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Augusta zoning board denies two Skinner Mill fence-height variances, postpones a third
Summary
The board denied a request to allow a 6-foot fence at 3221 and 3217 Skinner Mill Road and postponed a second house-specific petition; neighbors cited sight-line and nighttime safety concerns while the applicant cited security and a history of thefts.
The Augusta Board of Zoning Appeals on Dec. 15 denied two fence‑height variances and postponed a third petition for properties along Skinner Mill Road after extended public comment and debate over safety, neighborhood character and ordinance consistency.
Planner Rachel Martin presented three separate petitions seeking to increase the maximum front-yard fence height from 4 feet to 6 feet for properties at 3221, 3225 and 3217 Skinner Mill Road. Martin said the ordinance (section 8‑1‑b) limits front-yard fencing to 4 feet and that staff found the petitions did not meet required variance criteria, although staff listed conditions by which the board could permit a 6-foot fence in the concept-plan locations.
Applicant Bart O’Quinn told the board he had lived in the area for decades and that a series of break‑ins and thefts motivated his decision to erect taller fences for security. “We built the fence and built it in the way we did to keep people from being able to jump it,” O’Quinn said.
Several neighbors opposed taller fencing. Dennis Silas, who lives next door, said the fence made it harder to see oncoming traffic at night: “It does make it difficult to come out of the driveway, especially when it’s very dark.” Other neighbors raised concerns about reduced sight lines, limited street lighting after a recent hurricane, and potential resale impacts.
After discussion and roll-call votes the board denied BZA 25‑50 (3221 Skinner Mill Road). BZA 25‑51 (3225 Skinner Mill Road) was addressed separately and the board recorded a postponement. For BZA 25‑52 (3217 Skinner Mill Road), members debated whether a vacant lot should be treated differently than occupied lots and considered a substitute motion; the board ultimately denied that petition by roll call, with the chair reporting a 7–3 vote against approval.
Staff emphasized that the front‑yard fence rules apply whether or not a lot contains a house and that visual appearance alone is not part of the variance test; the board’s actions preserve the 4‑foot front-yard limit for the two denied petitions.
