Applicant Kathleen Tellez asks to extend front-yard fence; board cites precedent and asks for survey

At the March 5, 2026 Hobart City Redevelopment Authority meeting, applicant Kathleen (last name spelled aloud) asked the board for permission to install a fence that would extend from the front of her house toward the sidewalk in order to create an enclosed area for her two small dogs.

The request drew immediate questions from board members about local zoning rules and precedent. Chair told the applicant the authority "can't be careful, because if we allow you to do that, then we're setting precedent," and noted that the city's 1983 ordinance change removed typical front-yard fences from allowed structures, with only pre-existing fences being grandfathered.

Kathleen described her property and need: "I have 2 little dogs and the lot is consumed by house mostly all the way back to the alley," and said she provided illustrative photos (noted in the record as AI-generated) and believed a fence running from the front to the back would create usable space. The board reviewed aerial and street views and pointed out an existing neighbor fence along one side; members questioned whether the proposed fence would cross property lines or extend past the curb/sidewalk line.

Board members and staff discussed alternatives that would create usable enclosed space without violating the front-yard prohibition. Suggestions included running a fence from the front corner of the porch back to the property line or using a side-yard path, and a practical option mentioned was adding or using a man door to access an existing side yard. The board emphasized that allowable exceptions typically relate to unusual lot geometry, not economic hardship or a tenant's recent move, and referenced prior cases where houses sited on alleys or unusually configured lots had different treatments.

The board did not take a final vote on the variance. Instead, members directed Kathleen to provide a certified property survey and to bring that documentation to the building department for staff review and clear measurement of property and setback lines. Chair and Clerk explained that an existing certified survey could be accepted and that staff would assist the applicant in identifying how far a fence could extend without breaching the curb/property line.

The board’s next procedural step is for the applicant to submit the requested survey and consult with the building department; no formal variance approval or denial was recorded at the meeting.