SPATIAL PLANNING
AND ENVIRONMENT
Staff Circular 013 of 2020
To : All Development Management Staff
From : Director: Development Management - Cheryl Walters Subject : Staff Circular 013/2020: Item 136B Boundary walls Date : 22 July 2020
Keywords: Item 136B |boundary wall | permeability |
PURPOSE
With the 2019 Municipal Planning By-law amendment came the introduction of boundary walls into the Development Management Scheme. The below diagrams are to assist staff in the assessment and interpretation of each provision within item 136B.
Please note that the Boundary wall and fences policy (2009) is still applicable but only in respect its annexure that deals with acceptable construction materials.
PROVISION AND SUPPORTING DIAGRAMS
(a) a street boundary wall must not exceed 2 metres in height when measured from the existing ground level on the public street side of the wall to the top of the boundary wall; 2m EG EG 2m Street EGL Erf 1
Section view Street view
2m
(b) A retaining wall of up to 1m in height, when measured from the existing ground level on the public street side of the wall, may form part of a street boundary wall providing that if the retaining wall is 1m in height a 1m high balustrade is required;
(c) a common boundary wall must not exceed 2,5 metres in height when measured from the lowest existing ground level on either side of the wall to the top of the boundary wall;
(d) A retaining wall of up to 1,5m in height, when measured from the lowest existing ground level on either side of the wall, may form part of a common boundary wall providing that if the retaining wall is greater than 1m in height a 1m high balustrade is required;
(e) security devices, such as spikes, barbed wire, razor wire or electric fences must not exceed a height of 1,0 metre measured from the top of a boundary wall;
(In terms of the Boundary Walls and Fences Policy barbed and razor wire only permitted in industrial zoned areas)
2,5 EG EG Erf 1 Erf 2 2m Street EG 1m 1m Erf 1 EG 2,5m EG 1m 1,5m Erf 1 Erf 2
(f) any portion of a boundary wall in excess of 1 metre in height, when measured from the existing ground level on the public street side of the wall to the top of the boundary wall, located within 4,5 metres of the intersection of two street boundaries which create/enclose an angle of less than 135 degrees must be visually permeable;
Erf 1 Street S tr eet 4,5m 4 ,5 m Erf 2 Street 135° permeable permeable solid solid intersection 4.5m 4.5m
Portions over 1m and within 4.5m from the intersection must be permeable 1m
(g) All boundary walls that face a public street, public road or public open space and exceed 1,5m in height, when measured from the existing ground level on the public street or public open space side of the boundary wall to the top of the boundary wall, must comply with the following visual permeability requirements:
(aa) general business, industrial, risk industry and utility zonings: a minimum of 60% of the total vertical area of the boundary wall, excluding any visually permeable gates or garage doors.; and
(Same as per (bb) only with 60% permeability)
(bb) in all other zonings: a minimum of 25% of the total vertical area of the boundary wall, excluding any garage doors or visually permeable gates.
Permeability calculation:
Length of wall x height of wall = full area of wall (Y) Y x 25% = area of permeability required
15m x 1.8m = 27m²
27m² x 0.25 =6.75m² of permeability 3.75m x 1.8m = 6.75m²
Therefore the below wall is compliant
Permeability Calculation: Length x height = y
Y x 25% = area of permeability required 15m x 1.8m= 27m²
27m² x 0.25 =6.75m² of permeability 0.5m x15m =7.5m²
Therefore, the above wall is compliant
Gate
1.3m0.5m 15m
3,75m 15m
Solid Permeable Solid Permeable
Gate
1.8m
1.8m
Permeable
Solid
In the above example:
• The door façade cannot be classified as a garage door due to the fact that the door (as a façade only) does not conform to the definition of a garage. Therefore, the façade must be classified as part of the boundary wall.
• The area of the door façade as stated above MUST be included in the permeability calculation due to the fact that the façade is not linked to a carport or garage and cannot be classified as a garage door and therefore cannot be excluded as per item 136B(g)(bb).
• However, the door must comply with all other provisions in terms of 136B (ie boundary wall height)
• The above example will require a departure from the boundary wall height in respect of the door facade.
In terms of the pedestrian gate:
If the gate is solid, then it must be included in the permeability calculation. If the gate is permeable the gate must be excluding from the permeability calculation.
So the calculation would be as follows: Wall: 11.91m x 1.8m = 21.438m²
Door façade: 6m x 3.5m = 21m²
(21.438m² + 21m²) x 0.25 = 42.438m² (remember door façade and gate included)
Permeability provided: 7.182m²
Therefore, the wall will require a departure from Item 136B(a) as well as a departure from Item 136B(g)(bb).
Thanks to Daan Visser from the Helderberg office for the basic guideline document.
District Mangers and Section Heads can request further information from either Richard Walton
Schalk de Jager or Greg Joubert.
Kind regards
23.7.2020 Cheryl Walters
