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Variance granted for 6‑foot fence at 113 East Woodlawn after decades of local use
Summary
The board granted a variance allowing a 6‑foot fence in the front‑yard setback at 113 East Woodlawn Avenue, citing longstanding use, neighbor support and safety/privacy reasons for elderly residents.
The North Augusta Board of Zoning Appeals on Sept. 2 approved a variance for a 6‑foot fence at 113 East Woodlawn Avenue, finding long‑standing use, neighbor support and safety considerations justified exception from the city’s 4‑foot front‑yard height limit.
Application ZV25-010 (filed under the name Charlene Begler in the agenda but presented in the hearing as Charlene Fagler) requested relief from Section 6.3.4.1 of the North Augusta Development Code. Staff recommended approval with two conditions: limit the increased height to the existing fence and allow repair, maintenance and replacement with similar design and materials if the fence is damaged or destroyed.
Staff noted the property shares a driveway with 115 East Woodlawn, and that tenants in the adjacent rental property had previously prompted the original fence installation around 2004 to provide privacy and reduce noise for the homeowners, who the applicant said are elderly (ages given as 89 and 91). The applicant explained the fence was removed briefly to replace an aging driveway and was replaced at the same height and location.
Multiple neighbors and the tenant at 115 voiced support at the hearing. Tenant Gerald McMillan said the fence “does provide me a little bit of privacy” and that coming in and out of the driveway “is no issue.” Other nearby residents who spoke — Raven Acosta Nobles, Elaine Ergo and Lane Bradford — described the fence as attractive and not creating problems.
Board members answered the ten variance criteria in the affirmative, including findings that an unnecessary hardship exists due to shared driveway configuration and nighttime noise historically associated with the rental next door, that extraordinary conditions exist on the parcel, and that granting the variance would not harm the public good or district character. The board approved the variance unanimously.
The variance is limited to the existing fence height; the board’s conditions allow future maintenance or replacement in kind but do not authorize a taller new fence than currently exists.
