8-27-2026 Minutes

MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING 8-27-2026 The meeting of the Slinger Board of Appeals was cal led to order by Chairman Wolf at 300 Slinger Road, Slinger Wisconsin on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. 1. Roll Call & Notice of Meeting: Present Absent Craig Wolf x Greg Bayer x Ken Leeson x Chris Leis x Doug Thiel x ____ _____ 5 0 Also Present: Tammy Tennies, Clerk/HR Dyann Benson, Asst Administrator/Community Development Director Clerk Tennies took the roll call and stated that all posting and publication requirements had been met. 2. Approval of Minutes A. 4-28-2022 Minutes Draft Motion Leeson/Bayer to approve the minutes of 4-28-2022. Passed 3. Public Hearing & Actions Thereon A. Variance Request – 235 Farmstead Drive (V5_074039) Zoning Code Regulation: 550-68C. Residential fences. Residential fences with a permit are allowed on the property lines or in the rear or side yards of residential districts, but shall not in any case exceed a height of six feet and shall not be closer than two feet to any public right-of-way. Residential fences, other than decorative fences, are not permitted in street yards (aka front yards). Request: Allow for 6ft fence in the street yard (front yard) setback along Farmstead Drive. Clerk Tennies read the public notice and stated that no comments were received. Chairman Wolf announced that Mr. and Mrs. Mathe are petitioning for a variance to allow the installation of a 6ft fence in the street yard. The property is located at 235 Farmstead Dr. and zoned R-5 Single-Family District. Mrs. Evangeline Mathe informed the Board that the proposed fence is actually 4ft. in height not 6ft. She noted that the fence would be slatted and not a privacy fence. Mrs. Mathe stated that the Home Owners Association and the neighbors have no concerns about the proposed fence. Mr. Charles Mathe stated that when they bought the house there was an existing fence in the front yard, which they plan to remove. He noted the reason for the proposed fence and its location is safety related. Mr. Mathe stated that the small portion of the fence that requires the variance is due to the existing stairs. He also noted that they babysit children and one of them is autistic and the fence is necessary for safety and complete use of their property. Board of Appeals-Village of Slinger Page 2 8-27-2026 Director Benson reviewed the request and noted that the property is on a corner lot with 2 street yards. She discussed the current zoning code regulations. The neighboring property has a fence within the street yard setback that was approved as part of the new home construction and the fence location was missed. A fence permit was issued but it does not comply with the zoning code. Director Benson noted monitoring of fences when no permit is required if they are 3 ft or less in height is challenging and on the honor system. Unless a complaint is submitted to the Village there may be fences improperly constr ucted both in height and location. She stated that staff is recommending denial of the variance request as it does not comply with the zoning code. Board members discussed the uniqueness of a corner lot and that corner lots do not have a rear yard. They also commented that visually the Mathe’s proposed fence will be in alignment with their neighbor’s fence and the same distance from the street as the neighbors. The Board noted the safety concerns for the variance were valid. It was noted that there wasn’t really a backyard to enable complete use of the property. The Board felt that the variance should be approved as submitted based on the unique limitations, those being corner lot with no rear yard and its ability to utilize the property. They st ated that the proposal is within the public interest in terms of aesthetics and it is closer to the intent of the decorative fence ordinance than that of their neighbor. The Board also noted th e fence should be no closer to the street than their neighbor, or be in alignment with their neighbor’s fence. Board member Leeson stated he felt the Village Code concerning fences should be reviewed and possibly updated. Motion Leis/Thiel to appr ove the requested variance at 235 Farmst ead Drive for an exception to Zoning Code Section 550-68C to allow a fence taller than three (3 ) ft in the street yard (front yard) setback. The variance approval was based upon the unique property conditions of having a corner lot with no rear yard, creating an unnecessary hardship due to limited use of the property and that the pr oposed fence does not cause harm to public interest as it meets the aesthe tic intent of Section 550- 68D of the Zoning Code. The approval was conditioned on the 4 ft fence shall not encroach any further into the street yard setback along Farmstead Drive as that of the neighbor’s fence to the east and the fence shall be installed as presented in the application materials. A rol1 call note was taken: Ayes: Leis, Thiel, Wolf, Bayer, and Leeson. Nayes: None. Passed unanimously 4. Adjourn Meeting Motion Leeson/Bayer to adjourn at 5:15p.m. Motion passed. Submitted by: Tammy Tennies, Clerk/HR