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Historic commission continues Seaside Avenue fence case, directs owner to reduce exposed height to 6 feet
Summary
The historic district commission continued William Flanagan’s application for a privacy fence at 17 Seaside Avenue after finding exposed 8-foot white vinyl sections noncompliant; the board directed the owner to work with his contractor to lower the exposed height to a maximum of 6 feet and return on Nov. 13.
The Dennis Old Kings Highway Regional Historic District commission continued a fence application from homeowner William Flanagan after finding portions of the fence exceeded what the commission would approve for visibility in the historic district.
Flanagan told the board he installed a white privacy fence after putting in a pool and said he had been told by the fence company that a permit wasn’t required for fences up to 8 feet. "We didn't know that we needed an Old Kings Highway permit and a building permit for something like that," Flanagan said, explaining the panels were already in place when he learned of the requirement.
Commission members said an exposed 8-foot white vinyl fence was out of character for the area and posed a visibility concern from Seaside Avenue. The chair (speaker 1) said, "The 8-foot sections that you put in, that are already there, we would never... approve that," and commissioners discussed options to bring the visible portion into compliance.
Staff noted the building department requires engineering documentation for fences over 7 feet and advised that any change above the grade could have implications for an adjacent neighbor. Commissioners and the applicant explored practical remedies discussed on the record: trimming or reusing panel sections, countersinking posts, raising the grade in coordination with the neighbor, or cutting and reinstalling panels as a 6-foot fence. Flanagan said he would consult with his fence company about on-site modifications or panel reuse.
The commission voted to continue the application to the Nov. 13 meeting so the applicant can provide either a revised plan or an engineering approach and to allow absent board members to weigh in. The chair said the commission’s preference is to limit exposed fence height to 6 feet from the grade; the board asked the applicant to submit proposed options and confirmed the building department must sign off on any approach that affects structural grade or requires engineering documents.
Next step: Flanagan will consult with his installer, prepare options to reduce exposed height to 6 feet (or provide engineering documentation if over 7 feet is pursued), and return to the Historic District commission at its Nov. 13 meeting. The application was continued; no formal approval was granted this evening.
