For the North Parkersburg Baptist Church the only issue at hand is safety.

"With that particular fence and everything, I guess when we're looking at it there's arguments about whether or not we want a 6ft fence or an 8ft fence. And how that may hurt or benefit the neighborhood and everything. Really, the core issue that I, as a parent, wanted to cover was that my child was safe at school, on the playground, while she's playing," says Louverture Jones, a parent of a student at NPBC.

But increasing the fence height around the church playground has become a point of public contention.

"I have done some investigating about fencing, I want you to know that in Wood County, there are several elementary schools and junior highs that I'd like to mention have four foot fences," says Elizabeth Knapp, who opposes the fence extension.

"That's the main reason I oppose the fence is because it devalues the neighborhood. And it wasn't anything we saw coming into it, and we have no recourse," says Jim Knapp, 8th Ward Councilman and husband of Elizabeth Knapp.

But despite those concerns the board decided to approve the variance.

"We have provided a landscape drawing as requested to to show how we were going to beautify the area around the fence," says Ron Morris, of the North Parkersburg Baptist Church.

"I feel that you know it would be safer for the children, around the school, like that. So we voted on it, and agreed to it. As long as they do it in the respect that they said they would," says Scott Marion, Zoning Board member.

That yes vote comes as a relief for Jones.

"Especially in this day and age, that's a huge concern, the safety of our children, and that is one of the utmost items that we want to know, that they can learn in an environment that is safe."

Church officials say as the fence grows, so does the safety of the children playing within it.