§ 255-24. Fencing.

[Amended 9-10-1996 by Ord. No. 916; 4-10-2012 by Ord. No. 12-1256, § 1]

   A.   No fence or wall (except a retaining wall or a wall of a building permitted under this chapter) over six feet in height shall be erected within any of the required side or rear yard setbacks nor over four feet in height (measured from the sidewalk grade) within the required front yard setback, including any area of overlap with a side or rear yard setback, except as noted below. The front yard setback shall be measured from all street frontages abutting the property, for purposes of this section.

      (1)   A solid fence up to six feet in height may be erected on corner lots in residential zoning districts (as described in Article VII of this chapter) within the required front yard setback abutting an arterial or primary street , as specified on Upper Dublin Township’s Engineering and Construction Standards, Improvements Procedures, provided:

         (a)   That the yard area which would be visually screened by such fence when viewed from the arterial or primary street actually serves as the existing dwelling ’s back yard .

         (b)   The fence is constructed of materials having the appearance of wood, brick or stone.

         (c)   The fence is set back from the right of way by at least one foot.

         (d)   Sufficient backdrop landscaping is provided, such as evergreens and deciduous trees with lower canopies visible above the fence, to visually soften views of the fence from the public right of way .

         (e)   The arterial or primary street is not identified as a scenic road corridor on the 2005 Open Space and Environmental Resource Protection Plan, as amended.

[Amended 4-10-2012 by Ord. No. 12-1256]

   B.   All fences shall be erected with the finished side of the fence facing adjacent properties. The finished side shall be considered the side without the structural supporting members.

   C.   All fences or walls erected within the front yard setback shall be provided with an operable gate with a minimum width of 36 inches to provide access to the area between such fence or wall and the cartway of the abutting street . The property owner is responsible for maintaining this area. There shall be a minimum of one operable gate for each street frontage and at least one operable gate for every 500 feet of fencing along a street .