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Oneida County Board of Adjustment denies Minocqua homeowner's request for taller fence
Summary
The Oneida County Board of Adjustment voted 3-2 on June 4, 2026 to deny a variance sought by homeowner Sarah Ashby to exceed the six-foot residential fence height at 9455 Country Club Road in the Town of Minocqua, with the board finding the three required variance justifications were not met.
Rhinelander, Wis. — The Oneida County Board of Adjustment voted 3-2 on June 4, 2026 to deny a variance request from Minocqua homeowner Sarah Ashby that would have allowed a privacy fence taller than the county's six-foot cap for residential properties.
The hearing concerned zoning permit #2600064 for property at 9455 Country Club Road (PIN MI-2327-6). Ashby sought a taller fence to block oncoming headlights along Country Club Road and to reduce light from a neighboring residence; she submitted a letter of support from a property owner farther south.
Todd Troskey, Assistant Director of the Planning and Zoning Department, told the board the department's denial was based on the county ordinance limiting residential fence height to six feet. Board members also conducted an on-site inspection of the property earlier in the day before the public hearing.
Neighbor Mary Zenisek, who said she had cleared a row of spruce trees for safety reasons, told the board she had no objection to Ashby increasing the fence height by an additional two-and-a-half feet and noted plans to build a garage that would further obstruct headlights.
During deliberations the board examined the three statutory criteria for a variance: whether the property is unique compared with others in the zone, whether a hardship exists that is not self-created, and whether granting the variance would cause harm to the public interest. The board discussed alternative measures to block light and questioned how much a taller fence would reduce headlights on the angled stretch of Country Club Road.
A motion by Board member Dan Chronister, seconded by Chair Guy Hansen, concluded that the three justifications had not been met and moved to deny the variance. The vote was: Chronister ' yes; Viegut ' no; Verdoorn ' yes; Pazdernik ' no; Hansen ' yes. The motion carried and the permit denial was upheld. Chair Hansen adjourned the meeting at 11:40 a.m.
The board record shows no immediate direction for staff to return with revised mitigation options; the transcript does not specify any further appeal timeline or next procedural step.
