Bartlett couple say 3-foot fence not enough to stop vandalism

A Bartlett couple who live in the Westridge subdivision say the 3-foot fence on the side portion of their lot isn't enough to keep people from getting into their yard and stealing pumpkins, destroying landscaping lights and cutting their dog's leash.

Jennifer and Dan Cox are requesting the Bartlett village board grant them permission to build a 6-foot fence on the side of their house's corner lot. Current zoning says the maximum fence height in the Westridge subdivision for their lot is 4 feet. The Coxs are proposing to build their fence 10 feet inside their property line.

The couple's backyard backs up to their neighbor's side and front yard. A portion of their backyard already has a 6-foot fence, as allowed by zoning for that part of their yard.

Jennifer Cox says kids from the subdivision have also come onto her back deck, banging on her back door. The police have been called several times, she said.

Dan Cox says the kids can easily jump the 3-foot fence.

"They are gone before you get to the door to even see them," he hold the zoning board at a meeting March 3. "This has happened a couple of times when I was home and I couldn't even see who it was because they were over that fence and down the block."

They said the kids have never been caught.

"I'm not a fan," Trustee T.L. Arends said at a village board meeting this week. "A 6-foot high fence is a border between neighbors, and not an easy border to overcome."

Arends is concerned a future buyer of the home or surrounding homes might find the fence unsightly.

Trustee Ray Deyne says 6-foot fences are common in the Westridge subdivision; the only difference in this case is the couple live on a reverse corner lot.

Any future residents would know "very well of a fence being there," he said. "My obligation is first protect the residents that currently live in this village, and not to worry about someone moving in at a later date."

Bartlett Community Development Director Jim Plonczynski says the village has granted similar fence variations in other subdivisions.

The zoning board recommended the board allow Jennifer and Dan Cox to build the fence, saying it wouldn't set a precedent and it wouldn't interfere with the aesthetics or safety of surrounding properties.

Village trustees are expected to vote on the fence at the April 19 village board meeting.