Division. Various development standards in the Zoning Code articulate the objective of preserving and enhancing aesthetics and/or protecting against unsightliness.
DETERMINATION
To ensure against unsightly interruption of exterior building elevations, plumbing pipes (water and gas), vents, ducting, fire control or fire sprinkler systems, and electrical conduit shall not be mounted on exterior wall surfaces where visible from off site or from adjacent buildings, private yards, or common spaces on the same property. Exceptions may be allowed with specific prior approval by the Zoning Administrator. Approval, if granted, will be limited to specials circumstances where it is impractical to conceal pipes or conduit within walls and may be conditioned to require pipes or conduits to be enclosed in a soffit or chase, or otherwise d from view.
KIMBERLY BRAND ,
Zoning Administrator
4 a
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Costa- 1v1esci
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DETERMINATION
No. 15-1
SUBJECT: ANTENNA HEIGHT AND SCREENING
REQUIREMENTS
CMMC SEC: CHAPTER IX, ARTICLE 2
TABLE 13-142
DATE: JUNE 22, 2015
BACKGROUND
Table 13-142, Antenna Development Standards, identifies the development standards for antennas. Proposed antennas not in compliance with the applicable development standards shall require approval of a MCUP.
The purpose of this Zoning Administrator Determination is to describe how these development standards are applied to both the antenna and associated support structure with regard to maximum allowable height and screening requirements.
DETERMINATION
Code indicates that the maximum height is "measured from the property's grade to the highest point of the antenna." Therefore, the overall height needs to include both the antenna and associated antenna support structure.
Code also indicates that screening is required in certain circumstances. Any reference to "screening required" within the Code shall apply not only to the antenna itself but also any associated antenna support structure upon which the antenna is either placed or contained. The purpose of the screening requirement is to lessen visual impacts of the entire structure; therefore, screening applies to the entire structure and not limited to the component antenna(s) only.
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WILLA BOUWENS-KILLEEN, AICP
Zoning Administrator
CLAIRE L. FLYNN, AICP
Asst. Development Svcs. Director
5 --
Costa Mesci
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DETERMINATION
No. 17- 01
SUBJECT:
CMMC SEC:
DATE:
BACKGROUND
DEDUCTION OF SQUARE FOOTAGE OF MECHANICAL
AND ELECTRICAL ROOMS FROM GROSS AREA
CALCULATED FOR NONRESIDENTIAL USES
TITLE 13, CHAPTER VI, ARTICLE 2
JANUARY 18, 2017
A Zoning Administrator interpretation has been made to allow for the exclusion of square footage used for mechanical and electrical equipment rooms when calculating the number of parking spaces required for a nonresidential use.
Costa Mesa Municipal Code determines the number of parking spaces for any nonresidential use by calculating parking demand using the parking ratio per gross floor area. Gross floor area is defined by the Zoning Code as: The area of all floors within the walls of a structure except elevator and other vertical shafts (including stairwells) and elevator equipment areas. Neither the definition of gross floor area nor the zoning code as a whole addresses mechanical or electrical rooms that are enclosed rooms permanently used for the sole purpose of siting or maintaining mechanical or electrical equipment.
DETERMINATION
Since the space used for mechanical and electrical equipment is space not occupied by employees or patrons during the operation of a nonresidential use it should have no impact on parking for the use. Consequently, the square footage used for calculating the number of parking spaces for a nonresidential may be gross floor area minus the square footage used for electrical or mechanical equipment rooms.
WILLA BOUWENS-KILLEEN, AICP
Zoning Administrator
6 -
Costa Mesci
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DETERMINATION
No. 17-02
SUBJECT:
CMMC SEC:
DATE:
BACKGROUND
PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR MECHANICAL OR
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS HVACS OR
POOL EQUIPMENT IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
13-32
February 7, 2017
Costa Mesa Municipal Code is silent on ground mounted placement of mechanical and electrical equipment. The mechanical and electrical equipment may not be aesthetically . appealing and/or produce a persistent noise which may create a nuisance for abutting neighbors. To ensure that installation of mechanical or electrical equipment like HVACs or pool equipment do not cause a nuisance to abutting properties or the neighborhood in general, guidelines are provided below.
DETERMINATION
In determining the appropriateness of a proposed location for electrical or mechanical equipment on a residential property the following guidelines apply:
1. All equipment must be screened from view for abutting property owners and from the public right of way.
2. All equipment must be outside of the front setback of the development lot.
3. Mechanical/electrical equipment proposed within 10 feet of a neighboring property's window(s) or door(s) is subject to meeting one of the mitigation methods listed below (3a-3c) or obtaining written consent from the abutting neighbor. In special cases when none of these options apply, a City planner may make a determination that the proposed location is the best potential location for the equipment and add special noise mitigating or screening conditions. 7 a) A minimum six-foot-high block wall separates the equipment from the abutting property's window(s) and/or door(s) with a minimum separation of 5 feet between equipment and window(s)/door(s).
b) The equipment does not generate more than 50 decibels and is setback at least 5 feet between equipment and window(s)/door(s).
c) The equipment maintains the same setbacks and separations required for main structures.
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W ILLA BOUWENS-K ILLEEN, AICP
Zoning Administrator
8