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Zoning Administrator approves 8-foot rear fence at 15501 Pasadena Avenue, citing safety concerns
Summary
The Zoning Administrator authorized a minor adjustment to allow an 8-foot fence along the rear property line at 15501 Pasadena Avenue, finding a special circumstance and concluding the height aligns with the general plan's safety provisions after Tustin police described repeated unauthorized access to the freeway.
The Zoning Administrator adopted Zoning Administrator Action No. 26-001 approving Minor Adjustment 2026-0001 to allow an eight-foot-high fence along the rear property line at 15501 Pasadena Avenue. Staff presented the request as a safety-driven adjustment to the Tustin City Code height limit of 6 feet 8 inches.
Planning staff told the Zoning Administrator the property is in a high-density multiple-family residential area bordered by Caltrans walls and a chain-link fence that contains gaps allowing unauthorized access to the State Route 55 right-of-way. Staff said the proposed 8-foot fence would be constructed with anti-climb mesh, would run along the rear property line (under proposed carports after removal of existing enclosed carports), and would maintain visibility through the mesh design while preventing access to the freeway. Staff said the project is consistent with General Plan policy 6.5 (defensible space/public safety) and is categorically exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines section 15301. "The project is not a granting of a special privilege as it maintains consistency with the surrounding neighborhood by preventing access to and from the Caltrans right of way," planning staff stated.
Lieutenant Louis Garcia of the Tustin Police Department testified in support of the minor adjustment, saying that although calls for service in the precise area are not numerous, the rear access repeatedly reopens and officers have seen people run through the fence onto the 55 Freeway, creating risks to pedestrians and motorists. "By approving this project, my hope is that installing this anti-climb material and also making it difficult for people to access that particular area would be beneficial not just to us, but also the citizens," Lt. Garcia said, and later described anti-climb fencing as "very positive" in his experience.
After asking staff and the police witness questions about their experience with the material and the site's conditions, the Zoning Administrator found a special circumstance related to the property, determined the additional fence height aligns with safety provisions in the General Plan, and approved the minor adjustment subject to conditions. No e-comments or online speakers were recorded, and the meeting adjourned at 10:13 a.m.
