Board rejects retroactive variance for 7.5-foot privacy fence at 1019 North Bevel

The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals denied a petition by Nicholas Gonzalez to keep an existing approximately 7.5-foot rear and side yard fence at 1019 North Bevel. Gonzalez said the elevated deck and a cowboy-style pool made the extra height necessary for privacy and safety and presented written support from immediate neighbors; he agreed to conditions including maintaining the fence and complying with short-term rental rules.

Opponents, including Jeff Grossman of the Springdale Neighborhood Association and City-County Councilor Jesse Brown (District 13), said granting the variance would create a harmful precedent and expressed concerns about out-of-state investors and short-term rentals. Staff recommended denial, noting no practical difficulty beyond self-imposed conditions and that nearby properties comply with the 6-foot ordinance; the board voted 3–1 to deny the variance.