Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Residential Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Homewood BZA approves corner picket fence at 310 Saint Charles Street for child safety
Summary
The board granted a variance allowing a low picket fence along the Irving Street side of 310 Saint Charles Street to permit a near-zero setback for a three-foot safety fence; the owners said the fence will let them open patio doors and better supervise small children.
The Homewood Board of Zoning Adjustment on June 2 approved a variance permitting a three-foot picket fence with nearly zero setback along the Irving Street side of 310 Saint Charles Street (case SV250603). The homeowners said the fence is a safety measure to keep young children from entering a busy adjacent street.
Homeowners Scott and Meredith Wiseman said they rebuilt their house after structural problems and want a picket-style barrier so they can open French doors on a side patio while keeping their two young children safe. Scott Wiseman told the board the family has “two young kids,” including a nearly 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, and said the corner location on Irving made the barrier necessary for daily use.
Photos and street-view images were shown during the hearing. Staff confirmed that an earlier picket fence had existed at the property and that the new fence would be shorter than the prior condition. Board members discussed the public right-of-way and the property line locations; staff noted the street’s 40-foot right-of-way and confirmed the fence would be sited at the property line within that right-of-way boundary.
After questions from the board, a motion to approve was seconded and the board voted to grant the variance. Recorded votes on the motion show the approval carried with the board majority; the staff noted the applicants have one year to apply for the building permit tied to the variance.
The board’s approval allows the Wisemans to install the three-foot picket fence to enclose the side patio for child safety and to permit the family to open doors to the patio without immediate risk of the children entering Irving Street.
