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Board grants fence variance for corner lot at 1359 Conductor Drive
Summary
The board approved VAR-25-2 allowing a four-foot black-aluminum fence to extend 10 feet beyond the front building line on a corner lot at 1359 Conductor Drive; staff noted repeated similar variance requests and a possible code change.
The Plain Board of Zoning Appeals on March 12 approved a variance to allow a taller fence to extend beyond the front building line on a corner lot at 1359 Conductor Drive.
Applicant Adam Callender requested VAR-25-2 to permit a black aluminum fence four feet high to extend 10 feet beyond the front building line on a corner lot in the Darby Station neighborhood. Under the current code, fences that extend past a front building line are limited to 3 feet in height and must provide at least 50% transparency; staff described the proposal as meeting transparency requirements and not impeding sight lines at the nearby intersection.
Staff and board members discussed that similar variance requests have been common and that the planning department is considering a code change to allow limited side-yard extensions for corner lots (one staff comment referenced a proposed 10-foot maximum for side-yard fences where sight lines are preserved). The packet includes a note that the property’s setback from the property line to the house is 29 feet and that the 25-foot build line is required; the applicant said his requested fence configuration would be “14 feet total” measured in the manner used by staff (10 feet beyond the building line plus the 4-foot fence height was discussed in the hearing).
The applicant said the black aluminum design provides better sight lines than a solid privacy fence; he also said property management had approved an exterior plan that allows fences to extend up to 10 feet beyond the build line. Board members found the variance met the ordinance criteria and approved the findings of fact; the motion to grant VAR-25-2 carried with Miss McCoy: yes; Mister Robbins: yes; Mister Herriman: yes.
Staff noted implementation steps: if the variance is granted, the specific fence permit will be processed under the terms of the variance and subsequent material changes could require only a zoning permit rather than a new variance, provided visibility standards remain met.
