Parents of child with autism say neighbors in Port Washington are pushing back on fence installed to keep daughter safe
UPDATE 2/2/23: Port Washington approves family's fence to protect child with autism, along with "autistic child area" signs
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. -- Dividing lines are being drawn over a fence in one North Shore, Long Island, community, where fencing is mostly prohibited in front yards.
Parents of a child with autism said they installed the fence to keep their daughter safe, but the family tells CBS2's Jennifer McLogan that they are getting pushback from angry neighbors.
Stella Bovis, age 4, peers out her front door at the new picket fence installed in her Port Washington front yard.
"What I'm afraid of is that she will bolt out the door. We are one house away from Port Washington Boulevard," Stella's mother, Stevie Bovis, said.
Stella, the only child of Stevie and Angelo, has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and goes through very rough patches each day. Therapists suggested more outside time.
"So the safety is huge and vital to giving her a childhood," Stevie Bovis said.
The fence, 4 feet high, is the only one in the neighborhood. Except by variance, the hamlet of Port Washington and town of North Hempstead do not allow fencing, but the Bovises were advised that a fence for Stella is protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"They seemed very accepting, the neighbors," Stevie Bovis said.
Then things turned sour.
"So we were a bit surprised that even after we had explained everything to our neighbors, our reasons for putting up the fence, our plan of working with the town, that a few of them got together in secret and kind of ganged up on us," Angelo Bovis said.
Recently, the Bovises went before the town board. Their neighbors were there.
"There has been pushback on the fence from over a dozen neighbors who signed a letter. It just seems like it's too high and too close to the road," neighbor James Marotta said.
A petition circulated.
"No. We don't want to speak. No one wants to speak. No one wants this here," one neighbor said.
"No, I don't like it all, and it doesn't match in our neighborhood," another neighbor said.
"Everyone stopped talking to us ... We would wave, they wouldn't wave back," Stevie Bovis said.
Multiple neighbors who would not go on camera say their complaints have nothing to do with an autistic child but rather are against the size, color and scope of the fence.
The town will soon rule, and it appears the variance will be granted.
A hollow victory?
"To be completely isolated from a neighborhood that we wanted to have our daughter enjoy is beyond hurtful and makes me sad for my daughter," Stevie Bovis said.
