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Council approves 8‑foot screening fence, North End mural committee to shape design
Summary
Council granted a conditional use permit to allow an eight‑foot screening fence along the CSX storage yard and adjacent city‑owned lots; staff outlined four CUP conditions and said the fence will be designed to accommodate a community mural.
Winchester City Council approved a conditional use permit on Sept. 23 to allow an eight‑foot screening fence in the front yard of the CSX railroad storage yard and two adjacent city‑owned lots on North Kent Street. The city’s planning staff said the fence is intended to screen a railroad storage area from surrounding properties while allowing a community mural on a portion of the fence.
Why it matters: The fence requires a CUP because eight‑foot fences are not permitted in front yards under current zoning. Council approval allows the city to proceed with a final zoning permit and the mural committee’s design work.
Planning staff described the proposal as part of stormwater projects in the northern end of the city and said two stormwater retention ponds are nearing completion. The fence will use superior precast concrete panels with a stucco design that staff said would better facilitate painting for the mural. Staff said the fence would not affect the functioning of the stormwater facilities or city operations on the lots.
Staff presented four proposed conditions attached to the CUP: a zoning fence permit will be required; staff and the project committee should consider varying the height below the 8‑foot maximum to break up a monotone façade; the fence shall not exceed 8 feet; and any future repair that changes the fence height would require a new CUP. Council approved the permit on roll call after a public hearing with no speakers.
The project team said the fence design is being coordinated with a committee made up of North End community members to design and paint the mural. Staff listed as next steps finalization of the fence design, coordination with the mural committee and securing a zoning fence permit. The planning department will return required permit documentation to the council clerk and proceed with public‑facing coordination per the CUP conditions.
Speakers at the meeting who presented or answered questions on the item included Sean Benson of the planning department and members of the city council. The motion to approve was made and seconded on the record; the council clerk called the roll and the motion carried.
