Zoning administrator approves 6-foot steel fence, 7-foot entry gate at 533 Mendocino Avenue

The Zoning Administrator for the City of Santa Rosa approved a minor design review to allow a steel perimeter fence and a taller entry gate at 533 Mendocino Avenue.

Planning staff told the Zoning Administrator that the proposal calls for a six-foot-tall steel fence set back three feet from the back of the Mendocino Avenue sidewalk and a seven-foot-tall entry gate; the gate will be manually operated. Staff said the property is in the CMU (Core Mixed Use) zoning district and has a General Plan land use designation of mixed use. The project qualified for an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act under Section 15303, staff said, and staff reported no unresolved issues or public opposition prior to the hearing.

The Planning and Economic Development Department recommended approval, and the Zoning Administrator adopted the staff resolution approving the minor design review. Planning staff noted the applicant had reviewed the draft resolution and offered no comments. The Zoning Administrator announced the action is final unless an appeal is filed with the Planning and Economic Development Department within 10 calendar days; for this item the deadline was given as Monday, 10/13/2025.

David Harris of Oracle Consulting, representing the property owner, told the Zoning Administrator, “This fence will assist the property owner in providing security for his property. We’ve worked with the city to make certain changes to the pickets to the top of the fence to provide a proper facilitation of the ordinance.” Janice Carmen, a resident who spoke during public comment, said she supported the fence as a response to local burglaries and described it as “tastefully done, well engineered” that would add to the street.

Staff displayed elevations and an aerial indicating the fence location along Mendocino Avenue and on the rear of the building and said staff had been able to make the required findings for approval. The Zoning Administrator stated there were no issues related to site layout or public safety that would result from the project and approved the item by resolution.

The approval includes the following key provisions: a six-foot-tall steel fence with a three-foot setback from the back of the Mendocino Avenue sidewalk, a manually operated seven-foot entry gate, and compliance with findings made by staff. The project materials presented to the Zoning Administrator identified the site between Seventh Street and Tenth Street on Mendocino Avenue.

The decision may be appealed to the appropriate reviewing body if an appeal is filed within the posted 10-calendar-day appeal period; the Zoning Administrator noted that appeals are handled by the Planning and Economic Development Department.