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Commission pushes back on 8‑ft chain‑link fence for Franklin County sheriff parking, continues item for redesign
Summary
Franklin County’s plan to fence a downtown surface parking lot for the sheriff’s office with an 8‑foot chain‑link fence drew criticism from commissioners as inconsistent with downtown design guidelines. The commission asked the applicant to return with higher‑quality alternatives and continued the item to August.
The commission on June 24 declined to approve a proposed 8‑foot galvanized chain‑link fence around a surface parking lot at 55 East Main Street and instead asked the applicant to return with alternative designs that better meet downtown design standards.
Kramer Engineers representatives, who said they were working for Franklin County and the sheriff’s office, presented the request to secure an existing parking lot used by the sheriff. The original submission called for an 8‑foot mini‑mesh chain‑link fence, two vehicle gates (including a card‑reader entry), and a dumpster enclosure at the southeast corner. Staff flagged the application as generally inconsistent with downtown design guidelines, which state chain‑link and railroad‑tie style screening are not supported and recommend masonry walls, masonry piers with decorative metal infill, or high‑quality alternatives with planting beds.
Commissioners acknowledged the sheriff’s operational need for a secured lot but said the proposed chain‑link solution would create an ‘eyesore’ on a downtown frontage. They pressed the applicants to consider alternatives: no‑climb metal fencing in a black finish, decorative metal panels, masonry piers with planting beds set off from the sidewalk, and buffered/low planting strips that avoid creating climbable stepping surfaces. Commissioners also discussed site circulation and whether access could be routed from the alley instead of Main Street; the applicant said alley circulation was constrained by meters and geometry.
After extended discussion the commission moved to continue the item to the August meeting and asked the applicant to return with a refined design that balances security and downtown streetscape quality. The commission also requested further details on proposed anti‑ram measures and building‑mounted barriers (applicant said those are a separate submittal handled by structural engineers). Staff reiterated that dumpster enclosures are required to use constructed materials compatible with the primary building or alternative screening acceptable to staff.
The item was continued to the August hearing; staff and applicants will work to produce alternative fence concepts (no‑climb metal, masonry piers plus planting, black finish, and screened/detailed dumpster enclosure) for further review.
