The city owns the lots but wasn't very helpful in solving the problem, Erceg said. So, in 1991, he and some neighbors built an unimposing white wooden fence along Fuller Avenue that would discourage dumpers yet also fit in with the general character of the street.

Now, 10 years later, the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association has found other spots in their neighborhood that could benefit from Erceg's initial idea.

The association plans to erect a series of "signature fences" at two empty strips along Bird and Atlanta avenues, and also fix a dilapidated portion of the original Fuller Avenue fence.

Marc Bauman, the association's community liaison, said the new fences would be similar to the white fence at the recently opened Hummingbird Park at Bird and Fisk avenues. The fences will be two wood planks—one wider than the other—that connect a series of four-inch by four-inch wood posts, some with ball finials.

"We wanted to change the way people thought about our street," said Erceg, who is also the association's city liaison. "We didn't want people to say, 'You live on that street with all the trash.' "

Erceg said the association wanted something that fit in with the neighborhood yet would also discourage dumpers.

"This design was the most bang for our buck: it was affordable and attractive and the fence would give the impression that the land is being cared for," he said. "We think the fences will create a common thread and a sense of continuity in the neighborhood."

The association began discussing the fences last year but wanted to wait until after its neighborhood wide garage sale and Fourth of July block party on Delmas Avenue.

A portion of a Community Action and Pride grant from the San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department will help fund the fences, Erceg said.

Bauman said that the association has permission from the city to build fences on city-owned lots and is working on permission from property owners at Bird and Atlanta avenues. He and some other neighbors plan to spend the first two weekends in September building the fences.

"The fences are low profile and don't make a loud statement about the neighborhood," Bauman said.

Not all the residents are in agreement about the idea. One resident thinks it makes the wrong statement.

Trisha MacIntosh lived for two years at the corner of Bird and Atlanta avenues—next to an empty strip on Bird Avenue where a fence may be built.

She fears that a series of fences in the neighborhood will only contribute to a sense of separation from the rest of Willow Glen.

"It's like we're becoming too compartmentalized," MacIntosh said.

MacIntosh may be in the minority.

One of the fences would run the length of an empty lot alongside Russell Richmond's home on Bird Avenue. The 80-year-old longtime resident, whose home is at the corner of Bird and Atlanta avenues, said he isn't too concerned about what message a small fence would say about the neighborhood.

"As long as they keep it up, I'm fine with it," Richmond said.

Bauman doesn't think that will be difficult. One of the main reasons the association agreed on the design and materials was because it was simple and inexpensive.

"Frankly, I think it's more attractive than a metal fence," Bauman said.