§ 17.40.150. Screening

A.

General requirement. Except as otherwise specified herein, all new exterior mechanical equipment, except solar collectors, shall be screened or located out of view from public rights-of-way (not including freeways). Equipment to be screened includes air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, duct work, heating, plumbing lines, and satellite receiving antennas.

B.

Utility meters. Aboveground utility meters shall not be located between the front property line and the front foot of building occupancy or the corner side property line and the front foot of building occupancy.

C.

Screening specification. At a minimum, screening materials shall have evenly distributed openings or perforations not exceeding 50 percent of surface area and shall effectively screen mechanical equipment.

D.

Exceptions. The following are exceptions to the above screening requirements:

1.

Screening requirements are not applicable to an antenna array consisting of a whip antenna that does not exceed a height of 15 feet or to satellite earth station antennas that are preempted by Part 25 of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

2.

The Zoning Administrator may allow utility meters to be located between the front property line and the front foot of building occupancy or the corner side property line and the front foot of building occupancy when no other location is feasible. Aboveground utility meters located in front or corner yards shall be screened from view from the public right-of-way.

3.

Exceptions to the screening of mechanical equipment may be approved for projects subject to Design Review in Chapter 17.42 when the equipment is designed as an integral part of the architecture or where the screening enclosure substantially increases the visual mass on the roof line of a structure and alternative treatment may be preferable.