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Neighbors upset over apartment fence plan

BY JAMES BURGER, Californian staff writer
e-mail: jburger@bakersfield.com | Wednesday, Apr 11 2007 10:55 PM

Last Updated: Wednesday, Apr 11 2007 11:22 PM

Neighbors in a section of west Oildale are concerned about a plan to put wrought-iron fencing around a half-finished apartment complex near their homes.

They want a block wall -- and their privacy.

Kern County Planning Commissioners will discuss the issue at a 7 p.m. meeting today, and neighbors say they plan to show up and raise their concerns.

The complex on Park Meadows Avenue, known as the Belcourt Apartments, has earned the disapproval of neighbors in the North Meadows area as construction work has occurred over the past year.

Neighbors said workers on the project have started hammering and building as early as 3 a.m., disturbing peace in the neighborhood.

Project construction officials deny the claims.

Because of the neighbors' concerns, Kern County supervisors are considering approval of an ordinance that would make it illegal to do construction work in the county earlier than 6 a.m. or later than 9 p.m. on weekdays.

Tonight's hearing is tied to a proposal from project developers William and Patricia Giamella to put up wrought-iron fencing around portions of their apartment complex.

Balconies on the second story of the apartment complex already loom over neighboring homes, and apartment windows have clear views into backyards.

Neighbors want cinder block walls between their homes and apartments -- not wrought-iron.

County officials are requiring the Giamellas to put in two rows of large, mature trees between the apartments and the homes to block views and secure privacy for single-family homes in the area, according to county Planning Director Ted James.

He said county rules don't allow the wrought-iron fencing between the homes and apartments at this time. Planners have also, he said, told developers they would not support a separate process to change those rules.

The Kern County Planning Commission meets at 7 tonight at the County Administrative Center, 1115 Truxtun Ave.

You can also watch the meeting live on KGOV, the county’s cable television station. Available channels are listed at www.co.kern

.ca.us/gsd/KGOV.