Dear Patricia Nokes and Mr. Sheriff

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1 \,, ~..r of Information and Protection -----Original Messag of Privacyact From: Andrew Davis Sent: Friday, April 08, :36 PM To: Patricia Nokes Cc: Mark Sheriff; 6. 14C'), ~W'f'4 'Kerry Davis '; 'Lorraine Van Ooyen Subject: Follow up on Back yard fence bylaw enclosed is a picture Importance: High Dear Patricia Nokes and Mr. Sheriff I would like to take this opportunity to thank you Mrs. Nokes for taking my call today, at 11:30am on April 8, and Mr. Sheriff at 15:02 I wanted to include this message along with the phone message that I left with you for the Mayor and the Mayor's Assistant. I trust that this may also help clarify some questions the Mayor and or his Executive Assistant, or council may have. Please fotward this to all the current sitting councilors. I understa"d that it does take time to pass By-laws and that the by-law I am requesting that Oshawa Council pass, is for Fence height restrictions in the backyard. I understand that the By-law wouldn't be implemented in time to benefit my household, unless amendments were made to "Excessive height Fences" that By-law. Residents of Oshawa need there council to protect the most expensive assets in which a person or family have and that is their home and property. Passing a backyard fence height restriction By-law will do that. Oshawa has some amazing views having obstructions like loft+ fences and gazebo's in their yards with out By-laws allows people to do what they want. Oshawa Council should be looking at its fellow neighbouring communities of Durham Region, York and Peel as these communities all currently have a height restriction on Backyard fences from 5ft to 7fi maximum height restriction. OSHAWA currently is the only municipality in Durham Region and most surroundings regions that doesn't have a height restriction for backyard fences. There are already by-laws written that Oshawa could review to help ensure passing a By-law efficiently.

2 Here is a list of reasons Council should consider for Height restrictions to include; View obstructions many people like my family bought our house because we enjoyed the view that this house has to offer on/ near lake front, trails, and green belts Efficiency - Lower energy costs in summer to have a breeze. - Sun for the winter and summer, Planting - Vegetables, flowers make for nicer looking yards and promote green communities Safety - if there is an emergency and the only exit was to the back yard and a person needed to get out they would have loft+ wall blocking exit. Uniformity - In neighborhoods and overall attractiveness uniformity makes cities look much nicer cleaner and inviting Decreased Property values- If an area all built fences of all different heights some of which go to 10+ feet property values go down same with taxes and that means less revenue for the city. A homeowner that can't sell their home because of what another neighbour has done to Property boarding another property. The selling Homeowners in desperation may sell to undesirables which could increase crime and with crime means more money the City of Oshawa needs to put out on Policing that area. Possible Structural Damage1 Risk of Injury -The fence that my neighbour built as shown in the picture I enclosed shows they have built 3 additions 1 on top of the other. This Fence, bolts screws hardware I am assuming is 20 years plus. We live facing east to west. To the immediate south of us is the lake with no obstructions that means when the wind blows, and it does blow strong at times that this solid fence structure having the stress from the wind may cause the structure to fail and a great potential to cause serious injury to person(s)and dwelling. My hope was that this By-law would have been passed already to avoid more potential additions to the fence. Then if I had called the City inspector to review the structure and helshe deemed it to be unsafe and instructed the neighbour to take the fence down, the neighbour would not be able to reconstruct it because of the new height restriction backyard fence By-law. I don't want to make this call until the By-law is passed. The new By-law will help citizens like myself, and is an opportunity to protect those citizens it couldn't help in the past.

3 I was surprised to hear from previous council members and current sitting members that they were unaware that we didn't' have a backyard height restriction By-law for fences; The only exception is for your front yard max 3ft and backyard corner lot fence restriction which is also 3ft. My intention to have this By-law passed is to stop other citizens from being harassed and bullied and their property devalued, by a selfish neighbour. Oshawa can stop Neighbour bullying! I would kindly to ask that you keep me up to date on this by-law and progress as to what has been done thus far. Respectfully, Andrew Davis s 14(1), Munrcpal Freedom of Informatron and Protecbon of Prrvacy Act 1 S. 14(1), Municipal Freedom -----Original Message of Information and Protection of Privacy Act From: Andrew Davis I Sent: Wednesday, March 09, PM To: 'pnokes@oshawa.cal Subject: Picture of Fence Importance: High Dear Patrica Nokes, As per my conversation yesterday March 8th between Mayor Henry and myself, Andrew R. Davis, I have enclosed a photo of the fence structure that my neighbour has built. I had my wife take this picture to show the mere size of the fence I am almost 6 feet in height. The view behind this fence is the view of the lake and new water front trail.

4 My house is 1533 Connery Crescent, LIJ 8G2 The house that constructed this fence is; 1531 Connery Cres 5 14l 0,eyfr~ofA For ease of reference, here is a link to a map from google maps hannel=s&hl=en&q=l533+connery+cres&um=i&ie=utf- 8&hq=&hnear=l533+Connery+Cres cent,+oshawa,+on+li J+8B2&gl=ca&ei=MsF3TaucKcaLrQGBpIHrBg&sa=X&oi=geo code-res ult&ct=title&resnum=l &ved=ocbuq8gewaa My request is that The City of Oshawa would pass a by-law in regards to the maximum height a fence can be in the rear of a yard. a l*\l Mr. ( ~ c l f a 1 has compeleted two sections of the fence and I am afraid he will completely close in the yard at the same height he is currently building in early spring. There is no obvious reason why this fence needs to be extended beyond the existing fence height(seen in the two different fence designs) as he has no pool, animals etc. Thank you for speaking with me and taking the time to listen to our family needs and I believe many other families that are experiencing this very same issue due to the lack of a rear fence height by-law. Respectfully, Andrew R. Davis S. 14(1). Municpal Freedom of Information and Protecbon of Privacy Act

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