That question will now be revisited by the Centerville Planning Commission after the city councilís recent vote to send a possible zoning ordinance change concerning fence heights along the south side of Porter Lane back down to the commission with more information.
The ordinance change, which would allow fences along the stretch to be eight feet rather than six feet high, was requested to help improve the privacy of those homes whose back fences are right next to an approximately three foot high berm.
ìPeople like to walk along the berm, even though itís not officially a trail,î said Centerville Community Development Director Cory Snyder, who recommended that the council approve the additional two feet.
In addition to the privacy concerns, safety issues were also brought up to support the possibility of raising fence heights.
ìIf someone stood on the berm, they could clearly look over the fence and case those houses,î said council member Sherri Lindstrom.
The planning commission initially denied the application for the ordinance change, citing the potential unattractiveness of several different fence lines and materials facing outward onto one of the cityís major roads.
However, there were certain questions that the commission didnít have answers to at the time of their decision, including the fact that the berm and a canal area means that there is approximately 20 feet between the road and the fence line.
Also, a loophole in the current code does allow for a fence to be built that appears to be eight feet high when seen from Porter Lane. In areas where the berm is pressed up against the fence, the property owner is allowed to start counting their fence height halfway up the height of the berm.
ìItís because of the retaining wall,î said Centerville City Manager Steve Thacker. ìTechnically, such a fence would not be in violation, but the visual effect is the same.î
jwardell@davisclipper.com
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