Foxridge residents argue about fence options

Residents of Foxridge, a subdivision of close to 1,000 homes in the south of Centennial, are worked up and in disagreement with each other regarding the treatment or replacement of a perimeter fence around the subdivision. Cost to upgrade or fix the fence appears to be driving the controversy.

The subdivision is bounded by East Dry Creek road on the north, County Line Road on the south, and by Colorado Boulevard and South Holly Street on the west and east.

Cost of the fence, according to the analysis presented at the meeting Feb. 11, would vary from slightly over $1 million to as much as almost $4 million, depending on the treatment and the material used to build the fence.

At a meeting of the Foxridge General Improvement District (FGID) board of directors, which is the same entity as the Centennial City Council, members of the community heard a report from Patrick Fleming, a management analyst who is assisting the FGID board in analyzing the fencing problems.

The problem appears to be that the mill levy paid by residents of Foxridge is too low to provide the tax proceeds to replace the fence, which is not in good condition.

Martha Riley, speaking to the Foxridge board on behalf of a neighborhood organization, spoke briefly, thanking Fleming. In an interview, she said that she and others in the community prefer the installation of a fence composed of a long-lasting composite material. The name of the material she would like to have used is “Trek.”

Some residents of Foxridge would prefer a less expensive alternative, such as a cedar fence or just fixing the existing three miles of fence, which is 35 years old. The residents of Foxridge likely will have an opportunity to vote on the fence in an election later this year in November.

An assessment of the existing fence shows that about 10 percent of posts on the existing fence require repair or replacement, and all of the top rails need to be replaced and stained. Even if these repairs are made, the fence would only last a few years, perhaps five to seven years. Some residents favor a fix that would last longer than just a few years.

Any solution will have to be paid for by the residents of the subdivision.