1 URGENCY ORDINANCE NO.
AN URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTIONS OF TITLE 18.64 AND 18.70 OF
THE MARYSVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE TO REVISE THE ZONING CODE FOR SIGNS
AND FENCING FOR ZONING DISTRICTS IN THE DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN WHEREAS, the City of Marysville is a Charter City empowered, pursuant to Section 6 of the City of Marysville Charter, to make and enforce all ordinances and regulations with respect to its municipal affairs; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this title is to protect and promote the public health, safety, and welfare of the City and to provide the economic and social advantages which result from an orderly, planned use of the environment.
WHEREAS, Title 18 of the Marysville Municipal Code amendments are in conformance with the goals, policies and objectives of the General Plan and other adopted goals and policies of the City.
WHEREAS, the Zoning Code is being updated to identify fence and sign requirements consistent with the zoning districts identified in the Downtown Specific Plan
WHEREAS, Section 20 of the Marysville Charter provides that any ordinances declared by the Marysville City Council to be necessary as an emergency measure for preserving the public peace, health or safety, and containing a statement of reasons for its urgency, may be introduced and adopted at one and the same meeting if passed by at least four (4) affirmative votes; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 36937(b) also provides that an ordinance may take effect immediately for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety which contains a declaration of facts constituting the urgency and being passed by a fourfifths vote of the City Council; and WHEREAS, a sufficient urgency exists within the meaning of Section 20 of the City of Marysville’s Charter and within the meaning of Government Code Section 36937(b).
NOW, THEREFORE, The City Council of the City of Marysville does ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. FINDINGS
A. The City Council has adopted the Downtown Specific Plan at its September 16, 2025 meeting.
B. The City Council has determined and declares that this Ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health or safety based upon the following facts;
2 1) Without this urgency ordinance there would be no applicable sign ordinance and fence requirements in the Downtown Specific Plan Area since the new zoning ordinance for the Downtown Specific Plan went into effect on November 7, 2025.
2) Adopting revisions and associated sign and fence non-codified map referencing to Section 17.64 of the Zoning Code, will avoid confusion for applicants seeking sign entitlements.
3) Specific plans must be consistent with the General Plan and Zoning Code and therefore, these amendments are required to ensure that the documents are internally consistent.
4) Given the time needed to amend the zoning code, there is no feasible alternative to ensure that the sign and fence code are amended to address the inconsistency in the Downtown Specific Plan. 5) The Government Code Section 36937 authorizes the adoption of an urgency ordinance for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety.
6) The City Council determines that the Zoning Code amendment must be further reviewed and possibly revised to protect the public against potential negative health, safety and welfare impacts associated with installing and permitting signs in the Downtown Specific Plan.
SECTION 2. Sections 18.64.060, 18.64.080 and Table 18.64.080., of the City’s Marysville’s Municipal Code are hereby amended to read in their entirety; as follows;
18.64.060 Prohibited signs.
The following signs are prohibited in all zone districts and sign districts:
(q) Pennant flags, flags, banners, festoons, flag canopies, string pennants, other similar displays, or temporary or special event signs except as provided in Section 18.64.095
18.64.080 Permitted signs and development standards by zone district and sign district.
The number, size, height, location, and lighting of signs is limited by the requirements specified in Table 18.64.080 and according to the zoning of the property in question or according to the Sign District within which a property is located for the Downtown Specific Plan Area. The Official Sign District Map for the Downtown Specific Plan Area is kept by the City Clerk and is incorporated by reference and made part of this title. The public-facing online map is for convenience only and is not the official record. 3 Table 18.64.080: Permitted Signs and Development Standards by Zone District and Sign District
Sign Type
Maximum
Number
Maximum
Area per
Sign
or Signs
Maximum
Height
Locational
Requirement
Permitted
Lighting
Other
Criteria
Residential Zone Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) and Sign and Fence Districts A, B, G, and H1*
Sign Type
Maximum
Number
Maximum
Area per
Sign
or Signs
Maximum
Height
Locational
Requirement
Permitted
Lighting
Other
Criteria
Commercial Zone Districts (C-1, C-2, C-3 and C-H) and Sign and Fence Districts C, D, and E*
Sign Type
Maximum
Number
Maximum
Area per
Sign
or Signs
Maximum
Height
Locational
Requirement
Permitted
Lighting
Other
Criteria
Industrial Zone Districts (M-L, M-1, M-2) and Sign District F* *Refer to Exhibit A Fence and Sign Districts in the Downtown Specific Plan Area SECTION 3. Section 18.84.070 d, e, f , h. and i, of the City’s Marysville’s Municipal Code is hereby amended to read in their entirety; as follows;
18.84.070 Yards and fences.
(d) In any R district or residential mixed use districts in the Downtown Specific Plan where fifty percent or more of the building sites in any one block or portion thereof in the same district have been improved with buildings, the required front yard shall be of a depth equal to the average of the front yards of the improved building sites, to a maximum requirement of that specified for the district but in no case less than fifteen 4 feet. Where adjoining lots are improved with buildings, the front yard required for a vacant building site shall be the average of the yards within sixty feet of the site of each side thereof.
(e) Fences in all residential (R) districts or residential mixed use districts in the Downtown Specific Plan shall not exceed six feet in height in the rear yard of any lot or seven feet in height in any interior rear yard or interior side yard up to the front yard for the property. Fences in all residential (R) districts or residential mixed use districts in the Downtown Specific Plan shall not exceed three and one-half feet in height within the front yard and within the street side yard of corner lots. (f) Barbed wire, razor wire, concertina wire, serpentine wire and similar security fencing is incompatible with community design standards and is prohibited unless individually approved based on substantial evidence by issuance of a planning commission use permit; or unless required by any law or regulation of the city, the state of California, federal government, or agency thereof. When considering an application for such fencing, for any property in the central business district, medical arts district and any commercially zoned property, the commission shall consider:
(1) Substantial evidence that such fencing is needed.
(2) The visibility of such fencing from public rights-of-way, public trails, open space, and public parks.
(3) The feasibility of other, more attractive, fencing options such as wrought iron or steel tubing.
(4) The feasibility of other security options.
Such barbed wired, razor wire, concertina wire, serpentine wire and similar security fencing is prohibited in any residential districts or on commercial and manufacturing or residential mixed use zoned properties in the Downtown Specific Plan for properties that abut a residentially zoned property.
In manufacturing districts outside the Downtown Specific Plan, such security fencing may be allowed, through a minor use permit, provided the fencing is not located on a primary street frontage.
5 Existing barbed wire or similar security fencing in existence at the time of the adoption of Ordinance 1437 and located in the Downtown Specific Plan/historic district boundaries must show evidence of architectural review or other city approval or it shall be conclusively presumed such fencing does not comply with and has not received required design review approvals.
(h) Structures in the residential or residential mixed use in the Downtown Specific Plan districts may extend into yards only in the following cases:
(i) For any legally created lot within a residential zone or Downtown Specific Plan district that has an area less than six thousand square feet and a width of less than sixty feet, the required yards may be reduced as follows:
SECTION FOUR. No Vested Rights Created or Implied.
This Urgency Ordinance does not create, directly or indirectly, or imply any right to claim any vested right.
SECTION FIVE. Severability.
If any provision of this Ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Ordinance are severable. The City of Marysville hereby declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance irrespective of the invalidity of any particular portion thereof.
SECTION SIX. Effective Date.
This Urgency Ordinance shall take effect immediately.
The foregoing Ordinance is passed by the City Council of the City of Marysville on the day of ____of ________ 2025 by the following votes:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
6 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of said City this ___ day of ____, 2025.
CITY OF MARYSVILLE, CALIFORNIA
By its City Council
____________________________________
Chris Branscum, Mayor
ATTEST
_____________________________________
Maggie Sanchez, Interim City Clerk
Attestation Date: _______________________