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Applicant seeks front-yard fence; board points to ordinance, suggests alternatives
Summary
An applicant identified as Kathleen asked the Hobart City Redevelopment Authority for permission to extend a fence toward the front of her house to create a safe area for her two small dogs. The board cited a 1983 ordinance that generally prohibits front-yard fences, recommended alternatives and asked the applicant to submit a property survey to the building department.
The Hobart City Redevelopment Authority heard from an applicant who asked to install a fence extending toward the front of her house to create a secure area for two small dogs. The applicant, who identified herself as Kathleen, said she has limited backyard access because her garage and driveway configuration prevent dogs from reaching the side yard and that she brought images of the proposed fence design.
Board members said city regulations typically do not permit front-yard fences and noted consistency and precedent as the primary concerns. One member said, “I don’t think that we’d be able to entertain allowing a front yard fence there for a couple of reasons,” noting an earlier ordinance adoption that, according to the member, dates to 1983 and has resulted in only limited grandfathered examples. Another member framed the narrow circumstances that could justify an exception: unusual lot orientation or land configuration rather than economic or personal hardship.
The applicant described the constraint in practical terms: “I have 2 little dogs and the lot is consumed by house mostly all the way back to the alley,” and said she brought images (AI-generated) to illustrate the plan. Board members walked through aerial and street-view images (via ZendGIS) and suggested site-specific alternatives: bringing the fence to the front corner of the house rather than the curb line, installing the fence on a side yard, or adding a man door in the garage to access existing side-yard space.
The board advised that to proceed with any variance request the applicant must submit an accurate property survey showing the property lines. The chair and staff recommended she take an existing survey to the building department or obtain one and coordinate with neighbors before returning. No variance vote was taken at the meeting.
The board closed the discussion by repeating that true exceptions usually arise from lot configuration (for example, a house sited back from the street) rather than personal or economic need; the applicant was directed to work with the building department on next steps.
