In case you do not know me very well, you may not know that I tend to question the rational for some rules. I like to think I can make my own decisions about my property. My guess is, I am probably not alone with this feeling.
While I was reading our Covenants for our Community, I questioned Article VI, Section 3: “No fence building, shed, or awning shall be build nearer than five (5) feet to an alley.“ This seems restrictive for those neighbors who are blessed with alley access. So, I did some digging to find out why this restriction was included in our Covenants.
Turns out the five foot buffer IS needed. Here are the top three reasons in my opinion.
City Code
Turns out, five feet is requirement from the City Code, not the Homeowners Association. This is the relevant section of Table 207-4. You can find this in in San Antonio Municipal Code, Chapter 35 – Unified Development Code, Section 35-207 – Traditional Neighborhood Development.
Garbage Disposal
Every week we have garbage disposal trucks that visit our Community. Many neighbors have their garbage bins located in the alley. Have you ever watched one of the large vehicles maneuver a turn into the alley? This is not a problem when they have the five foot buffer on each side. However if one side of the alley is blocked, the wheels of the big garbage trucks are likely to dig a trench in the yard on the opposite side of the blockage. The large vehicles have a wider turning radius than your car.
Emergency Vehicles
Hopefully we are never faced with the need for Emergency Vehicles. But in an emergency a large fire truck may need to access to the rear of the home. So just like the garbage disposal trucks, these large vehicles may need clear access to the alley ways. The larger fire trucks need even a greater turning radius.
