Homeowners seek 6-foot fence on corner lot; commission declines to recommend to BZA

Homeowners James Sharron and his wife, Alexandra Denali, asked the Purcellville Planning Commission for a variance to raise a front-yard fence to 6 feet at 220 South 29th Street, saying their corner-lot yard faces heavy school and community traffic and that the current configuration exposes their family to safety and privacy risks.

"Our requested 6 foot variance narrowly tailored to alleviate this specific hardship is set back 15 feet from the road and 94 feet from the stop sign," James Sharron said during public comment, adding the family has seen unknown vehicles park on their lawn and wants a privacy fence finished in cedar or treated wood. Staff described the lot as a corner lot, which under the zoning ordinance is treated as having two front yards and limits front-yard fences to 4 feet.

Commissioners asked about materials, sight lines and alternatives such as planting trees; the applicant said mature trees and planting would be substantially more expensive. Planning staff noted the Town’s zoning rules treat corner lots differently from interior lots and said it did not find a clear, site-specific hardship that distinguishes this lot from other corner lots. After discussion the commission took a straw poll and decided not to forward a recommendation to the Board of Zoning Appeals; staff will present the full record at the BZA hearing scheduled by staff.

The decision was procedural: the Planning Commission may choose whether to make a recommendation to the BZA. No formal vote to recommend was taken; staff indicated it will include the commission discussion in the BZA briefing and the BZA will make the final determination on any variance request.