DALTON, Mass. — The Zoning Board of Appeals last week advised resident Eric Pratt on how he should proceed in applying for a variance to install a fence 25 feet off the center of the road at his residence, located at 112 Kimberly Drive. 

 

Pratt had applied for a special permit to install the fence but was informed by the building inspector that he will need a variance not a special permit. 

 

The town bylaw requires that fences be installed 50 feet in from the center of the road and requires a 4-foot fence. 

 

The installation of a 6-foot colonial style fence is in the effort to obtain more privacy and lessen visibility of a lot that has become overgrown.

 

Putting a fence 50 feet in from the center of the street makes the 6-foot fence meaningless from a privacy standpoint, Pratt said. 

 

In an email interaction between himself and Building Commissioner and Zoning Enforcement Officer Brian Duval, Pratt said planting trees closer to the street would block even more visibility than the 6-foot fence. 

 

Pratt said due to the "drastic slope" from the road the installation of the 6-foot fence would "be more like a 4-foot fence from the street level."

 

If he installed the fence in accordance with the bylaw the fence would be less than 5 feet from the swing set on the side of the house, Pratt said.