Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Meeting will of the June 1st, 2026 Planning Commission meeting will come to order. Roll call.

Johnson.

Here.

Nobog. Here. Douglas.

Here.

Nance. Here.

Uh, agendas before us. Any additions to the agenda?

Uh, motion to approve agenda.

No block moves. Second.

Second.

Not seconds. All in favor. Aye. Aye. Opposed nay. So move. I won't forget. Now the approval of the minutes.

Uh, motion to approve the minutes. Second.

Um, no block Douglas. Any other discussion? All in favor. Aye.

Aye.

Opposed, nay. So moved. No public input. Public hearing on the variance for a six-foot fence along a public right of way. We will open the public hearing. I still have 630. At 630, is there anybody who would like to speak at the public hearing about the fence? Anybody would like to comment on the fence? Third and last, call for input on the variance for a six-foot fence. Hearing none, we will close the public hearing. I still have at 630. We'll call that 631. Commission, discussion on the variance of the six-foot fence. Izzy, would you like to talk about it?

Yeah, I'll just do a quick introduction. So it's pretty simple. So we just got an application in to put a fence up. So there's just a little nuance of the code where if you have a side yard that abuts a public right-of-way, which includes an alley, your max height is four feet. Just the nuance of this one is that the neighbor for this house has a rear yard up against the alley. So technically they could be at six feet for their fence. But because of the... situation of their lot. It's the side yard, which forces them to four. So the variance is to allow them to do six feet all the way around their yard. So I just like to mention the six foot fence is behind their garage. So it's not within the traffic visibility triangle. It's not going to impede anybody's view. And also from the pictures that you saw in your packet, this alley really isn't utilized at all. I think one neighbor uses it to park their vehicle every so often, but otherwise it's really not utilized as an alley at all. So it really won't impact anybody along the alley there or cause any visibility issues. So their want is just a full privacy fence around their yard. So that's what the variance is for. I will just add one note on this application, if it's approved, how we want to move forward with the fence as it sits right now. So any questions? I'm happy to give any answers.

So I'm just looking at these two pictures and I read it. So is their house where the road ends? Oh, it's over here. Okay. That's the garage. So this is their house.

No, that's the garage that's not attached to the house, which is further over.

In the photos that you see, it's the garage, and the fence begins at the rear of their garage.

Oh, I see. So this isn't a neighbor's fence. This is their fence.

It's their fence, yes.

Oh, I get it. I get it. Interesting. So now the other question was the neighbor who has their fence up. Did they have their... That's the one over here. Did they have their... set the right way where the outside was the smooth side?

I believe so. That's an existing fence that's been there for quite a long, long while.

I guess I could be negative on the whole thing because I've got a wood fence up and I was told adamantly that you would not put those posts facing any direction but your inside of your property line. And I don't know if that's a criteria for the city. Does that matter?

It does matter. It's part of the code when you fill out your sign application. There's a whole page as part of the application for the requirements you have to follow. I think it just gets missed by some applicants.

It's common in other cities, too. I've dealt with this everywhere I've been where people install the fencing correctly. And I've had a number of times where we've told them, no, you're going to install it the other way around.

I'll say, and that's what I'm looking at is that if it, so if they do put it, if we have them change it so that it goes the other way, they'll still be happy because they still have their six foot fence. So that's the way I'm looking at it as if they decided to go before we went and made a decision on this. So I think I would allow the six foot fence. This is me, but I think that they should turn it around so that the smooth side is to the exterior to meet city code. Anyone against that?

Let me, construction, I mean, are these set such a way so you could come and knock it off and then flip it around and put it back on with minimal effort, do you think? Or is that going to be, I actually drove by the place and looked at it, and the first thing I said was, oh, wow, they put the fence up backwards. And I'm not, as concerned about alleys looking ugly and if you go on the east side of the fence there's just a teeny weeny little walkway between the neighbor's fence and this fence so that's not it would if the neighbor took down their fence but there's another neighbor on the other side i definitely think it would have to be taken down but if we're going to have them take down part of it i guess there would part of me that says turn the olive facing around I just don't know how cost-prohibited that is, but also when you do something wrong, you should fix it.

Yeah, I kind of agree. Can't really plead ignorance. And I'm looking at the plot right now on my phone. But I have no problem with the fence being there whatsoever, especially with the traffic triangle that Izzy mentioned. There's just not a ton of traffic using it. So I have no issue with that variance. But it's abutting two residential properties, it looks like. It should be done the right way. That alley side, don't really care too much about that. But if you're going to do it, do it right is where I'd stand.

And I guess there's something that says if we're going to make them do it on the adjoining residential side, is it going to be, then go ahead and redo the whole thing?

I think so.

Do you have any problem with the six foot?

Nope. Nope. I think that's perfectly fine. I don't think there's a ton of traffic using it. I don't think that there'd be much of a traffic issue because of it. You know, it's there to protect.

user but it's not a through alley or anything like that people aren't zipping through there so I guess yeah from from the standpoint of having those posts face inwards or I guess you know having that flush look is that more of an aesthetic thing or is that an issue where the city if we're plowing out there we don't want to run into one of the poster is that

No, it's primarily aesthetic, but generally those fences go and they face out towards your neighbor. So to be a good, as practice, be a good neighbor, the fence, good looking part of the fence should be towards your neighbor.

No, I agree. I've been out to that area and I know they just put it up because I think they just purchased that property. And yeah, I got no issue with a six foot fence because they're right. I mean, that alley is not utilized, but... To Izzy's point, I mean, if that's in the code, which they must have seen the code to some point, otherwise we wouldn't be here tonight. Yet they installed it incorrectly. I got no opposition to say, yeah, go ahead with the six foot, but install it correctly.

Is it possible for us to approve or recommend approval of variance and require that they flip the facings?

I think we could bring that recommendation to city council for the approval of that as a condition of approval.

And are we looking to have them flip the entirety of what I'm hearing rather than just the facing alley aspect?

Um, I meant per the code, it'd be the whole.

Yeah. Well, are we saying, I think, did you mention that the people on the other side of the walkway have theirs facing the same way where they have the post facing?

No. Oh, they don't.

Oh, okay. Yep.

Then I just feel that it's a, it's a, it's a very old fence. It looks like it could blow down in a windstorm, but you know, it, it was, it was put up with the facing out the way it should be.

Okay.

And at this point being, you know, it's fence to fence, there's really no, but at the same time, if that other fence ever came down, then that neighbor would be looking at posts. But I assume if we're going to have them do the two long sides, you might as well have them do the whole thing.

I guess I would make a motion to approve the variance with the rider that they need to install the fence correctly, facing the correct way.

So that would be the resolution proposal. 2026-08 with the condition of redoing the facing. Yes.

Correct.

Yes. Okay. So, the vote moves. Is there a second?

I second it.

Douglas seconds. Further discussion to approve the recommended approval of variance with the condition that the facing be installed properly? Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, nay. So moved. Next meeting is July 13th, correct, for the Planning Commission. Any other business? None. Is there a motion to adjourn? So moved. Second?

Second.

Seconds? All in favor, aye. Aye. All those nay, so moved.