Good fences make good neighbors, they say. Good laws make good neighbors and good fences.
A little slower? If spring fix-up season has you picking up the tab for a new backyard fence that keeps your dog and your brown spots on your side  and the neighbor's dog on his you're being pretty darned considerate aren't you.  The guy next door says you could be more neighborly if you were to build the fence with the finished side facing his house. After all, he has to look at it, too.  Several Minneapolis suburbs such as Bloomington have addressed this controversy about fences and views of them by enacting “pretty-side-out” ordinances. These ensure that the neighbors and passersby on the street see the best side of your home improvement. For the best view on both sides of the fence, contractors promote what they call “good-neighbor” fences, with two finished sides and posts hidden in the center. “If I was fighting with the neighbor I'd put the smooth side out,” says Ken Mills. “That's what “When money doesn't seem to be a problem" isn't an issue. Sterling Fence Inc. suggests a "shadow box,” which features vertical boards nailed alternately on both sides of horizontal rails. In general terms, a fence with two finished sides costs about 15 percent more than a similar fence with only one finished side local fencing contractors have said. While most homeowners are inclined to do the neighborly thing, others are annoyed to learn — depending on the suburb — there are restrictions that can affect their plans. “Sometimes we have trouble explaining the rules to customers,” said Dale Eads, owner of Eads Fence Co., Loveland. “Sometimes they think they can specify exactly what they want because they're paying for it. But we can't really break the law.”