Developer Wants to Shield View of Dilapidated House

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

A local developer is hoping to get a fence approved by the Oxford Planning Commission to shield the view of a dilapidated home from his commercial property.

On Monday, the Planning Commission review a request from Johnny Morgan for a variance to place an 8-foot high fence on the side of his property located on North Lamar Boulevard. City code allows 4-foot fences without a variance.

Morgan said when kudzu was removed from the property located next to his building, which is the former location of Main Event Catering, it fully exposed a house that is in a state of disrepair.

The city recently declared the house a nuisance and informed the owner they had 30 days to remove the structure from the property.

According to planning officials Monday, the owner has agreed to take down the house and applied for a demolition permit on Friday.

However, Morgan said he still wanted to put up the fence, at least until the house is demolished and all the debris removed and the property made presentable.

He agreed to remove the fence when that occurs.

Some of the Commissioners felt it might not be necessary to grant a variance on something that might be completed within a couple of weeks.

The commission voted to table the request and revisit it at their next meeting in April.