Couple fights city to retain 11-foot-plus fence

A notable Winnipeg couple are fighting a city order to reduce the size of their more than 11-foot fence — which is much higher than allowed under city regulations.

Lynne Skromeda and Jason Smith built a fence in 2023 as part of renovations to their McMillan neighbourhood backyard. A neighbour filed a complaint and city bylaw inspectors ruled the fence was too high. The city later approved a variance application to allow for a seven-foot, five-inch fence.

“In 2023, the applicant worked with urban planning to arrive at a compromised height of 7.5 feet and the applicant advised they would reduce the fence height accordingly. Further inspections at the site reveal that the applicant did not complete the necessary reduction to the fence height to meet the supported and approved height of 7.5 feet,” says a report prepared for an April 20 appeal hearing.

The city’s limit on fence height is six-feet, six inches for rear and side yards, and four feet in front yards. The fence in dispute is more than 11 feet high along a portion of the west side yard and more than eight feet along the rear yard.

Skromeda is the chief executive officer of Manitoba Film & Music while Smith owns Smith Events, an event management and consulting company. On Tuesday, Skromeda did not return requests for comment and Smith could not be reached for comment.

In November 2025, the city denied a variance application to maintain the fence height.

Deborah Bowers, communications lead for the planning and property development department, said in an email Tuesday the latest variance request was denied because work was not completed to adjust the height of the fence as per the 2023 variance specifications.

The city report says the design is incompatible with the home and existing fencing on the block, and poses a “substantial” adverse impact on adjoining properties.

The couple’s neighbours said they don’t have an issue with the fence.

Peter St. John, who lives next door, said the fence is no imposition on him or his wife.

“It’s probably a bit exaggerated, but I can understand them wanting a bit of privacy,” he said.

Blueprints attached to the appeal document show a hot tub is located on the other side of the 11-foot fence.

Bowers confirmed the city only received one complaint about the fence, in July 2023, which led to the inspection.

Bowers wouldn’t reveal the maximum height allowed by the city following a variance application. She said each variance is reviewed within the neighbourhood context.

Similar scale fencing has been rejected throughout the city, the city’s report states.

The report suggests the couple construct “some type of lattice-like structure that can then be covered in some type of vegetation” on their property if they want more privacy. A lattice would not require a variance for height so long as it does not exceed 13 feet, the report states.

In a letter appealing the city’s decision, the couple argue interpretation of the planning analysis is confusing.

“This suggests that a structure of comparable or greater height may be permitted in an alternate form, while the existing structure — serving a similar function — is deemed incompatible,” the letter states.

The letter says there was miscommunication with contractors when the fence was built. Once the couple became aware the fence did not comply, they paid the appropriate fines and submitted a variance application.

The letter was supported by a request for support of zoning variance document, which was signed by four neighbours.

The letter also states it would be wasteful to demolish the fence to construct a lattice.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca