The Franklin City Board of Zoning Appeals voted May 1 to approve a variance allowing a fence up to 7 feet in height in the front‑yard area at 1005 Marylinger Court.

Planning staff said the lot’s unusual configuration — the existing and proposed principal buildings sit well back from the front lot line — results in most of the parcel being classified as front yard. Staff found the lot’s shape creates a unique hardship and recommended approval because a taller fence is necessary to provide privacy from neighboring rear and side yards.

Luke Klausner, the civil engineer on the project, told the board the existing building is set far back, the owner previously received BZA approval for building setbacks, and the proposed fence is consistent with prior approvals. Dr. Paula Scherr, who owns Animal Ark Animal Hospital adjacent to the property, told the board she believes an existing chain‑link fence on the site was installed permanently in 2022 and said she was denied a similar fence years earlier; she also said 12+ shipping containers currently on the property have been onsite for over a year.

Staff responded that the chain‑link fence was treated as temporary during construction review and that historic/permit staff told the owner it must be removed; staff said no certificate of occupancy will be issued for the new addition or new building until the temporary fence and the storage containers are removed and the new fence is installed to code. The applicant said the goal is to have the project open by July and that the containers and temporary fencing will be removed.

The board voted to approve the fence variance (Board member Beams: yes; Board member Scales: yes; Board member Langley: yes; Board member Flushauer: yes; Board member Smith: yes). Staff said the chain‑link will be replaced with a wooden fence with masonry columns and that a fence submittal must be approved before the new fence is installed.