Letter to the Editor: Fence Bylaws Needed

Dear Editor:

I would like to thank those residents in attendance at the May 5, 2012 town meeting who voted in favor of my proposed fencing bylaw. I would especially like to thank the six (6) residents who stood up after I doubted the initial voice vote so as to allow me a more accurate sense of how much support my article actually had by counting the votes. I regret not having better articulated my case for such a bylaw and whish I had done a better job of defending/explaining the language in my bylaw against what I believe to have been unfounded concerns raised by a few residents. I continue to believe that such a bylaw is needed. My intention was to protect not only my own family, but all residents of the town from having a “spite fence” or a structurally unsound and dangerous fence erected at an adjacent property. Additionally, due to the increasing number of bank foreclosures, my bylaw would also have helped to protect residents who reside next to bank owned abandoned properties which have been allowed to fall into disrepair.

It was interesting to me that Mario Marchese presented the most vehement objection to my bylaw. Mario's father-in-law is the owner of the 200 feet of plywood fencing currently coming apart along my western property boundary (as documented by photographic evidence provided at town meeting) and the 350 feet of unsightly blue tarp fencing surrounding my property to the east and south. I believe it to be a positive step forward that Mario is no longer an elected representative of the Town of Wilmington.  

Personally, I believe it's sad that Wilmington regulates fencing around cell phone towers against the construction of unsuitable and/or dangerous fencing but not around residential properties. In my opinion both the Town Manager and the Board of Selectmen should be embarrassed by that fact. I also believe the residents of the Town of Wilmington should question this lack of leadership! 

Because of the positive support I received from several other residents, I plan to continue pressing this issue. Though my proposed bylaw did not pass, I continue to believe that a fencing bylaw is needed to protect the residents ofWilmington from irresponsible and spiteful neighbors. 

Respectfully,
George Lingenfelter
Wilmington