You’ve found yourself in a difficult situation. You recently purchased a new home on a corner lot, but you soon discovered that there is a lot more noise and bustle than you would have liked.
You want to put up a fence, but you’re not sure how to go about it or even if it’s legal to do so.
On a corner lot, you have the option of constructing a fence. The lot must be surveyed, a permission from the local government obtained, and specific measurement requirements met before construction can begin. It must be 11 feet away from your back door and between 3.5 and six feet tall, depending on how much your height is increased by the ground beneath you.
We shall go into greater detail about the process of expanding a fence further down on this page.
1.Check Building Regulations for a Corner plot in your County/Council Area
It is possible that you will need to consult with a Building Surveyor to ensure that our idea conforms with the applicable building laws.
That instance, in this example, the fences around your corner allotments are designed to provide safety in relation to vehicle sight lines and pedestrian traffic.
In Victoria , Australia Corner allotments are subject to conformity with Building Regulation 427, which stipulates that fences must be no higher than 1.0m in height where they are within 9m of a point of intersection of street alignments. The point of intersection is defined as the point at which the property boundary intersects with the road reserve. So, Check In your state/country Council area regulations.
A construction permit is necessary for a fence that is higher than 1.0m in height, or what is known as consent and report from the relevant council for a fence that is higher than 1.0m in height.
2. Conduct a Land Survey
There are numerous methods for surveying your site in order to obtain accurate dimensions for your eventual zone permission. Here are a few steps I’ve found useful in determining the criteria for your home. One is through professional means, and the other two are steps you may take at home on your own!
Option No. 1:
Hire an expert to assist you. HomeAdvisor is an excellent resource for locating a land surveyor for your project.
Option #2 (Do-It-Yourself):
A level, a laser pointer, a few random objects, and a measuring tape are all required.
1. Locate a few items (home, trees, etc.) that, when combined, provide at least one level line-of-sight from anyplace in the yard.
2. Wrap a laser pointer around the end of a level (taped so you can use the level as a sort of monopod resting on the ground).
3. Walk about the yard, keeping the level horizontal and parallel to the ground, and directing the laser at one of the objects. Allow someone to use a measuring tape to record the measurement at the object. Take the length of your level and subtract it.
4. Once you have all of your measurements, determine the elevation offsets of the objects in relation to one another and offset measurements accordingly.
Option 3 (Do-It-Yourself):
A good DSLR camera, a solid tripod, a graded rod, and some good math skills are required.
The basic procedure for employing a levelling transit and rod is as follows:
1. Choose a zero spot.
2. Create a transit away from that point, where the head is higher than your zero.
3. Place a graduated rod (often with red and white 1 cm markers) on the zero.
4. Sight the rod and take a measurement. This specifies the instrument’s height (Hi).
5. Repeat the sighting and recording at each measurement point.
6. Once you’ve completed everything possible from one site, relocate the instrument to fresh region, sighting back to a known station to obtain the new Hi.
The arithmetic you’ll need to know is as follows:
– Assume a zero elevation for your initial benchmark.
– Hello = reading on rod
– From that point forwards, all further stations are Elev = Reading. – Hello (relative to benchmark)
– To calculate Hi2 from a known station, use the formula Hi2 = Elev(station) + Reading.
https://youtu.be/XF5-auepqZ4
3. Examine the Qualifications in the Area
Based on population and density, each location has developed its own rules for building/rearranging structures.
You must meet those conditions in order to lawfully construct a fence on your corner lot. There are thousands of distinct specifications available. Determine your zoning zone, then check your zoning prerequisites online or in person.
To give you a good idea, the typical prerequisites for a corner lot are:
Eleven feet away from your back door, at least 3.5 feet tall on a completely flat surface, and does not obstruct traffic in any manner.
No one should be taller than 6 feet.
4. If required Consult an attorney or Your City Council
You may have discovered that you need to make some specific changes to your land in order to instal the corner fence. It may be a more difficult chore than you anticipated, but it is doable. You should definitely consult with an attorney or a Director of Public Works in your area to see how they can best assist you with your specific situation.
Even if you do not want specific modifications for your fencing project, you should nonetheless meet with them. They make the application process really straightforward, and you will always be confident that you are carrying out this project successfully and appropriately. Many people advocate this step, despite the additional cost.
5. Submit an Application for a Permit
Again, depending on the project and where you live, you will have to jump through a slew of hoops.
Depending on the type of zoning permission you require, you may be required to fill out a form in person at the office or just fill out a form online. The time it takes to acquire your permission depends on the number of projects in progress and the number of people processing the permits.
It usually takes a few days to a few weeks, particularly if your agency lets you to fill out the form online. Some people have claimed that getting a permit where they reside (especially if you have to walk in) can take several weeks to a month. Whatever you need to do, be sure you do it since it is a key step.
6. Pay Close Attention To Specific Qualifications
Yes, there are other prerequisites! Others have claimed that even after they filed for and received their permits, they had to follow additional requirements (depending on the type of permit they got). Make careful to read the tiny print and follow all of the rules to legally construct your corner lot. After you’ve completed all of this, you’re ready to start building.
Final Thought
If you are unable to construct on a corner lot after exhausting all other options, there are some alternatives you could consider.
1.Enhance your landscaping by planting trees and shrubs around your corner lot to provide you with the seclusion and protection you require.
2.Smaller Perimeter Fence – If privacy is an issue for you, consider bringing your fence in a bit further so that it will allow you to build a taller fence.
Locate and stack some retaining walls to use in your project. This may or may not be legal in your area, but it is prevalent in most locations, so double-check before you begin construction.
Although it may seem like a long and winding road to achieve a little bit taller fencing, be certain that the safety of automobiles and pedestrians is not jeopardised.
Never, ever put anyone’s safety at risk for anything or anyone’s sake.