Penske Truck Leasing is seeking to install a 10-foot-tall, electrified fence at a Hartford location to deter thieves who, according to the company, have cost the business more than $90,000 over about 19 months.
City staff, however, are recommending the Zoning Board of Appeals turn down the variance request for 10 Locust St.. by fencing contractor AMAROK. In notes shared with the board in advance of this week’s meeting, staff note no unique characteristic of, or hardship to, the property to justify a variance. City regulations call for fences of no taller than 8 feet and prohibit electrified fencing.
The 10-foot-tall fence was proposed to be located behind an existing 8-foot-tall fence at the Penske location, according to the application. According to the application, thieves cost the business $58,175 in losses and damage during 10 incidents in 2022 and another $33,000 in two incidents as of July this year.
AMAROK’s application, on behalf of Penske, said the site contains “unique surrounding obstacles” that can increase the risk of theft, including a wooded area to the south side of the property with no street frontage to patrol. The application notes the location is close to a major highway and railroad track, providing a quick path in and out for criminals.
The site is also within 300 feet of a public park that is not regularly monitored, which “can be utilized by criminals during and after the commission of a crime,” reads the application.
The city staff notes accompanying the application said that “unfortunately,” catalytic converter thefts are not unique to the applicant business and that proximity to a highway is not a unique characteristic either. Staff noted nearby Colt Park as “an unlikely source” of potential thieves.
The staff report suggested Penske work with the city on a planting plan that would result in lower-level plantings.
