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Planning board denies Celebration Point HOA request to raise pool fence to 8 feet
Summary
Fort Pierce Planning & Zoning Board voted to deny a request by Celebration Point HOA to raise the community pool fence from 6 to 8 feet, finding the application did not meet the ordinance’ variance criteria despite staff’s recommendation to approve based on trespass and vandalism reports.
The Planning and Zoning Board in Fort Pierce voted to deny a variance request from Celebration Point Master Association to increase the community pool fence height from 6 feet to 8 feet.
Carrie Driver, senior planner for the City of Fort Pierce Planning and Zoning Department, told the board the applicant requested the taller fence to prevent trespassing and vandalism and offered alarm-system photos and incident records. "Planning staff recommends approval for the fence height increase," Driver said, but she also outlined conditions tied to the Florida Building Code, color and material matching, and a post-installation inspection.
Board members pushed back on whether recorded incidents of trespass and vandalism qualify as the "special conditions" the city code requires for a variance. Mr. Drummond, a board member, asked whether crime alone can create the required special circumstances and noted nonstructural alternatives such as hiring security or installing gate controls.
No applicant representative appeared to present or answer questions. During deliberations, Mr. Drummond moved to deny the application and Mr. Chris seconded. The motion carried on roll call; the board concluded the application did not satisfy the variance criteria in Chapter 125, Article 2, Division 3 of the city code and denied the request.
The board listed conditions staff had suggested if the variance were approved — material compliant with the Florida State Building Code, fence extension matching the existing fence color and appearance, and limiting pool use until installation passes inspection — but those conditions were not applied because the board denied the variance.
Next steps noted in the hearing record: the applicant may withdraw, request continuation to secure more information, or pursue the issue before the county commission if it seeks a code change.
The hearing record shows the decision was taken during the board’s public hearing and deliberation and concluded with a formal roll-call vote to deny the variance.
