Commission approves 4-board "horse" fencing at Magnolia Hall open-space despite staff denial recommendation

The Franklin Historic Zoning Commission voted Sept. 8 to approve the installation of four-board horse-style fencing at 1850 William Campbell Court in the Boyd Mill Avenue Historic District, approving the design despite staff's recommendation for denial under the district guidelines.

Staff recommended denying the four-board proposal, noting the design guidelines favor wooden picket, open-weave brick, or cast-iron fences and generally advise recessing plank or split-rail fences from the plane of a residence and limiting front-yard fence height to 3 feet. If the commission approved the application, staff offered conditions.

Jason Goddard, representing the applicant and noting David Horwath could not attend, said the owners preferred the four-board fence to keep the open-space park “as private as possible” and argued the four-board fence would be appropriate contextually because similar four-board fences already exist along nearby Void Mill and Glass Lane. Commissioners Lisa and others moved and seconded a motion to approve the four-board fencing, explicitly finding the site's unique circumstances and existing nearby fencing made the four-board design appropriate. The motion passed with the transcript recording the result as “ayes have it.”

The approval is conditioned as discussed by staff; the record indicates the fencing will be 4 feet tall and posts approximately 7 feet on center, matching existing sections along Void Mill. Staff had advised that wooden picket fences and open designs are typical for primary yards and that fences higher than 3 feet along front yards are discouraged, but the commission exercised discretion based on the site's context.