View Preservation / Restoration

History

In November 1989, the voters in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes passed Proposition M (PDF), a View Preservation and Restoration Ordinance (herein the Ordinance). The Ordinance establishes 2 view recovery procedures: one to restore a view that existed at the time the affected view lot was legally created and the other procedure, to preserve views which existed at the time or since the Ordinance became effective (November 17, 1989). The Ordinance was codified as RPV Municipal Code Section 17.02.040.

For additional information regarding how residents could implement the View Restoration and Preservation permit procedures, residents can refer to the Guidelines and Procedures for Restoration of Views Where Foliage Is Involved (View Restoration Permits) And Preservation of Views Where Foliage Is Involved, also known as the View Restoration Guidelines (PDF).

Permit Information

If your neighbor's trees / bushes / foliage significantly impair your view, as described above, there are 2 permits by which a resident can restore or preserve their protected view as defined by Section 17.02.040.A of the Municipal Code. These are a View Restoration Permit and a View Preservation Permit.

  1. View Preservation Process
  2. View Restoration Process
  1. View Preservation Step 1
    In order to initiate the application, the city asks that you make an attempt to work out the issue with the foliage owner. The person who wishes to restore their view shall send a certified letter to the foliage owner(s). Said letter to a foliage owner should identify the foliage in question, should clearly state what the method and amount of trimming is being requested, and provide a name and contact information so that the foliage owner could respond to the written request. Keep copies of all correspondence mailed and received.
  2. View Preservation Step 2
    If the foliage owner fails to respond to the certified letter or the issue could not be privately resolved, then a completed Notice of Intent to File An Application For View Preservation Form (PDF) can be submitted to the city, along with a photo (which must meet several specific criteria) that shows the view before the foliage obstructed the view.
    If staff can make all 5 required findings, particularly that the foliage in question did not impair the view on or after November 1989, and that the foliage in question exceeds 16 feet and/or the roofline of the foliage owner's house and significantly impairs the view, staff will send a letter to the foliage owner, asking him/her to voluntarily trim the foliage within a 30 day time period as described in Section VIII-B of the View Restoration Guidelines.
  3. View Preservation Step 3
    If the foliage owner does not trim the view-impairing foliage within the 30-day time period, a formal application for a View Preservation Permit may then be submitted to the Community Development Director. If the permit is approved by the Director, the foliage owners are required to trim the view-impairing foliage within a 90-day time period.

Supporting Documents

  1. Court Ruling on RPV View Ordinance (PDF)
  2. Fee Schedule.pdf
  3. Original Proposition M (PDF)
  4. View Restoration Application Forms (PDF)
  5. View Restoration Guidelines (PDF)
  6. Nest Protection Flier.pdf

Contact Us

  1. John Alvarez

    Senior Planner
    Email John Alvarez
    Phone: 310-544-5230

  2. Robert Nemeth

    Associate Planner
    Email Robert Nemeth
    Phone: 310-544-5285

  3. View Restoration/Preservation

    Physical Address
    30940 Hawthorne Boulevard
    Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275-5391


    Directions

    Phone: 310-544-5288
    Fax: 310-544-5293

    Office Hours

    Monday through Thursday
    7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
    (closed noon to 1 p.m.)

    Friday
    7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    (closed noon to 1 p.m.)

    Saturday and Sunday
    Closed

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