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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, April 18, 2016

Solid Privacy Fence OK With Hanover's ZHB

There's been a lot of talk about building a wall, a really big one, in the Presidential race. But locally, people are more concerned about fences. Privacy fences. At their April 14 meeting, Hanover Township's Zoning Hearing Board unanimously decided to grant Brian and Gina Kutz a variance that will enable them to build a solid privacy fence at their property at 4408 Tracey Lane.

Though the zoning ordinance permits only see-through fences, Solicitor Ted Lewis noted that it permits residents to build walls, really big ones (six feet high). He questioned why a wall is permitted, but a solid fence is banned.

The Kutz' fence, which will be 208' long and six feet high, will connect to a neighbor next door who had a fence before the Zoning ordinance took effect.

Kutz explained that, in addition to privacy, the fence will buffer some of the noise from traffic. The fence is inside of landscaping he already has planted.

No one opposed this request.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is the logic behind prohibiting privacy fences? I guess township residents are just supposed to plant arborvitae instead, then wait 15 years until they grow and form an effective privacy barrier?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Arguments against fences are usually aesthetics. They are sometimes called spite fences bc some erect them to annoy neighbors. They are also loose boundary markers. That is certainly not the case here. Most municipalities are very lax about fences, even if the zoning ordinance is not.