Commission approves 7-foot fence for North Fourth Street auto shop with conditions

The Historic Resources Commission voted to approve a 7-foot-high black aluminum perimeter fence at 1550 North Fourth Street after hearing extended testimony from the property owner about repeated break-ins and property damage. The commission acknowledged local precedents and the commercial nature of the site in the district and attached conditions to the approval requiring the applicant to submit final product specifications.

Staff had recommended reducing the fence to 6 feet to meet standard code (City code 306.13) and the HRC's typical guidance. The applicant, property owner Ho Thong Chi, described three break-ins, multiple acts of vandalism and a large insurance cost increase — and urged that the extra height was a security necessity. He also showed photos of nearby fences and said he had spoken with zoning staff and with a neighborhood commission about the request.

Commissioners discussed security, precedent and visual impact in the historic district. One commissioner said 6 feet might not be sufficient in the applicant's experience; another noted that approval of a taller fence should be limited to this specific context, given the property's commercial use, corner location and evidence of repeated criminal activity. The commission also asked for a final design choice: the applicant selected a model shown in the materials and agreed the fence as installed would omit two intermediate horizontal rails so the approved design will include only a top rail and a bottom rail (the applicant identified the desired model as the same design used at a nearby expo center).

The commission's approval included conditions that the applicant submit final product cut sheets, the selected fence model (noted as the UAS-100 style in the hearing materials, to be verified in the submittal) and a contractor's specification sheet before permits are issued. The applicant said the cost difference between 6 and 7 feet was small and that he had lost significant revenue to vandalism and theft; he told the commission, "the higher, the safer I get." The commission approved the application with the stated conditions and asked staff to verify the final submitted materials matched the version shown at the hearing.

Next steps: the applicant must provide the specified product sheets and final elevations to staff; staff will confirm conformance before permitting.