Workable links for the OP's photos:

House closing pic:
http://img843.imageshack.us/i/0509houseinspection29.jpg/

Here are photos taken this spring:
http://img810.imageshack.us/i/726views070.jpg/

Front yard from driveway, facing east
http://img228.imageshack.us/i/726views071.jpg/

Panoramic photos from:
Front door facing south, panning east to west
http://img695.imageshack.us/i/726southporchpano.jpg/

Corner of front yard facing northwest
http://img691.imageshack.us/i/726southeastlotcornerpa.jpg/

Southeast house corner
http://img256.imageshack.us/i/726southeasthousecorner.jpg/

Here is a plat of survey with dimensions:
http://img202.imageshack.us/i/726yardlargewebview.jpg/

missing the obvious

whoops,

thanks, Ted

1. Replace the foundation planting with pretty much the exact same thing. The shrubs on the right looking in great shape. Those on the left might have justified replacement, but the design and scale were fine. Unless you are a dedicated gardener, taking them out was a mistake.

2. Forget fencing in front of the house. Fencing can extend from the front right corner of the house to the street and along the lot line to the back, and it can extend from the left corner of the house parallel with the house facade. Anything more is too much and unfriendly.

Honestly, I'd take both the fences just from the corner of the houses parallel with the front straight across and only fence the sides behind the facade of the house for the minimum of weirdness.

Then, because you're only allowed 50% opacity, I'd definitely plant an evergreen screen, and I'd even take it all the way around the curve of the point on the right--just one big line of arborvitae, skyrocket juniper, or similar.

But you indicated that's the side you want more openness on, so I'd keep it opaque for the length of the fence and the alternate it with mid-height juniper (4' or so). That way, there'd be enough height so the pergola wouldn't look weird.

Personally, with the architecture of the house and the neighborhood, I'd keep the whole front totally open, but you could, possibly do a low hedge across the front. I don't like the idea, though. (I've recommended it on older, more formal houses because I've seen it look amazing, but not on that architecture.) Any sitting areas, etc., should be kept away from the front of the house, too.

lb st,

You would have to obtain a permit and keep the sight distance of the two streets in tact but I would build a nice stucco wall 6 feet high with a 2" thick tile cap. A black wrought-iron gate(could be automatic with garage opener) for the driveway. This would lessen the street noise and be a backdrop for some very nice landscaping inside the yard. The sight distance area could be done very nicely with low plantings. Use pilasters or wall gaps with wood trim to break up the long length of the wall and let pedestrians get a glimpse of the nice landscaping inside or poking out(mystery). A paver tile driveway would add interest as well improve the appearance and decrease maintenance problems. JMHO Aloha

I am not a pro, and I know very little about dogs. I'm assuming you need a lot of fenced space for the dogs.

How would it be to begin the fence at the pillar on the front porch? Run it straight out to the street (parallel to the driveway) and then around the corner. That would give you quite a bit of fenced yard, yet leave the area by the house open so the house wouldn't look quite so unwelcoming to passers-by.

If the change from fence-and-hedge on the right to unfenced-lawn by the driveway is too stark, you could extend the picket fence (but not the hedge) to the driveway (or perhaps almost to the driveway). Make that fence lower than the fence on the right. The two parts of the yard would be unified by the fence.

Another consideration in not fencing along the driveway is space needed for people getting out of cars, car doors open wide, and piles of winter snow. You could give the west side of the driveway the same treatment as the east side (fence along the sidewalk, but probably with a hedge for privacy, and no fence along the driveway). However, the lack of a continuous fence there would make it a no-dog area, which might not fit in with your plans.

I think a really tall hedge would look too unfriendly. But I like reyesuela's idea of having occasional taller shrubs in the hedge; perhaps even a very small tree or two. Makes it seem less like a Wall and more like landscape maybe.

Re. the west patio, do you know if your dogs would be likely to view a patch of gravel as an invitation to dig? You can bypass that possibility as well as the instability of loose rock by building a deck a single step above the ground.