Planning Commission backs revisions to fencing standards, clarifies measurement, screening and waiver process

The Pleasant Grove Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council adopt changes to City Code Section 10-15-38 (Fencing Standards) after staff and commissioners agreed on clarified measurement rules and more-specific standards for living screening.

Planner Jacob Hawkins presented a staff-drafted code text amendment that separates fence-height measurement from the subsection on grade differences and defines when mitigation is required. "The fencing requirements that we have right now are good... but there's one section in particular that sticks out... and that's this section here, letter e, where it's talking about grade differences," Hawkins said, noting ambiguity about whether a "3 foot" grade difference is measured across an entire property or near the fence line. He proposed defining a grade difference as "a 3 foot difference in height within 25 feet of the property line on the subject property," and clarifying that new development would be responsible for providing a retaining wall, fence, masonry wall or suitable screening when necessary.

Commission discussion focused on practical details: whether mitigation should be a retaining wall or fence, drainage and engineering responsibilities, and how to write enforceable living-screen standards. Commissioners asked that the living-screen language be more specific for commonly used species. Staff and commissioners agreed on the following clarifications for the code amendment (as discussed and directed in the meeting):

- Measure fence height from the finished grade of the property where the fence is located, or from the top of an adjacent retaining wall when the fence is within 1 foot of that wall. - Define a grade difference that triggers mitigation as a 3-foot difference in height within 25 feet of the subject property line. - Provide specific living-screen options that staff can verify: columnar deciduous trees at a minimum of 1 tree per 15 linear feet with a minimum caliper of 1.5 inches; columnar evergreen screens allowed at 8 plantings per 30 linear feet planted 2 feet from the property line with a minimum height of 7 feet at installation. - Retain a conditional-use pathway for fences taller than the base standard (discussion referenced up to a 10-foot fence by conditional use), and require a building permit for portions of fence above 7 feet to address structural and wind-load concerns. - Change the mechanism for waiving a required 6-foot precast or masonry wall so it can be handled administratively (with a recorded agreement between parties) because City Council no longer reviews residential subdivision plats.

Commissioners debated whether to require a landscape professional to certify living-screen designs; they ultimately directed staff to craft concrete plant-spacing, species-type (columnar/deciduous vs. evergreen), and caliper/height minimums rather than mandate costly design services. "This gives us a way for the developer to work with the neighboring property owner and be like, 'Hey, do we need this fence? If we do, can we use an existing fence?'" Hawkins said.

Commissioner Redding moved, and Commissioner Butler seconded, a recommendation that the City Council approve the code text amendment as modified in the meeting; the commission voted in favor. The recommended revisions will be transmitted to City Council for final consideration.