Fences and Hedges, need a solution

Sure, it's easy to say, no high walls, you want to have the open space and feel in the neighborhood, and I agree, I would love to be able to have that sort of feel. But, the reality is that there are better areas in Venice that you could possibly feel comfortable doing that and there are worse areas. I live in Oakwood Park, the 2nd highest narcotics area in all of LA (as I have been told by LAPD). We all know the history of gangs and violence in that area (or do we?). The high security fences are not unreasonable in that area. They are there for a reason....we have police, drug and gang activity daily and nightly! They are hanging around the streets and corners trying to sell you drugs at all hours of the day - especially all night long.

Let's get our priorities straight and concentrate on making our community safer, and a better place for all to live and enjoy. When the crack dealers, whores, and gang members are no longer on our streets, corners, and neighborhood, then let's talk about bringing down the high security fences!

I know these are lost souls, but those that don't want help just stay out on the streets and in trouble, making it miserable for all of us.

I live in Venice because it is a highly creative and neighborly place in one of the largest most spread out cities in the world. If I wanted to live in a place where everyone built high walls made of concrete, wood or metal at their property perimeters I could have moved to Manhattan or San Salvador where property values and fortification are the paramount concerns. If you can't see a house from the street how can you even begin to know your neighbors? Many of my neighbors maintain hedges that exceed the zoning limitations. These are soft solutions to privacy that don't create a walled city. Why not look specifically at hedges as an acceptable alternative or consider a portion of the fence or wall that can exceed the zoning codes. If 50% of the total frontage would be allowed to exceed the VSP then all properties would still have some visibility and openness to the street. I don't agree with allowing some blocks to decide that they want to create walls for the rest of us.

For those who value every inch of their small lot over the quality of the public space they should think about living in other neighborhoods where the lots are larger and they can have their space and leave some for the rest of us who want to feel that we can still breathe. If that solution doesn't work then go meet you neighbors and enjoy that fact that you can see them every once in a while.

hedge lover

I have to agree with the side on allowing the Property Owner to CHOOSE what REASONABLE height they want to have their fence.

Listen, I have heard and understand all of the arguments about openness and supposed blight, and crime stats, and so on.
And yes- just like nobody should be allowed to build a skyscraper in their backyard, nobody should be allowed to build a fence or plant a hedge wall that goes over say, 8 feet.

But at the end of the day, I'm the one who pays for the mortgage, and the utilities, and the property taxes for MY house. And when I'm entertaining guests or just hanging out in my smallish front yard, I don't always want to have to have everybody else meddling in my business.

...My home is my sanctuary- a place which I have worked HARD to get (hey- houses in Venice ain't cheap!), and which I continue to work HARD to keep. ...When I'm at home, I want to have the ability to just be left alone- to have a place where I am free of noise and traffic, and Jehova's Witnesses, and other people (including the City) meddling in my business.

I already have enough burden with just going to work, paying bills, and so on- the last thing I need is somebody telling me what to do with property that they don't even own. Furthermore, if you don't like high fences, don't put one on your property. I won't stop you.

When I think about what Venice is- I think about a place that is a bit quirky, full of eccentric people, and artists, and houses with modern architecture- typically with HIGH PRIVACY FENCES.

THAT is why I moved to Venice.

...If I didn't like that sort of thing, I would have chosen another neighborhood- like Marina Del Rey, or Mar Vista, or Santa Monica- all of which have their own unique characteristics.
...Say for example I moved to the French Quarter in New Orleans- and then I whined about how its loud and that there's drinking and partying going on all the time. ...Wouldn't most people think this to be unreasonable? ...I think the same thing applies for Venice and its fence heights.

Furthermore, allowing the policy of "enforce only if complained on" is unfair. This policy allows neighbors to target other neighbors and use the selective enforcement of the law to engage anonomously in petty squabbles. In fact, I'm a victim of such a thing. ...I built a permitted structure which one of my neighbors was opposed to. I have every reason to believe that my neighbor retalliated by calling LADBS and "tattling" on me for having a high fence.
But, even if my neighbor didn't do such a thing- it could still be possible, and it amounts to plain unfair and selective enforcement of the law.
Furthermore- there are at least SIX other houses on my block which have high fences. ...NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN CITED. ...How is it fair to cite me, but not everybody else in Venice??

...And since we were on the subject- has anybody here actually bothered to READ the law??
The law itself- the one I was cited for- happens to have a dangling modifier. This dangling modifier makes it unclear about what exactly the object of the desired height is supposed to be. ...Is it the fence, or is it the ramps and walkways??

LADBS may be illegally enforcing a law which DOESN'T ACTUALLY EXIST anyway- but nobody has bothered to challenge it in court.

But for now, let's suppose it actually does exist- I would fully support a process whereby there would be an application for a high front yard fence, which would be determined by a 2/3 majority of the entire block (not just immediate neighbors- who may want to squabble in some petty way with you), and if obtained- be indelibly linked to the property in question.

Similar zoning processes for this already exist in terms of setbacks and so on- I don't see why they shouldn't exist for properties with high fences in the Venice area.

We really should try to reach a compromise where existing fences can be permitted.

Just walking around my Oakwood neighborhood, it boggles the mind to imagine the size of the landfill that would be required to hold all of the removed fences! If they all came down at once, it would be a mountain of old fences and hedges!

That is to say nothing of the enormous expense required to preform all that removal!

We purchased our house with a fence, totally ignorant of the law, and our house is clearly designed to have its fence. My house is like a small glass box! We would need to spend thousands of dollars removing our fence, and then thousands more to landscape and cover our windows!

We dont hate our neighbors, we love them! But neither they, nor we want our lives as a window display. Granted, we dont live on a walk street... our street is half crumby looking apartment buildings... it isnt going to make our block nicer looking, or more communal to remove our fences...

some sort of grandfather provision should be agreed upon.

Thank you.