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Board OKs 6‑foot privacy fence for Laurelton corner lot, citing unusual foot‑traffic pattern
Summary
The BMZA granted a variance allowing a homeowner to replace a 4‑ft chain‑link with a 6‑ft privacy fence on a corner lot, finding the site’s corner location, nearby bus stop and adjacent strip center create a practical difficulty for complying with corner‑yard requirements.
The Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals voted Oct. 21 to approve a variance that will allow a Laurelton Avenue homeowner to install a 6‑foot privacy fence in the same footprint as an existing 4‑foot chain‑link fence. Homeowner Windsor Calvin II said the property is a corner lot near Northern Parkway, a bus stop and a strip mall and that the additional height would improve privacy and safety for grandchildren. "We have already had some property stolen from us," Calvin told the board.
Planning and board members discussed whether the site’s circulation—direct foot paths from the bus stop and a curb cut into the shopping center—created a peculiarity sufficient to show a practical difficulty under the city’s variance standard. Several members concluded the combination of corner geometry and increased foot traffic makes the standard burden unfairly onerous for this homeowner; one member noted there were no posted neighborhood objections.
The board approved the variance, with members emphasizing the decision rests on the property’s factual circumstances rather than a general rule for all corner lots. Staff reminded the applicant not to begin construction until a written resolution and permits are issued and circulated by the board office.
