No fence straddlers in this Mount Prospect debate

Mount Prospect prides itself on being a community where "friendliness is a way of life."

But while friendliness is important, so are privacy and security.

This clash of values came to the fore when the village board voted last week to change the maximum height for fences in residential areas from five feet to six.

The 5-2 vote, which overruled a planning and zoning commission's recommendation, was a reflection of market forces, officials said. According to village staff, the majority of fences available at home improvement stores come in standard sizes of four and six feet. This has forced residents to either custom order a fence or cut six-foot-tall fence sections down by one foot.

Village Manager Michael Cassady said that probably the most frequent complaint heard in the Community Development department is about the fence regulations.

"The six-foot standard delivers the sort of privacy in that rear yard that (residents) would like to achieve," he said.

Village staff noted that most neighboring communities allow six-foot fences.

The one-foot difference marked something of a cultural divide for proponents and opponents.

Former Mayor Gerald "Skip" Farley staunchly advocated against the change.

"For the life of me, I find it difficult to understand how it is that Home Depot and Menards get to tell Mount Prospect citizens what our fencing standards should be," he said. "A six-foot board fence is not a fence. It is a wall. Most cannot see over it. Few can visit with a neighbor over it. … And that to me is not what Mount Prospect is all about."

Trustee Michael Zadel, however, said the village motto reflects "the type of people that live in this community," not the height of fences.

Trustee John Matuszak said he sees people walking their dogs together, riding their bicycles together and even holding driveway happy hours.

"A fence is not going to change that," he said. "We're constantly telling our residents, 'Be sure to lock your doors.' People might feel that having a six-foot fence in their backyard gives them additional security."

Trustee Colleen Saccotelli seconded that view. "If you want to talk to your neighbor, you're going to find a way to talk to your neighbor. There are plenty of ways to interact," she said.

Farley's view was supported by Trustees Paul Hoefert and Richard Rogers.

Some people "think Facebook is interacting. That's not interacting," Hoefert said. "I think the five-foot fence or shorter promotes community. And that's what we're about."

Rogers lives on a block with 28 homes, only six of which have fences. He said he loves to hear children playing in the backyard and reluctantly put up a four-foot chain-link fence so he could contain his dog.

"But if it was my preference, I would not have a fence at all."

Mayor Arlene Juracek had the last word, as she cast the deciding vote to achieve the supermajority needed for the change. She said Home Depot and Menards likely are responding to the marketplace.

"If there was a demand for five-foot fences, they would be selling them," she said.