Do-It-Yourself Question
By Mitch Berg
I’m replacing a 15 foot length of chain link fence in my backyard, which got demolished when the builders put in the slab for my new garage. The original, built in the early 1900s, was edged right at the property line; the new code says they have to be set back two feet from the line, which put the slab a good foot over the old fence line.
Anyway – I’m recycling a lot of the chain link fabric – but I’m going to need to dredge up 10-15 feet of fabric. Now, Menards and Home Depot and the like only sell it in 50-foot rolls, which means I’ll be sitting on 35 feet of spare fabric if I go that route. Which I’ll do if I need to…
…but I’m wondering if anyone out there happens to have a few feet (say, less than 15 of ’em) of chain link fabric lying around that they’re willing to rummage-sell?
(Ironically, I did. For years. It sat in my garage, waiting for a fencing project that never came, left-over from when I built my garden pen in 1995. I tossed it – when I cleaned out my old garage. To “lessen the fire hazard”. Blah).
July 6th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Mitch, we may have some. My husband will check the garage when he gets home tonight and see if we still have it; I’ll let you know later!
July 6th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Your car looks SO much happier parked in the garage LOL
July 6th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
Possibly, flash, but the keg looks SO much happier parked in yours!
July 7th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Hold on a minute there, Professor. You lif in St. Paul, nicht var? Vhere are your papers?
Do you have a fence permit? Private fences must be inside the property line – where is your Certificate of Survey from a registered professional land surveyor, showing the property line location? Shared fences go on the property line but you must have a written agreement executed by the neighbor in proper form and recorded against your real estate title.
Fences impede the free flow of homeless bums and juvenile delinquents cutting across your lawn; fencing therefore is often an act of classism or racism: do you have a certificate of completion of the appropriate sensitivity training (or, in the alternative, do you have one each Obama ’08 and Never Park The Bus bumper stickers on your vehicle)?
The city charges an assessment to maintain the alley by your garage (altough they don’t actually ‘maintain’ it by putting down tar or anything, but they do scrupulously charge the annual assessment) . . . has the street maintenance 3-man repair team completed an alley encroachment analysis to ensure that your fence won’t impede their efforts, should any be forthcoming, and have you paid the fee for their drive-by inspection?
Minnehaha Avenue has been there a long time. Yours is a storied and historic neighborhood. The neighbors have an interest in preserving the districtive quality of the area. Chain link isn’t quaint. You need a waiver from District Council 11, the Hamline-Midway Coalition. The Land Use Committee meets Wednesday at 7:00, call to get on the agenda.
If chain link isn’t approved, you’ll have to use wood tastefully cut and stained. Wood fences hang on posts driven into the ground. The hammering will cause noise. St. Paul limits noise. Remember to submit two (2) copies of the Noise Study completed by a registered professional accoustical engineer along with your fence permit application and fees.
No, I think we’re a long ways from the need to solicit fencing. Maybe next year. Or the year after that. We’ll let you know.
After all, we’re the City of St. Paul. We’re not satisfied until you’re not satisfied.
.
July 7th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Nate wins the thread.