Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Supervisors ask planning commission to study use of barbed wire on commercial property
Summary
Following a request from a property owner seeking to top a fence with barbed wire for theft deterrence, the board asked staff to sponsor a planning commission study on whether and how commercial properties might use barbed or similar protective wire, distinguishing temporary from permanent uses.
A commercial property owner seeking permission to add barbed wire atop perimeter fencing prompted a board-level discussion on June 3 about whether York County’s ordinances allow such security measures.
County staff and the county attorney said the existing local code is silent on barbed wire and, under Virginia’s Dillon-rule framework, silence is generally treated as prohibition without explicit local authority. Supervisors noted several existing commercial or utility sites in the county that already use wire-topped fencing and asked planning staff to examine whether the county should adopt clear standards permitting defensive wire in limited circumstances.
Board action and scope
The board asked staff to draft and present a study to the Planning Commission evaluating barbed wire and similar security wire as a permitted use for commercial and industrial properties. Supervisors suggested the study should address distinctions between barbed wire and razor wire, temporary vs. permanent installation, visibility and aesthetics, and public-safety or liability implications.
Why it matters
Property owners raising security concerns told supervisors they suffered thefts after perimeter fences were damaged. Board members said they want a clear local process to handle requests for nonstandard security measures without ad hoc approvals, while the county attorney advised the board that a study and an ordinance amendment would create a lawful, consistent standard if the board chooses to allow such measures.
Next steps
Staff will sponsor the study with the Planning Commission and return recommendations to the board.
