Tenafly board denies homeowners request for 8-foot deer fence at 129 Highwood Ave

Joyce Hamrah, homeowner at 129 Highwood Avenue, told the Tenafly Board of Adjustment on Feb. 2 that she has "between 7-11 deer on a regular basis" on her property and is seeking variances to install a 6-foot and 8-foot black metal fence and a 6-foot mesh deer fence in the front yard to protect her plantings.

Hamrah said the proposed fences would be set behind existing shrubs and closer to her house and driveway so they would be minimally visible from the street. Borough Attorney Mr. Zenn reminded the board that variance review requires satisfying C1 and C2 criteria and that the boroughs fence ordinance applies boroughwide.

Board Engineer Mr. Vince testified that Tenaflys 4-foot front-yard height limit and 75% openness requirement are intended to preserve a consistent streetscape. Mr. Vince said the rule is largely aesthetic: "It is more for an aesthetic reason that towns set height restrictions to set a consistency for the beautification of the town." Hamrah said she has tried deer-resistant plantings and hired two deer-control companies for multiple years without success.

During deliberations board members split on whether the propertys corner location and landscaping justified an exception. Supporters cited the applicants well-manicured property and discreet placement of fencing; opponents warned that approving an 8-foot fence could prompt neighboring property owners to seek similar relief and shift the deer problem along the block. Dr. Paskhover said approving the fence might merely move the problem to adjacent yards. The board voted to deny the variance by a 4-3 roll-call vote following a short executive-session review.