The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals Division 1 on Wednesday granted a variance allowing a six-foot fence and electric gate in the front yard of 6805 Rockville Road but continued the petition that would permit indoor/outdoor storage of landscaping equipment and materials until the board’s Nov. 4 hearing.

The petitioner, Margarito Galindo, sought two approvals: (A) a variance to allow outdoor and indoor storage of lawn-care equipment, materials and machinery at the property and (B) a variance to legalize a six-foot, opaque privacy fence that staff had cited as exceeding the 42-inch front-yard limit. The board split its consideration and continued the storage portion while approving the fence with conditions limiting storage to a single work truck and trailer described during the hearing.

Why it matters: Neighbors and the petitioner’s attorney debated whether the property would be used as an extension of an existing landscaping business. Remonstrators said allowing storage and equipment on a residential lot would change neighborhood character and set a precedent; Galindo and supporters said the fence improves safety for grandchildren and that only one truck and a trailer would be kept at the home.

Board members heard testimony from neighbors and reviewed a staff recommendation that initially opposed the request for outdoor storage but noted the fence issue could be considered separately. Tasha Roberts, attorney for the petitioner, said the petitioner’s business operations are based elsewhere and that the Rockville address is used by family for parking: “All equipment and materials for his business are located at 8501 Rockville Road,” Roberts told the board.

Neighbors described the property as substantially improved since Galindo bought it and said the fence enhances privacy and safety. Dana Wright, a neighbor, said she sold Galindo the house and watched him “start beautifying that house” after years of vacancy, and Theresa Torres said the family has been “very good neighbors.” Opponents, including Karen Farmer, president of the RHGNA neighborhood association, argued the petition asks for a 6-foot fence and permission for indoor/outdoor storage not appropriate in a single-family neighborhood and asked the board to deny the storage request.

Staff noted the petitioner’s submitted plan of operations and suggested an amendment limiting the outdoor/indoor storage request. During questioning, the petitioner agreed to commitments the board could record: limit storage to the period of the current owner’s ownership and restrict the vehicles and equipment to one Ford F-250–style work truck and a 14-foot trailer with equipment loaded on that trailer. The petitioner also said he would remove any snowplow from the property if the board required it.

The board voted separately on the two components. On the outdoor-storage portion (2025-UV1-014 A), Jennifer Witt and David Duncan voted no; Peter Nelson and Andrew Catona voted yes, producing an indecisive result that the board continued to the Nov. 4 hearing. On the fence portion (2025-UV1-014 B), all four members voted yes and the variance to allow the 6-foot fence and electric gate was granted.

The board’s approval of the fence was recorded with commitments clarifying the storage limits discussed at the hearing; the storage variance remains pending and must return with the petitioner’s clarified, recordable commitments for board action on Nov. 4.

Looking ahead: The board asked staff and the petitioner to prepare a recordable commitment that ties any approved storage variance to the current owner and to specify vehicle and trailer dimensions. If the petitioner cannot provide the clarified commitments for Nov. 4, staff said the petitioner could withdraw and refile subject to the zoning refile rules.