Label
Zoning & Planning Committee
Title
Amending Toledo Municipal Code (TMC), Part Eleven, Subsection 1105.0301 and 1105.0302 regarding Fences and Hedges in Residential Districts; and declaring an emergency.
Summary
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
Good fences make good neighbors". Many know this famous line from the poem "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost. Although the poem is about self-imposed barriers, some would argue that the quote as a standalone line is a true statement. Civilizations have built fences for millennia to define "what is ours" from "what is theirs". From the Roman construction of Hadrian's Wall to the Soviet's Berlin Wall, fences have been constructed to identify one territory from another and to provide a clear demarcation of land ownership. This method of identifying land has evolved into today's method of choice to clearly identify residential property boundaries. Many homes have fences, and with good reason. Fences protect and shield in a variety of ways. They prevent family pets from escaping into streets, restrict children from playing where they may get hurt, and serve as a wall to protect a property from trespassers. A "good fence" may be a metaphor for the lack of meaningful relationships in our society to Mr. Frost, but for the average homeowner, it is assurance that their property and loved ones are safe.
One of the most common topics residents call their jurisdiction's planning department about is fences. Replacing a fence in disrepair or erecting a new fence to designate a property line are everyday requests staff answer to. The Toledo Zoning Code outlines fence regulations for Residential Zoning Districts, and states a homeowner may have a fence up to three and half feet (3 1/2') in height in the front yard, four feet (4') in height in the side yard, and seven feet (7') in height in the rear yard. If someone wishes to have a fence taller than what is allowed by right, they have to submit a request to the Board of Zoning Appeals. The Boar...
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