FENCES are herein defined as an above-grade artificially constructed barrier of any material or combination of materials erected to enclose or screen areas of land and may be erected, placed or maintained along or adjacent to a lot line, in accordance with the requirements as identified below.
(A) Permits.
(1) Fences do not require zoning permits unless located within a utility easement. Fences placed within utility easements are subject to removal if required for the installation or maintenance of a utility.
(2) Where permitted, fences in excess of six feet in height as measured from finished grade may require a building permit.
(B) Maintenance and materials.
(1) Fences shall be of durable, weather-treated materials and must be maintained in a respectable condition.
(2) Barbed wire or electric fences shall not be permitted, used or constructed, except in industrial districts, as hereinafter provided, or areas where the keeping of livestock is permitted.
(C) Setbacks.
(1) Fences may be constructed up to the lot line; provided that, no portion of the fence protrudes over the lot line.
(2) It is the responsibility of the property owner to locate lot lines before construction of any fence and ensure that the fence is constructed in the proper location.
(D) Height requirements.
(1) Residential districts.
(a) Front yard. No fence shall exceed three feet in height above finished grade; except that, open fencing less than 50% opaque may be increased to four feet.
(b) Rear yard and side yards not including any portion of the front yard. No fence shall exceed seven feet in height.
(2) Commercial districts.
(a) No fence shall exceed seven feet in height above finished grade.
(b) Fences erected along a property line in common with a residential district shall be subject to the provisions herein described for residential districts.
(3) Industrial districts.
(a) No fence shall exceed eight feet in height above finished grade.
(b) Fences may utilize barbed wire as a security measure, provided the barbed wire commences at a point at least seven feet above finished grade and does not project over lot lines.
(c) Fences erected along a property line in common with a residential district shall be subject to the provisions herein described for residential districts.
(E) Maintaining traffic visibility at corner lots. Except in the Central Business District, no fence shall be permitted within any yard area on a corner lot which will impede vision above a height of two and one-half feet as measured above the centerline grades of the intersecting streets within 20 feet of the street intersecting right-of-way lines.
(Ord. 827, passed 4-19-1983; Ord. 1483, passed 4-2-2012) Penalty, see § 157.999