Council Seeks to Balance Aesthetics, Crime Issues on Central Ave

Concerned about the appearance and increasing presence of chain-link fences along Central Avenue, council member Jeff Danner and city council have asked city staff to help limit future fences. 

Council, sitting as the public services and infrastructure committee, voted last week to have staff look into creating a policy that would restrict six-foot tall fences being put up on property lines in commercial corridors throughout St. Petersburg.

"A few lots on Central Avenue that have just been purchased and they immediately put chain-link fences around the perimeter," Daner said. "It just doesn’t look good.    

Some of the property owners, council member Karl Nurse said, are just trying to secure their belongings. 

"I agree it’s not attractive, but I would ask you to talk to some of the property owners who are trying to secure their stuff," Nurse said. "It’s a dilemma."  

Phillip Lazzara, planning and economic development, said staff will search for a balance between letting owners protect their property while also improving the aesthetics of the area.

Solutions could include fence setback regulations or landscaping requirements to go along with fence height regulations. 

Council members Leslie Curran and Charlie Gerdes said there needs to be a solution about limiting the ugly chain-link fences but think the root of the problem is crime. 

"The property owners think they need to be protected," Gerdes said. "Maybe we have a police issue or a law enforcement issue that is interconnected to this."

Curran said many of the vacant lots put up fences so the homeless population does not call the property home. 

"If people are there on the vacant lots when they are not suppose to be there, someone should be enforcing that," she said.