Limit beachfront fence height for safety, Wainfleet urged

They say fences make for good neighbours, but Sandra Burns doesn’t think they make for water safety — at least not tall ones.

The Wainfleet resident who lives on the Lake Erie shoreline wants township politicians to limit privacy fences on backyards at the shoreline to a maximum of four feet high.

The Lakeshore Road resident, who spoke to township council on July 3, brought before and after photos of a backyard facing the shoreline, one with an open view of the water and one with a new privacy fence blocking part of that view.

Burns asserted fences higher than four feet tall pose a safety issue because adults may not be able to see past them. That means people in trouble in the water can’t be seen from adjacent properties, she said.

“Our main concern in bringing this issue to council is for safety on the lake, which … is in the interest of all, especially children,” she said.

Burns called for the township’s fence bylaw to be changed to require backyard waterfront fences to have the same four-foot height limits that front yards are limited to. She also wants the township’s zoning bylaw — she said it prohibits privacy fences, hedges, structures or obstructions higher than 0.8 metres tall within three metres of any street line — to apply to the shoreline.

“This will enable residents to have an unobstructed view of the lake in order to identify and react to possible lake dangers and call for emergency assistance when needed,” she said. “(It’s) a very concerning matter for safety.”

Burns, noting residents have signed a petition supporting the lakeview fence height limit, also wants existing waterfront fences to meet the four-foot height limit.

She cited other communities such as Fort Erie, Leamington and Windsor that have restrictions on waterfront fences.

Township council referred the matter back for staff for a report to come back with recommendations.