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Board grants 6-foot fence variance at Chancery Drive after applicant cites safety for children and dog
Summary
The board approved a variance to permit a 6-foot wood privacy fence at 2107 Chancery Drive after the applicant said the fence was necessary to keep children and a pet safe; the motion passed unanimously.
The Troy City Building Code Board of Appeals approved a variance allowing a 6-foot wood privacy fence at 2107 Chancery Drive, concluding the applicant’s safety and neighborhood consistency arguments outweighed the ordinance restriction.
The applicant, Zachary Mori, told the board he and his wife recently built the house and want a fully fenced backyard to keep their dog and two young children safe; he also said neighboring properties on Edith already have 6-foot wooden fences that appear to have been grandfathered in.
Dominic, building department staff, told the board the property is in the R-1-D zoning district, which requires a 25-foot front setback and limits front-yard fence height to 30 inches unless the exception for a common rear yard relationship applies (non-obscuring fences up to 48 inches). The applicant’s plan would put a 6-foot privacy fence approximately 7 feet from the Edith property line for a stretch of roughly 121 feet that would otherwise be limited to 30 inches.
Mori said he and his contractor selected wood to match the neighborhood character and that the fence would be constructed on the house side of existing trees to minimize sight-line impacts. He told the board, “We’re just trying to provide a safe place for our family to hang out in our backyard.” He indicated flexibility about exact placement and said neighbors behind the property had discussed possibly replacing or moving their fencing to align.
Board members asked about alternatives including vinyl or a 4-foot non-obscuring fence; Mori said he preferred wood for durability and neighborhood fit. A neighbor who lives on Chancery said he visited the site and did not believe the proposed location would create sight-line problems.
Teresa moved to grant the variance, citing exceptional property characteristics and no indication of harm to the neighborhood; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call with unanimous support from the four members present. Board members instructed the applicant to coordinate permit work with the building department and to flip support posts so the finished side faces the street.
