Westlake Village : Panel May Consider Lifting Satellite Ban

Westlake Village City Council may decide at a meeting tonight whether to end its ban on satellite dishes in residential neighborhoods and allow installation of inconspicuous 18-inch dishes.

Westlake Village has prohibited satellite dishes from residential neighborhoods because they were considered eyesores, City Manager Ray Taylor said. However, the smaller, 18-inch dishes now on the market, he said, can easily be kept out of sight.

The revised ordinance--approved 5-0 in a first reading--would allow installation in residential areas of dishes no larger than 18 inches in diameter with city approval.

It would prohibit installation of dishes in front or side yards and would require dishes installed on roofs to be placed where they would not be readily visible from the street.

Dishes mounted on the ground would have to be enclosed with fences, walls or plants to “substantially obscure visibility” from the street.

Until now, satellite dishes have been permitted in nonresidential areas with a conditional-use permit. That would not be affected under the proposed ordinance. However, under the new ordinance, conditional-use permits would not be required for installation of 18-inch dishes in nonresidential areas.

The City Council will vote on the proposed ordinance at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 4373 Park Terrace Drive.

The ordinance would take effect in 30 days.