Bay County commissioners adopted text amendments to Chapter 13 of the countys Land Development Regulations to permit limited deviations to fence-height requirements when recommended by public safety or law enforcement officials.

Planning staff explained the proposed change would allow staff discretion to approve temporary or limited deviations to fence height where a public-safety or law-enforcement need is demonstrated; the amendments also set term limits for approved deviations. One commissioner described past incidents and asked whether the change would allow residents to raise fences generally for personal security. Staff clarified that the amendment is meant to address specific instances such as neighbor disputes or law-enforcement requests to deescalate recurring situations, not to create a general allowance for higher fences across residential areas.

Wayne Porter summarized the planning-commission recommendation and staff advice. The board approved the LDR Chapter 13 amendments by roll-call vote. Commissioners asked staff to consider broader fence/gate-height issues in the upcoming Land Development Regulation rewrite process if the board wants additional changes for residential contexts.