Subject:
Title
Allowable Fence Heights
Body
Purpose:
Council Member Anderson requested the opportunity to discuss the Town’s regulations with respect to fence heights, including whether to consider raising allowable heights.
Key QUESTIONS:
1. Would the Town Council like to consider allowing some fences to be higher than 6 feet within the Town of Vienna, and what standards would apply for those fences?
2. Would the Council like to consider amendments to the code sections related to “yards” and “setbacks” as they relate to fences?
3. Would the Council like to consider allowing certain features of fences to exceed the maximum fence heights?
BACKGROUND SUMMARY:
For quite a few years, some members of the community have approached Town Council members and staff to ask whether there would be consideration of raising the maximum fence heights, as codified. There was some discussion of this matter during the Code Create process, and, later, to clarify certain elements and definitions of how fences are regulated. Still, members of the public continue to ask about this matter, with particular focus on preventing deer from entering their yards and for enhancing privacy.
OVERVIEW:
Council Member Anderson asked for this discussion to be held during a work session and he will have the opportunity to explain what his interest(s) is in this matter.
In addition, staff have been intending to raise a series of issues related to fence heights. Staff have not been intending to propose raising allowable fence heights, but to discuss some discrepancies in definitions and some seemingly unintended results of the current code. Staff have intended to recommend clarifications, to ensure that the code is logical and reflect the intent of the Town Council.
Both areas will be discussed at this work session.
SUMMARY/STAFF IMPRESSIONS:
Attachment 01 is the Staff Memorandum, which provides background and more detail on the topic.
Staff look forward to the Town Council beginning the conversation and moving in the direction that the Council wishes. The topic can be more complicated than one might suspect, as it involves not only standards for heights, but also such definitional questions of various “yards” (front yard, side yard, corner side yard, rear yard, etc.) and how they relate to allowable fence heights and street frontages.
The discussion of fences also, perhaps unexpectedly, presents questions of values. Traditionally, Vienna has desired to maintain an open feel to the community, where homes and yards are not walled in by tall fences or walls. As such, fence height limits tend to be 4 feet in the front and six feet in the rear areas (with exceptions described in the staff memorandum). However, many residents also feel the desire for additional privacy and are now impacted more than in the past by the presence and proliferation of deer. Deer can jump over fences of four and six feet, come onto residents’ properties, and eat plants that residents may be trying to grow.
The Town Council may wish to consider how to balance competing worthwhile values in their discussion. Such a balance could include leaving the code as is, judging that it is already a good balance. It could also include making minor changes or making larger-scale changes.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
Staff do not recommend any action at this discussion. Staff recommend, instead, beginning the discussion and determining what, if any, next steps should be taken.