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Why would you allow your neighbors to decide this for you? Who cares what they think.
I agree with this....I'm puzzled by all these opinions from the neighbors about what they would prefer you did. Do you give them your preferences on how they trim their shrubbery, or wash their cars in the driveway, or how their window treatments look from outside? No.
Get over what the neighbors want. When we lived in a neighborhood very similar, one of our neighbors wanted to put up a fence for their dog. Their immediate neighbor begged them not to for the same reason, openness. They were kind enough to not put one up. The following year the immediate neighbor put up a huge privacy fence for their kids.
Do what's best for you and the safety of your kids.
How have other neighbors without the pond right next door dealt with keeping toddlers in the yard? Presumably any child old enough to walk could make their way over to the pond, even if it's less likely from a block or two away. If nobody else has fenced off their yard at the property line, either nobody has small children or pets, or they've found some other solution.
You're right that it should be a safety concern for other neighbors. We opposed the pond but it was put in anyways. There aren't many young kids in the neighborhood, but there are some. There are a few babies/toddlers in the neighborhood but they live further away from the pond, whereas we are right next door. I'm not sure if these parents are concerned or not. But we are concerned, as the pond is right next door, was put in after we bought the house, we can see it out all our windows, and it is not obscured by vegetation.
I think you should put the fence in if those are your reasons, but a 6ft fence won't stop a deer from getting in your yard. It will keep the kids from getting out though.
...We want a privacy fence for many reasons and are not interested in another style of fence...
What are the many other reasons? If the only reason is to keep your kids safe, then the aluminum fence should solve your problem. It will be costly, so fencing in a play yard might be the way to go. If you are only needing a boundary, a split rail fence would be nice without being an eyesore, and it could go all around the entire back yard. For the dog, you can line the split rail with green coated wire. But maybe you could ask the neighbors to help you find a solution that would work for all.
In many areas of the country neighbors try to avoid having fences just so that all the neighbors get to share each others beautiful vistas. With 1-2 acre lots this should be possible, although better privacy could be achieved with nice landscape planting.
Oh, eff your neighbors. If its legal, then do it. You have a hubby and young kids. You don't need your neighbors acceptance. You have your own life. Grow up and be a big girl.
You just happen to be the first one on the block to do it. So what? Others will too. Just give it time.
People get tired of fenceless yards quite fast! You'll see.
I think I would try to enclose a smaller area for the toddlers instead of doing the whole perimeter of the yard. They don't need to have 1-2 acres at that age, and a smaller area wouldn't obstruct your neighbors' view. I would then probably just remove it when the babies were old enough. I would also be sure to teach them to swim at about 4yo. I can see both sides, but your first concern must be the babies. Best Luck for an amiable solution.
Even if you do enclose just the smaller area, if you are worried about that pond - and I think you are fully justified in your worry - your kids need to learn how to handle themselves in the water.
I agree the fence is absolutely necessary with you being 30 feet from the pond!
While you most certainly don't need the neighbor's permission for the type of fence you will use, I do think it is being a good neighbor to consider how a permanent and visible addition to the street will affect others even if it's only aesthetic. A wrought iron fence will look good while providing the necessary protection for your boys. As for the high school kids having pool parties, they will likely be off to college soon and as others have said, the 6 foot wooden fence (even a very nice one) is NOT going to keep noise out.
Another forum I frequent had one of the regular posters commenting one day that there was an ambulance and police at her neighbor's house, that one of the toddlers had managed to escape the house and get in the pool while there were visitors. The toddler died.
The HOA very well might try to legally force you to not put in a fence. Barking Spider is correct that by creating that pool they would be liable if there was a drowning. Either put the fence up fast, lawyer up, or both. Personally, I'd research a few drownings in a similar situation and contact both an attorney (to write a strong letter) AND the insurance company that insures the HOA, informing them via certified letter of the danger.
I would put up the fence, but it will not stop the noise from the kids late at night. I'm only going to comment on the pool issue, although the pond issue is important also, which a fence would definitely help.
It is obvious to me that if the parents are letting their kids have late night pool parties, they could care LESS about you and your families well being.
We are on a street that pretty much every house has a pool. We used to be good friends with the folks next door. Then the kids got to high school age. What a nightmare! We tried to talk to them, they would say no problem, we will talk to the kids. 2 o clock in the morning, the parties would start. We finally started calling the sheriffs department on them. It really did not stop until they went to college.
My point very simply is this:
You have a right and expectation to some privacy and peace and quiet (at least at night, especially with young children).
If you have not talked to the parents about this issue, please do. That can be scary, but the parents might not even know what the kids are doing.
If you do not get any results , I would check out if there are any noise ordinances where you live. If so, call local law enforcement, and see what needs to happen to enforce them.
Right now, I would say these folks do not respect your right to live on your property.
I apoligize if I am coming off as harsh, but I know what we went though. I do not want to see you do the same.
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