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Garth Brooks' album "No Fences" would have been the appropriate soundtrack to the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting Tuesday.
Seven of 42 cases heard by the board were about fences and their placement or size.
Of 42 cases, the board approved 37 petitions, several with restrictions. One petition was withdrawn, and four were denied.
Lakeland Conservative Grace Brethren Church Inc. petitioned for a variance to allow a fence to remain zero feet from the road right-of-way. Ordinances require fences to be 2 feet from the right-of-way. The property is on the east side of County Farm Road and 2,400 feet northwest of CR 300S in Wayne Township.
The board approved the petition with the stipulation that a waiver be signed. The waiver says that any damage caused to the fencing by snow plows or other county work would not be the responsibility of the county. It was agreed upon by the GBC Inc. representative.
Michael Byerley's petition for a variance to permit a 5-foot fence to remain in the street yard was approved with a stipulation. Byerley must sign a waiver and cut down the size of the fence from 5 feet to 3 feet, if it remains a solid fence. A chain link fence could remain 5 feet tall, the board said.
The fence must be reduced in height or replaced with a chain link fence because it can obstruct the view of the road. A vehicle backing out of the drive cannot see the road until the vehicle is on the road. The board believed it was an accident waiting to happen.
Byerley said he always parks the front end of the truck first and that his visitors would too, if allowed to keep a 5-foot solid fence. The board did not see this as reasonable and kept the stipulations intact.
Byerley's property is on the west side of Park Drive and north of Walnut Street in Turkey Creek Township.
In one other fence issue, Cathy Herford petitioned for a variance to permit a 6-foot tall fence to remain in a front yard.
"The only reason there is a fence there is because I have a swimming pool behind it," Herford said.
She said her property owner insurance required a fence and she never really wanted it in the first place. If they ever decide to get rid of the pool, Herford said, the fence would go, too.
The board approved the petition.
Her property is on the north side of Adams Road and 90 feet west of Stoney Road in Washington Township.
