A new councilor is at it again, making an ordinance change that 1) doesn’t benefit homeowners, only makes fencing more expensive and 2) doesn’t give homeowners any options. Councilor Bayse proposed the change at the Planning Commission Meeting last night, but didn’t even bother to show up as a Planning staffer presented the item (don’t blink you might miss the meeting);
§ 160.480 FENCES.
(l) A fence post must be secured below ground level in all residential zoning districts.
He said a ‘couple’ of people complained that their neighbors(?) put fence posts in 5 gallon pails of concrete and didn’t bury the pails just had them sitting on the ground. So why not write an ordinance that says;
‘No fence posts can be put above ground in pails of concrete or other substrates.’
There is also a million different ways you can secure a post. You can attach it to another out building or your house, you can use L brackets and bolt them to a concrete patio pad. Heck, there are probably so many different ways to fix this, it’s not even funny.
I spoke with a person who is in management for a large fencing company in Sioux Falls. He had no idea they were proposing this. Fortunately it hasn’t arrived to the council yet so he has a few weeks to shake them down, and he intends to.
Instead of making regs based on a couple of your friends bitching, why not actually research the topic, talk to professionals in the field, heck, have a public round table. But for god sakes stop passing ordinances to make it look like you are doing something. And don’t pull away the football at the last minute either!
I need to try this bucket thing. But why not bury them for aesthetic reasons, however, and that way you can later more easily lift out the posts to rearrange them with the help of the bucket handles…. 😉 AND, if you get bored with your fence, then you can just change it later…. One bucket at a time…. Often you can get 5 gallon pickle buckets free from a local restaurant after the dills are gone as well. …. “Posts in a bucket, it’s better than Post in a bowl”…. 🙂 #PatentPending
I have seen some people in my neighborhood get quite creative using buckets to insall fence posts. I read this ordinance change also, it is quite dumb. I agree, will add costs to the homeowner. Some people use buckets and then plant flowers around the fence post itself. You have to look at it as it is, the people in the Northeast area are a different breed, they seem to complain alot. Most of them are democrat-progressives.
This sort of ordinance is nearly impossible to enforce. First off, people regularly disregard this foolishness. It’s easy, let them post a citation without proper service then ask for another. It’s double jeopardy. You win. Otherwise, ask for a record of citations. There are none and they don’t keep records. Case dismissed. It’s fun to play with code enforcement goons.
Fencing requires a sword and body armor. Concrete buckets are seating for spectators.
They’re also prevention from being washed away. The city used federal levee funding for the Denty and there’s flooding.
It’s important to keep this councilor focused on nonsense such as this. Something important could get really messed up.