A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 61F. Winds light and variable..

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.

Snow fencing, such as the kind pictured here, cannot be used as a permanent fence, under a new Hermitage ordinance.

Snow fencing, such as the kind pictured here, cannot be used as a permanent fence, under a new Hermitage ordinance.

HERMITAGE — City officials think good fences make good neighborhoods.

Fencing within Hermitage will fall under the purview of a new ordinance passed unanimously Wednesday evening by the board of commissioners. There were no comments from the public at a public hearing before the vote.

City officials discussed the issue for about a year, after some complaints about certain residents’ fencing were brought to the board’s attention.

Although Hermitage zoning ordinances previously covered some guidelines for fencing, such as heights and locations, this new ordinance adds further guidelines such as times and conditions for certain fences to be used, including “fences,” “garden fences” and “snow fences.”

In one example of the ordinance’s guidelines, snow fencing is defined and permitted from Dec. 1 through April 1. Snow fencing can also be temporarily used as a safety barrier during periods of construction or excavation, according to the ordinance.

Other examples from the ordinance includes permissible uses for garden fencing, such as a form of crop protection in residential and agricultural locations, or enclosing backyard poultry if the resident has an approved backyard poultry permit.

There are also electric or barbed-wire fences, which can be used only for retaining livestock and not when that fencing could be a safety hazard to the public, according to the ordinance.

City officials had previously presented a proposed fencing ordinance to the board several months ago, but the commissioners requested something less restrictive, resulting in the recently-passed ordinance.

Following Wednesday’s meeting, the new ordinance will take effect within seven days of its passing by the commissioners, the ordinance states.

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