Zoning Board of Appeals Okays Fence Variance

The Effingham City Zoning Board of Appeals Tuesday approved a variance allowing a fence along 4th Street at the intersection with Market Avenue.

The property is the former Helen Matthes Library location, now to be utilized for Head Start classes. Community Opportunities is an agency finding and developing sites for non-profit operations.

There were concerns raised by members of the Zoning Board over the fence's proximity to 4th Street, and that the fence might cause sightline problems for motorists headed west on Market, wanting to turn onto 4th Street. The fence is being installed to cordon children that will be using a playground area at the site from 4th Street. There were suggestions that the playground area could be located farther east on the site where parking is now in place, but the developers wanted to keep the limited parking that have available.

Eventually, the variance allowing the fence was approved 4-1.