Michelle Daw, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

Barunga West Council appears to have backed down on plans to immediately tackle the issue of unauthorised fences around homes at Fisherman Bay.

Director of planning and regulatory services Trevor White had previously said property owners who erected fences without development authorisation would receive enforcement notices to remove the fence in the “near future”.

However, on Friday, May 19 a council spokesperson said staff would not speak to people about their “specific fencing issues” until after an information sheet was sent with rate notices in July.

The spokesperson said information about the compulsory requirements for fencing at Fisherman Bay was included in a community update in October as well as a community engagement program and survey which started in December.

However, the description of fencing in the community engagement survey described tubular style fencing only as an “option” rather than an enforceable planning regulation.

Fencing would only be permitted on side and rear allotment boundaries, with no fencing past the building line of the dwelling set- back the farthest from the front or seaward boundary.

Fences would not be permitted on the front boundary of allotments facing the sea.

Respondents to the survey were almost evenly split on the option for fencing permissions, with 48 percent partially or completely agreeing and 52 percent disagreeing.

Those who agreed cited the need to create privacy and stop people walking in between homes to access the beach and to provide security for their children and pets.

Those who disagreed said 1.2 metres was not high enough to provide protection against large and agile dogs and the proposal to prevent fencing of front yards meant these areas would be used as parking spaces by others.

A survey respondent against fencing wrote that Fisherman Bay was a shack community, not a residential township and fences would destroy the ambience.

Another who answered “no” said changes to what could be done with fences should have been aired prior to development approval or at least before settlement.

“Doing so now affects property values and what many of us have planned to do with our properties,” the respondent wrote.

Safety concern for dog owners

Fisherman Bay shack owner of 10 years Michael Papps believes fencing should be allowed at the settlement.

However, he said he was disappointed as he had been repeatedly knocked back by Fisherman Bay Management for putting up any permanent or semi-permanent fencing, even though there had been plenty around the bay in previous years.

“We used to have some chicken wire we put up with star-droppers, to comply with the council’s dog regulations to restrain our dog, and to have an area for young kids to stay within,” Mr Papps said.

“During this time, our dog was attacked three times by other dogs coming to our shack.

“One time (was) in front of the front porch, with two young, terrified children on the porch, watching their old dog being attacked.” Mr Papps said once his family had freehold of the property, they worked with their neighbours on an agreed form of fencing and installed a Colorbond fence between the two shacks that extends from the front of the buildings.

The neighbours on the other side did not want a boundary fence, so the Pappses only put a chain fence from the back corner of the shack to the shed to create a safe space for their dog.

“We have never seen the council enforcing its current dog rules in the bay, so a safe space for our big, goofy, retired grey (hound) is very important to us,” he said.

This article appeared in the Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 23 May 2023.