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Board grants conditional-use permit for barbed-wire atop telecom shelter fence with screening condition
Summary
Zipply Fiber Pacific received approval to retain barbed wire atop an 8-foot fence that encloses a telecom fiber shelter at 574 Gladstone Avenue; the company agreed to remove barbed wire from newly added sections, add slats for screening on the south fence, and replace brackets with standard caps.
The Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a conditional-use permit allowing barbed wire to remain atop a portion of an eight-foot fence surrounding Zipply Fiber Pacific’s telecom shelter at 574 Gladstone Avenue, subject to conditions including removal of barbed wire from a recently added perimeter fence section, replacement of barbed-wire brackets with standard chain-link caps, and installation of screening slats on the south fence.
Planner Aidan explained the request under Butte-Silver Bow Municipal Code §17-36-46, which allows barbed wire atop a fence in a C-1 local commercial zoning district through a conditional-use permit. He said the site contains a telecom fiber shelter, a stationary generator and electrical distribution equipment; the surrounding area includes light industrial, commercial and some residential uses. The applicant had already removed barbed wire from an additional perimeter fence but sought to retain the original 198 linear foot section that protects the telecom shelter.
Jason Rosine, a Zipply Fiber representative, said Zipply Fiber is new to Butte and wants to protect infrastructure at the site. He told the board the company would remove the barbed wire from the newer perimeter fence and restore standard chain-link caps where the barbed wire had been attached. Rosine also agreed to add screening slats on the south side of the fence to address a neighbor's aesthetic concern.
Tim Russell, who represents the adjacent martial-arts academy and duplex at 1485 Continental Drive, said the original barbed-wire fence caused no security concerns, but requested removal of barbed-wire brackets and suggested attaching cedar boards or slats to improve aesthetics. “I consider attaching some fence boards to the fence… to improve the aesthetic value,” Russell said. Rosine agreed that slats would be preferable to cedar and authorized adding slats to the south fence area and removing barbed-wire extension arms.
Board members discussed security and aesthetics, noted that such facilities are sometimes vandalized, and considered sight-line issues. Planning staff confirmed that the original site plan met vision-triangle requirements and recommended the screening not interfere with sight lines; the applicant offered to stop screening short of the corner if needed. The board amended the motion to include the slats as an additional condition and voted unanimously to approve the conditional-use permit with the agreed modifications.
