Height limit is 4 feet in front yards

A Peachtree City couple will have to replace the security gate to their home in Smokerise Plantation because it’s taller than city ordinance allows.

The gate tops out at over six feet tall though the city only allows a height of four feet for fences located in the front yards of homes, City Planner David Rast told the City Council last week. Council ultimately voted to deny the variance.

The representatives for Rick Bazzill and Elaine Lariviere indicated that the couple wanted the fence for security purposes and said the gate is not visible from the road. But developer Scott Bradshaw, who opposed the variance, said the fence was visible from the road.

The couple’s contractor hadn’t secured a permit from the city before installing the fence and gate, city officials said. The couple apparently didn’t think a permit was necessary since it isn’t visible from the road, in this case Smokerise Trace.

Smokerise Plantation is a subdivision where most of the homes are estate-sized and on large lots, officials said.

There were some questions as to whether or not the architectural review board of the Smokerise Plantation homeowners association approved the fence and gate, as a former association member said he had the records to prove it but a current association member said it never was brought forward for consideration.

Several neighbors opposed the fence variance before the vote was made to deny the variance.

City Attorney Ted Meeker noted that if the fence was four feet tall or shorter no variance would be needed.