Back in November Garden City Life got word from Dartmouth Street resident Richard Bankosky of what he described as an "opaque green fence" running the length of Edgemere Road.

Bankosky's home corners Edgemere Road and both himself and his neighbors for months have had to look at the green screening material embedded in the chain link fence surrounding the Garden City Country Club's golf course.

"This fence is different, substantially different than the open, dark-appearing chain link fence existing prior," Bankosky stated in a letter to Garden City Life.

The country club's groundskeeper did not return a phone call seeking comment prior to press time.

Bankosky's understanding is that Garden City has strict ordinances against fences for good purpose. "This has allowed an open environment where the natural landscape (lawns, shrubs, trees, etc.) can be viewed everywhere," the 37-year village resident said. "This has added to the Garden City experience and premier suburban environment we all enjoy and have paid for in the value of our homes. I support this open environment created by fence restrictions."

He and many of his neighbors believe the green fencing goes against all that Garden City stands for. "The green plastic appearance is tacky and reminiscent of the surrounding structures used to conceal many objectionable sights, including garbage dumps. Those of us on Edgemere Road and the Western section are having our view of the open lands adjacent to our properties permanently obstructed," he continued.

Bankosky isn't against all fences. A green chain link fence with dark green supporting poles is acceptable, he said, as is a style fence much like what now surrounds the Garden City Middle School fields.

Bankosky said he has insisted another fencing design be chosen to replace the "blot" on Garden City's landscape. But it is now May and Bankosky and his neighbors have had no such luck.

But Tanners Pond Road homeowner Arnold Finnamore said residents aren't giving up in their fight to remove the "fuzzy fence" just yet.

"We would hope that the Garden City Country Club's flouting of the law will be brought to a complete and rapid stop," he told trustees May 1. "I'm sure if any other resident was notified of a violation that some action would be taken in an appropriate period of time and I trust that the same standard would apply with the Garden City Country Club in removing the barrier on that fence."

According to Garden City Building Superintendent Mike Filippon, the building department originally, in working with the county club's attorney, thought that an agreement was reached to remove the material from the fence and leave the chain link fence - which is permissible under village code. "They, for whatever reason, had a change of heart," Filippon said May 1. "We then issued them a violation. Subsequent to the issuance of that notice, several weeks later, I had an occasion to speak with their attorney again and he said the club had re-thought its position and that they would now go back to its original plan, which is to remove that material from the fencing."

Filippon notes though that that was approximately two weeks ago and the fencing material is still up. He told trustees that he intends to speak again with the club's attorney to "see what's holding it up." If the club does not comply, Filippon said the village would bring the fight to village court.