Announcement

Good fences make good neighbors!

Monday, April 1, 2024

The following appeared in the spring 2024 Ocean Pines Report quarterly newsletter: www.oceanpines.org/web/pages/quarterly-newsletters

If you ever lived in a HOA in the past, you know that any addition or alteration to your property requires a permit. Ocean Pines is no exception.

The Declaration of Restrictions and the Architectural Review Guidelines outline the “dos and don’ts” of living in a HOA, and what requires a permit. For more information, please review the Architectural Review Guidelines on the Ocean Pines website at: www.oceanpines.org/web/pages/architectural-review.

The Architectural Review Committee has been hard at work over the last year reviewing and detailing the guidelines, so there are no questions as to what is/is not allowed in Ocean Pines. Look for the updated guidelines to be approved by the Board of Directors at the April Board meeting.

One violation that has been creeping up a lot lately – just because one person sees it, then another person sees it, then it turns into a “pandemic” so to speak – is the number of metal or wire enclosures being placed on properties throughout our community, with all of them so far being placed without a permit, or at least contacting Ocean Pines ahead of time to see if they are allowed.

Some get confused as they feel these are “temporary” fences, as they are just staked into the ground. But, according to the guidelines, “temporary” fences, which do not require a permit, are fences that are put around vegetable gardens or newly landscaped areas. They cannot exceed 2’ above the ground and need to be removed after the growing season, or when the newly landscaped area is established. If the enclosure that you have on your property does not meet these requirements, and you have not contacted the CPI Department to inquire, then yes – you need a permit.

Regardless of if the enclosure is staked in the ground or in concrete, for a regular 4’ fence (or 24’ of a 6’ high privacy fence), you will need to get a permit from Worcester County and Ocean Pines, and the enclosure must follow the guidelines:
Enclosure shall be behind the front foundation line of the main structure and shall not extend beyond the side building restriction line, or closer than 10’ from the rear property line (or 15’ from the bulkhead cap).
The enclosure shall not be constructed of metal posts, metal rails, or wire mesh.
The outside perimeter shall have shrubs or plantings enough to screen the enclosure.

When it doubt, just ask! Contact [email protected] (or 410-641-7717) for any questions you have. The Info team is here to assist you.

Announcement

Good fences make good neighbors!

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