I'm outraged by new aggressive, prison-style privacy fence being built by my home - but that's not even the worst part

A TOWN has been left to look like a penal institution after a local company put up a fence, according to residents.

An irrigation company in Fort Collins, Colorado, about 65 miles north of Denver, has put up a fence alongside a canal next to its property.

Residents have become concerned about the aggressive-looking aesthetic of the chain-linked and barbed wire fence, but also the future possible restricted access to the canal.

Larimer-Weld Canal is managed by Larimer & Weld Irrigation Co., which conveys water from the Poudre River.

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Resident Phil Soreide expressed his confusion at the length of the fence as he initially thought the fence would span throughout miles of the area.

He now believes that a shorter section of the fence will be built around canal access points, according to Coloradoan.

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The issue has become complicated by the location of the fence as the company has put up two fences in different jurisdictions.

One fence is within Fort Collins city limits and the other is in Larimer County, where the construction rules are different.

Larimer County does not require a permit however Fort Collins city limits do, for fences over 6 feet tall or any fence in an area of natural beauty.

A stop works order has been placed on a section of the fence within the city limits, however, the irrigation company has said it will comply by keeping the fence under 6 feet in height.

Despite residents' anger, the paths along the canal are within the private property of the irrigation company.

Soreide has expressed that even if the paths are not an amenity for the community they have become one anyway.

He said: “Even if it turns out the ditch company is technically within their rights, they must be answerable to the impact of their action on the general public.”

Other concerns from residents include the fence's impact on property values and wildlife.

Soreide said he bought his house in 2016 after looking for a “rural-urban interface” where he could enjoy nature and see animals along the canal like otters, geese, and deer.

Nearby resident Nathan Mueller said: “The canal company should be neighborly and discuss these things with us.”

Residents told the Coloradoan that employees of Larimer & Weld Irrigation Co. cited a liability issue due to general trespassing through the canal path.

Soreide added that the company said they had experienced issues with vandalism and trash.

The US Sun has reached out to Larimer & Weld Irrigation for comment.