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Applicant seeks front-yard fence; board advises survey and limits to front of house
Summary
At its March 5 meeting, the Hobart City Redevelopment Authority heard from applicant Kathleen Tellez, who requested permission to extend a residential fence toward the street. Board members said the ordinance generally bars fences past the front of a house, urged a property survey and suggested placing the fence at the front corner of the house rather than the curb line.
An applicant identified herself as Kathleen Tellez and asked the Hobart City Redevelopment Authority on March 5 for permission to install a fence that would extend toward the front of her property to provide an enclosed area for her two small dogs.
The request prompted questions from the board about city ordinance limits and precedent. The board’s chair said the city generally does not allow front-yard fences to extend beyond the front face of a house because allowing one homeowner to do so sets a precedent for other properties. “If we allow you to do that, then we’re setting precedent,” the chair said.
Tellez told the board she planned to enclose a strip of yard that is otherwise hard for the dogs to access because of an attached garage and driveway layout. She provided photographs and a site plan (one document appeared to be an AI-generated image), explained that she has limited funds, and said she recently moved into the house.
Board members suggested alternatives and conditions. One member said the board could consider allowing fencing to come up to the front corner of the house — matching the existing front-yard line of the neighboring house — rather than permitting fencing to the curb. Another member recommended adding or relocating a man door in the garage so the yard can be accessed from the side. Multiple members stressed the need for an accurate property survey before the board would approve any change to the fence line.
Staff directed Tellez to bring a stamped survey to the building department and to consult with neighbors about her intended fence location. The chair and other members said a survey is required to determine the property line and ensure any permitted fencing would not encroach on neighboring property or the public right-of-way.
The board did not take a final vote on a variance at the meeting. Instead, members discussed options (limit fence to the front corner of the house, use rear/side yard space, or modify garage access) and advised Tellez to return with a survey and the required public-notification materials if she wished to pursue the variance.
