A Peachtree City man lost his bid last week to build a bigger fence in his backyard.

It is a battle that many have waged, but few have won, particularly in Peachtree City.

Scott Quamme wanted to construct a 6-foot privacy fence in his backyard, which sits on a corner lot in the Rockspray subdivision. His bid for a variance was unanimously voted down by the Peachtree City Council at its regular meeting last week.

City regulations only allow for a four foot fence to be erected in this case because it would be close to the curb, noted City Planner David Rast.

Quamme noted that his backyard abuts the front yard of a neighbor, and he wanted to build the fence to have a little more privacy. He also argued there was a safety concern as he has been victimized by several property thefts over the years.

While admitting he could build a four foot fence under the ordinance, Quamme said it would look silly. "I wouldn't do that to my neighbors," Quamme said.

Quamme added that he noticed other homes in Peachtree City appear to be in violation of the city's fence restrictions, but he decided it was best to ask permission instead of forgiveness. Mayor Steve Brown replied that the city has in the past required owners to take down fences that were found in violation of the ordinance. Quamme was also urged to report the non-conforming fences to Building Official Tom Carty, who could look into the allegations.

Councilman Steve Rapson said he didn't think the situation resulted in a hardship, which is one of the requirements for the city to issue a variance.