Zoning board grants 6-foot privacy fence for Avon Belden homeowner

The North Ridgeville Zoning & Building Board of Appeals voted unanimously to grant a variance permitting a 6-foot, fully opaque privacy fence along a 70-foot frontage at 7667 Avon Belden Road.

Applicant Beth Ann Galvez told the board the fence responds to new traffic and safety concerns after adjacent development. "We used to have just one neighbor that would go by my house. We now have 52," she said, adding that the increased traffic and reported thefts made privacy and security important for her three children. Planning and development director Lieber explained the code permits a maximum front-yard fence height of 4 feet with 50% openness and that the proposed segment runs parallel to Orchard Park Drive and extends beyond the face of the house, requiring variances for height and opacity.

During deliberations the board applied the statutory Duncan factors, noting the lot's unusual configuration—fronting on Avon Belden Road while the driveway and the affected frontage are on a private drive serving Ridgeville Farms—and that the approved Ridgeville Farms site plan had anticipated screening in this location. The board also noted the proposal would retain about 25 feet of open lawn and preserve sightlines around the curve. After a motion and roll call, members present (Toth, Weaver, Masterson) voted yes and the motion carried unanimously.

The variance applies only to the named segment described at the hearing; other fence segments on the property comply with code. Staff will follow up with the applicant regarding permit issuance and conditions discussed at the hearing.