NEIGHBORHOOD disputes over fences are not uncommon, but rarely reach the level they have recently.
The US homeowner who built the fence now faces a staggering $65,544 fine from local authorities.
Homeowner William Harrison began building an 8-foot-tall perimeter fence around Cielo Vista Ranch in 2020 and did not receive permits focused on the project's impact on local water quality.
Despite later obtaining these permits, Harrison faces an incredibly high daily penalty for what the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment describes as failure to meet certain state requirements.
The CDPHE argues that Harrison has failed to meet requirements to control erosion and minimize pollution of runoff water from the fence construction areas, an opinion with which other locals agree.
“This is our watershed, this is our lifeblood,” Bernadette Lucero, a resident and member of the La Sierra Environmental Guardians, told the Denver Post, saying construction could potentially leach heavy metals and sediment into local water supplies.
Read more about neighborhood disputes
MASSIVE CHANGE
Homeowner angry as neighbor adds three floors to his home
HE SAID, SHE SAID
A decades-long feud takes a strange turn when neighbors fight over their shared driveway
The CDPHE sent Harrison a cease-and-desist order on November 12th, ordering him to correct the fence defects and respond within 30 days or risk being hit with the staggeringly high daily fine.
This came after visits by CDPHE officials to the ranch in June and October 2024 revealed no erosion or runoff control at 12 different locations along the fence structure, as well as poorly disposed construction waste and improperly installed erosion control technologies.
Since 2020, Harrison's project and the surrounding debate have led to lawsuits, county regulations and even a new state law requiring local government approval for large fencing projects on Sangre de Cristo properties.
Harrison, for his part, began building miles of fence sections to keep out intruders and allow bison into the confines of the 88,000-acre ranch.
The residents who now make up the Guardians group felt it was an attempt to keep them out of the area, even though they had access rights to the property before Colorado even became a state.
The Guardians have also applied for a CDPHE grant to test the local water supply for contaminants, but are still awaiting a response at the time of writing.
The group also expects a study of the impact of the Costilla County-authored fence on wildlife to be released in the coming weeks, which could significantly strengthen its case depending on the results.
Harrison's attorney, Jamie Dickinson, did not immediately respond to The US Sun's request for comment.
Know your rights
Homeowners have several rights when it comes to fencing:
- How high can you build a fence:
- In many residential areas, the height of front yard fences may be limited to 3 to 4 feet, while backyard fences may be up to 6 to 8 feet high.
- To find out the specific restrictions for your property, contact your local government's planning or building department.
- Consult a professional surveyor to accurately determine your property boundaries
- What to do if your neighbor builds a fence that is too high:
- First, try talking to your neighbor about the problem
- Familiarize yourself with local fence height restrictions
- If talking doesn't work, you can report your neighbor's violation to your local planning or building department
- Who should pay for fence repairs?
- Responsibility for maintenance and repairs may depend on local laws and previous agreements
- If the fence is directly on the property line and is considered a common or “boundary fence,” the responsibilities may vary
- It is better to contact a real estate lawyer who will help you with all other problems
[Source: Legal Rights]