Historic Zoning Commission approves aluminum driveway gate and fence for 746 East Main Street

The Murfreesboro Historic Zoning Commission on June 17 approved a request by property owner Jonathan Harmon to install an aluminum driveway gate and matching fence at 746 East Main Street, a Colonial Revival home listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The decision came after a brief presentation by Amelia, a staff member, who described the site as a Colonial Revival house constructed about 1930 in a single-family residential (RS-15) zoning district within the city's historic zoning overlay and central core overlay. Amelia said the applicant proposed aluminum fencing styled to resemble wrought iron with decorative finials and that similar fences exist elsewhere in the historic district.

Harmon told the commission the fence is “more to keep dogs in than it is to keep people out,” and that the gate will be manual, not motorized. Commissioners asked about visibility from the street and how the fence would interface with a left-side open porch; Harmon replied the fence would line up with the back of that porch and that the top of the fence would be “very close” to the porch floor. He said the planned fence would match the style and height of the adjacent neighbor’s approved fence at 730 East Main Street and that the driveway opening is about 14 to 15 feet wide, so masonry columns were not planned.

Under the historic district design guidelines cited by staff, fences are permitted when they are similar in material to nearby fences and do not disrupt the visual harmony of the front yard; preferred materials listed in the guidelines are wrought iron, wood, or brick. Amelia told the commission that an aluminum fence that resembles wrought iron has precedent in the district and would meet those design expectations.

Commissioners moved and seconded approval of the application “as submitted.” The roll call vote was unanimous: Commissioner Becker, Commissioner Jaques, Commissioner Panisse, Commissioner Prince, Commissioner Thompson and Chair Jeff Davis all voted yes. The application was approved without conditions.

The commission did not require motorization details because Harmon stated he had “no intention of motorizing” the gate. Staff noted administrative processing of the permit would follow.

What happened next: staff confirmed the approved application would be processed through the commission’s administrative workflow. No appeals, formal conditions, or additional studies were announced at the meeting.