In Brief: City Officials Agree on First Step Toward Mending the Fence Ordinance Controversy

Watching Royal Oak City Commissioners thoughtfully weighing the options to address the fence ordinance controversy on Monday night was like watching a murder trial, according to one resident.

Commissioners agonized for nearly an hour on how to get an estimated 400 properties with sight-obscuring fences to comply with city codes.

"We need to do something . . . so people know we are addressing this problem," said Mayor Jim Ellison. 

In the end, commissioners by a 4-3 vote agreed to take a first step toward addressing the matter that has been a touchy issue with residents since the spring.
 
[Read: Royal Oak Enforces Fence Rules]

The resolution passed does the following:

• There will be no modifications to fence and zoning ordinances prohibiting sight obstructions
• Code Enforcement will draft an informative, non-technical, explanatory letter to the owners of property with such site obstructions
• Owners will have one year to correct violations
• The permit fee for fence work performed will be eliminated
• Staff will come back with a recommendation on how to streamline the appeal process with reduced fees