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Informal review: corner-lot fence request in Lansdowne draws general support, formal variation required
Summary
A Lansdowne subdivision homeowner seeking a 6-foot privacy fence on a corner lot received informal support from the PCZBA but was told a formal variance is required and that the village removed a restrictive plat covenant earlier at the Village Board level.
Homeowner Jonathan Bosch presented an informal request to install a 6-foot fence along the Moffett Road side of his corner lot at 511 Lansdowne Lane on Wednesday, May 21. The Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals offered general support but explained he must pursue a formal variance process.
The issue arises because corner lots in Lansdowne are subject to the code definition that treats the shorter frontage as the front yard, which limits fence height to 4 feet in that area. Bosch said his property’s driveway faces Lansdowne Lane and the Moffett Road side functions as his backyard; he asked to place a 6-foot privacy fence where neighboring properties already have six-foot fencing.
Commissioners said they understood the homeowner’s intent and noted the property’s context: Member Russell observed many comparable lots on Moffett Road already have six-foot fences and suggested adding “opaque” to screening requirements so chain-link with large openings would not qualify. Several members said the applicant’s landscaping plan and neighbors’ signatures supporting the request were persuasive. The commission also noted that the Village Board had already acted to remove a restrictive covenant on the subdivision plat that had prohibited certain fences, but that PCZBA review of height requires a formal variance process.
Jonathan Bosch said he had circulated and submitted signed support from each house on Lansdowne Lane and described plans to clear buckthorn and plant native species. Village staff told Bosch this meeting was an informal review and explained he must file a formal application for a variation; staff said, if submitted soon with fence details, the case could appear on a June agenda for public hearing.
No formal vote or action was taken at the informal review. Staff will follow up with the homeowner about application requirements and public-hearing timelines.
