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Planning board recommends tighter side‑yard fence setbacks and material limits on east side of Palmetto
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Board voted to recommend an ordinance amending section 13‑1509 to require side‑yard street‑facing fences east of the Palmetto Expressway to be set back 10 feet from the sidewalk (or 5 feet from the main structure, whichever applies), capped at 6 feet high, and to disallow chain‑link and wood fencing for those visible side‑yard
The Planning & Zoning Board recommended forwarding an ordinance (item 5b) to the Town Council that would change rules for side‑yard fences that face a street on the east side of the Palmetto Expressway. Staff said the change responds to repeated variance requests and that Council member Sanchez brought the item as new business.
Susana (town staff) explained the draft would prevent enclosures that extend to the property line and instead allow fences to be built either 5 feet from the main structure or a standard 10 feet from the sidewalk, leaving a pedestrian buffer. “This would reduce the amount of variances we have,” Susana said when describing the intended effect.
Board members discussed aesthetics, materials and enforceability. Several members said they prefer metal or other durable materials rather than wood or chain‑link, which they said tends to deteriorate and harm appearance. One board member cited long stretches of neglected fences on other thoroughfares as an example of poor neighborhood visual quality.
Motion and vote: Board member Leoncio moved to recommend the ordinance change with the 10‑foot sidewalk setback and continuity/matching materials for adjoining properties, and the board amended the motion on the floor to disallow chain‑link and wood for these street‑facing side‑yard fences and to set a 6‑foot maximum height. Vice Chair Nelson Rodriguez seconded. The board took a roll‑call vote: Leoncio yes; De La Sierra yes; Cruz absent; Vice Chair Rodriguez yes; Chair Senra yes. The motion passed and staff will forward the recommendation to Town Council for consideration on second reading.
What it means: If adopted by Town Council as recommended, properties east of the Palmetto with side yards that face a street would no longer be able to place a full‑depth fence at the property line; instead, they would be required to keep a landscape/green buffer and use materials visible from the street that meet town standards. The ordinance change affects design choices and could reduce the number of variance requests on the east side of town.
Next steps: Staff will include the board’s recommendation in the ordinance packet to Town Council for the scheduled second reading on the 18th (as announced at the meeting).
