Board of Adjustment Tables Pierre Van Wayenberge's Rudd Court Fence Plan at 276 Ridgewood Avenue Amid Neighbor Safety Concerns

Glen Ridge's Board of Adjustment on November 11, 2021 heard from Pierre Van Wayenberge of 276 Ridgewood Avenue, who is seeking a variance for a fence along the Rudd Court side of his property. Van Wayenberge described an existing hemlock hedge and four-foot chain-link fence, and said that while he intends to keep the hedge, he was weighing his originally proposed six-foot wooden fence against a five- to six-foot wrought-iron alternative after hearing feedback from neighbors. Board members, including Mr. Sprong, pushed back on the lack of a settled design, floating alternatives such as placing the fence inside the hedge row, shortening it to cover only the pool area, and angling the fence's corners from 90 to 45 degrees to preserve sightlines for a rear neighbor's driveway.

Several residents spoke during public comment, raising concerns that a six-foot wooden fence would harm both safety and the aesthetics of Rudd Court given the street's geometry and its currently more natural look -- one reason, residents noted, that few six-foot fences face the street elsewhere in Glen Ridge. One neighbor said the fence could interfere with his ability to see when backing out of his driveway, and another raised pedestrian safety concerns for that stretch of the street. Vice Chair Bergmanson said the board should not vote before seeing a final design, and added that the applicant had not yet shown the hardship or public-benefit balancing required for the variance, noting the board has historically been strict about six-foot front-yard fences. Van Wayenberge agreed to reconsider the design and return with a revised plan at the board's next meeting, December 9, 2021; the board voted unanimously to carry the application to that date without additional public notice.