Neighbors Fencing Themselves Up And Out

"Slowly and surely, and against city zoning ordinances in many cases, frontyard fences in Phoenix are getting taller. Homeowners are turning to them for security or to seclude their homes from busy streets.And as complaints about the fences have increased, overwhelmed city officials have decided it's easier to legalize the higher fences than fight them... Low concrete and block fences in front yards in the Phoenix area are relics of ranch fences used to keep other people and wild animals out, said Debbie Abele, a historic-preservation consultant. Many Phoenix area homes were built after World War II, when homes didn't need fences for security, she said."