Fences or Walls

For safety and consistency, the City regulates the height and location of fences on all properties.

A permit is required to install a fence or wall located at any of the following types of properties, which must be obtained prior to the start of construction:

• Multi-family residential (e.g. townhomes, rowhomes, apartments, condos and any property with a Homeowners Association)
• Commercial properties
• Industrial properties
• Any property with a fence/wall proposed over 6 feet in height or with a retaining wall

For single-family homes, all wood fences 6 feet or less in height do not require a permit to install. Any non-wood fence or retaining wall requires a permit.

Permit Required

A planning permit is required to install a fence or wall at any:

• Multi-family residential property (e.g. townhomes, rowhomes, apartments, condos, and any property with an Homeowners Association)
• Commercial property
• Industrial property
• Any property with a fence/wall proposed over 6 feet in height. 

A building permit is required when any of the following is proposed:

• A nonwood fence (e.g. metal, stucco, masonry) 
• Any wood fence over 6 feet in height
• Any retaining wall

Many fences and walls require both planning and building permits.

Cost

Permit fee(s) (including inspections):

• Single-Family Residential Fence or Wall
  • 6 feet or less in height (wood fence): No permits required.
  • 6 feet or less in height (nonwood fence/wall): a building permit fee of $100 to $450, based on a construction valuation (cost of labor and materials) range of $2,000 to $14,000.
  • Up to 7 feet in height (wood or nonwood fence/wall): $750 to $1,100
    • a planning permit fee of $631, and
    • a building permit fee ranging from $100 to $450, based on a construction valuation (cost of labor and materials) range of $2,000 or $14,000.
• Multifamily Residential Wood Fence: $750 to $1,100
  • a planning permit fee of $631, and
  • a building permit fee ranging from $100 to $450, based on a construction valuation (cost of labor and materials) range of $2,000 or $14,000. 
• Multifamily Residential and Nonresidential Wall or Nonwood Fence: $5,100 to $5,900
  • a planning permit fee of $1,391 to $2,179, and 
  • a building permit fee of $3,700, based on a construction valuation (cost of labor and materials) of $150,000.

Timeline

Typical Time to Receive Permit: 

• 7 days for a wood fence 
• 14 days for a nonwood fence or wall

Process

Planning Permit

1. If a planning permit is required, you must submit online first for permit approval, prior to submitting for a building permit.
2. After your submission, City staff will contact you with instructions for online fee payment.
3. City staff will review your Planning application within 2 business days and verify your application is complete and your fence or wall is compliant with City zoning standards. If any information is incomplete or incorrect, City staff will ask you to resubmit. 
4. You will need to reply to the city's comments with revised or missing information as part of your resubmittal online.
5. City staff will review your resubmittal in 2 business days to confirm all comments have been addressed.
6. Once you have a complete and compliant permit, the City will issue an approval letter and stamp the fence design plans as approved by the Planning Division. 

Building Permit

1. After receiving Planning permit approval (if required), you will need to submit for a building permit online.
2. After your submission (during prescreen), City staff will contact you with the fee amount owed, based on your project scope, and instructions for online fee payment. 
3. City staff will review your permit in 5 business days and verify your application is complete and code compliant. If any information is incomplete or incorrect, City staff will provide you comments and ask you to resubmit.
4. You will need to reply to the City's comments with revised information or missing materials as part of your resubmittal online.
5. City staff will review your resubmittal in 2 business days to confirm you have addressed all of the City comments. 
6. Once you have a complete and compliant permit, the City will issue you a building permit. This allows you to start construction of your project.
7. Your contractor can schedule a City Building Inspection online. 
8. The permit is finaled after the City Building Inspector conducts a site visit and verifies it was constructed in accordance with the approved plans. 

Zoning Standards

Single-Family Homes On An Interior Lot

• Front Yard: 3 foot maximum height, within the first 20 feet of a property measured from the front property line
• Side and Rear Yard: 6 foot maximum height. Up to 7 foot maximum with a Planning permit and written consent from adjacent neighbors.
• Entry Feature: Up to 8 ft. height, depth and 5 ft. width for entry features over front yard gates within the required front yard

Single-Family Home On a Corner Lot

• Front Yard: 3 foot maximum height, within the first 20 feet of a property measured from the front property line;
• Property Corner: 3 foot maximum height within the 35 foot traffic visibility triangle at a street intersection. This height limitation preserves pedestrian, bicyclist and vehicle safety by allowing for greater visibility.
• Street Side Yard: 6 foot maximum height along the side yard adjacent to a street, but must be located 5 feet from the side property line and, in no case, shall be located at the edge of sidewalk. Up to 7 foot maximum with a Planning permit and written consent from adjacent neighbors. Note: A side property line is often located 3 to 5 feet from the back edge of the public sidewalk.
• Interior Side and Rear Yard: 6 foot maximum height on the interior side and rear yard areas. Up to 7 foot maximum with a Planning permit and written consent from adjacent neighbors.

For a single-family home located on a corner lot where the rear yard meets the side yard of an adjacent property behind, the following additional fence setback applies:

• Rear Yard Meets Neighbors Side Yard: No fence may exceed 3 feet in height within the first 10 feet of a property, where the driveway is located adjacent to the rear yard of a neighboring property.

All Other Properties

Multifamily residential properties, with or without a homeowners association (HOA), such as apartments, small-lot single-family, rowhomes, townhomes, and condominiums, can have fence standards specific to their community. The standards typically are identified in approved development plans or in governing documents, such as a Covenant, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s) or Master Plan.

Multifamily residential, commercial and industrial properties have a general height standard of 7 feet, but can be considered at heights greater than 7 feet on a case-by-case basis.  

Requirements

1. A Planning Permit Acknowledgement Form, if a Planning permit is required.

2. A site plan with the following information:

• Scale 
• Label Street
• Property address
• North arrow
• Lot boundaries and dimensions
• Location of proposed new fence or wall with clear label of fence/wall height
• Footprint of adjacent building
• Existing tree locations along fence location

3. Include elevation details that show the design, materials, and height of the proposed fence. For Single-Family Residential Fence: Photo examples with height dimensioned are adequate.

4. For Single-Family Residential Fence Up to 7 feet in height: Include letters from adjacent neighbors agreeing to the fence height over 6 feet in height.

5. Footing details.