Everything You Need to Know About Getting Your New Fence Approved
More than half of homes in the United States have fences, and needless to say, fences are one of the most popular property additions available. This is because there are many benefits of having a fence. For example, you can benefit from increased privacy, stray animals won’t wander into your yard, and your pets or young children won’t be able to leave your yard.
However, there are a few things you will need to consider if you want to get your new fence approved. You will need to consider permit fees, plan review, side and rear aspects of the fence, and many other factors when adding a fence to your residential property, especially if it is in a historic district. So, if you want to get your fence project approved, where should you start? What kind of documents do you need? Keep reading and learn more about what you need to know when you build a fence.
Why Do You Need Your Residential Fence Approved by the City?
A fence will need to be approved by the city for multiple reasons. When you build a fence in your front yard or back yard, whether the fence is chain linked or barbed wire or of any other type, it will need to comply with what the city finds acceptable. Some locations do not require you to get a permit for a fence as long as the fence is in alignment with the requirements of the zoning district.
However, certain areas are very particular about fences which is why the fences need to come in applicable forms and why people often need to apply for a fence permit. This is especially true if you want to build a fence in an unusual location such as if your property happens to be in a historic district.
The Details
In that case, your fence will need to comply with the rules and regulations that govern that historic district. That way, the historical facade of the area will not be ruined. Other than historical areas, you will still need to make sure that your fence coincides with the laws that the city set up regarding fences. Otherwise, you could get in legal trouble and you will most likely have to take your fence down or change it so that it coincides with the rules and regulations of the city. As long as you follow along with the laws that the city has in place, you shouldn’t have any trouble putting up a fence. But of course, you will need to get a permit application and fill it out, but how should you go about doing this?
What Documents You’ll Need To Get Your Residential Fence Approved
Depending on your zoning and code regulations, you may need to submit a variety of different documents to get your residential fence approved. You’ll also need to submit quite a lot of information concerning the fence you want to install. For example, as the property owner of private property, you will need to submit information about the location and height of the fence.
This is important because the location of the fence could cause problems if you’re not careful. For example, a split fence is a fence that is on the border of another person’s property and this can cause some conflict between you and your neighbor if the fence is along the side and rear portions of your neighbor’s land. There are also regulations concerning the height of certain fences and there is usually a height limit that you must obey. You may need to also submit documents such as sketches concerning the appearance of the fence, fence fees, and so on. If you live in an HOA, you may also need to obtain an HOA approval letter. As the name suggests, this letter shows the approval of the HOA for the fence you intend to build.
What You Need to Know
Keep in mind, however, that some HOAs will not approve all types of fences if they do not follow along with the HOA’s rules and regulations along with the city’s regulations. In some cases, you might even need a professional drawing from a fence engineer to show what the fence is going to look like once it’s constructed. While this sounds like a lot of documents to get together, they are all important since they provide vital information concerning the fence and how that fence is going to comply with the laws of the city. This is true whether you have a commercial property or live in a residential zone.
If you know the property line, site plan, and other information about the fence, learning how to get your residential fence approved by the city shouldn’t be too hard. Just keep in mind that fence rules and regulations are rarely the same from location to location, so make sure that you are familiar with all the fence rules for your area. That way, you won’t have to deal with any complicated fence problems or legal issues later on.
What Permits You’ll Need To Get Your Residential Fence Approved
Usually, you only need one or two permits to get your residential fence approved. However, this is not always the case. If your property is in an unusual position such as near a wetland or a historic district, you might require more than one permit to build a fence without getting in trouble. The number of permits you need may also vary depending on whether you live in an HOA, if the fence will be a bother to your neighbor’s property, and so on.
In some cases, if the fence is going to be on the border of your neighbor’s property, you may need to get a permit from your neighbor. This permit would state that your neighbor is giving you permission to build your fence along the property line or at least near it. If you don’t have any neighbors near you, you won’t have to worry about obtaining this extra permit. If your fence is going to be unusually high, you will also need to obtain an extra permit for that. This is because many areas won’t allow a fence to be above a certain height. You will also need a building permit as well as whatever other permits might be necessary for your local area.
As long as you get all the right permits, you shouldn’t have any trouble putting up your fence.
What Kinds of Fences Are Commonly Approved?
Wood fences are almost always approved in most places. This is because a wood fence is a very traditional type of fence and it is also pleasant to look at. Its appearance often benefits the neighborhood and it also lasts a long time without falling apart. This is not to mention that wood fences are very sturdy and can do a great job of keeping things out of your yard. Because a wood fence is such a traditional option, you likely won’t have any trouble getting this kind of fence approved. That is, of course, if the fence isn’t too tall or isn’t intruding on your neighbor’s property. Another popular type of fence that is often approved is a vinyl fence.
Vinyl fences are relatively new and have become much more popular in recent years. Vinyl fences can come in a variety of colors and they are known to be very durable, arguably more durable than wood fences.
What to Know
They can easily last 10 to 20 years without falling apart or looking worn down and the only upkeep you need to do is hose them down occasionally. Because vinyl fences look nice and are quite unintrusive, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting them approved either.
Another type of fence that is usually approved is a chain link fence. While this type of fence is not as popular as the other two options, it is still quite a common type of fence that you will often see when out and about. The main downside of this type of fence is that it does not offer much privacy since, of course, you can see right through it.
Even so, it should be relatively easy to get approved for this kind of fence if it is the right height and not intruding on another person’s property. If you live in an HOA, you may want to check if they will accept a chain link fence since some may not like the appearance of them in the association.
What Are the Common Restrictions for Getting Your Fence Approved?
One of the most common restrictions has to do with the height of the fence. As mentioned before, most locations have some sort of height limit in place so a fence can only be so high. This is because very high fences can obstruct the views of your neighbors and can be annoying for other people to deal with. Some high fences may need permits before they can be built. However, if you want to build an unusually high fence, you might not be able to do that at all as no one will approve a permit for such a fence. If your fence is 6 feet or shorter, you may not need a height permit at all.
If your fence is more than 6 feet, you will need to get approved for a permit but this may not always happen, depending on what height is considered acceptable for a fence in your area. The height restrictions may also be different depending on whether you plan on building your fence right next to a road. Besides the height of your fence, another restriction you may have to deal with involves your neighbor’s property. If your fence would border your neighbor’s property very closely, you might not be able to get a permit to build a fence there. Does that mean that you won’t be able to build a fence at all? Not necessarily. You would just have to construct the fence farther away from your neighbor’s property, if possible, so that it isn’t a bother.
Is It Expensive To Get Your Residential Fence Approved?
The price of getting your residential fence approved will depend on a variety of factors. For example, it may depend on how many different permits you need to get. Each permit usually costs a bit of money to submit and get approved. Besides the price of the permits, you also must think about other prices such as the price of the fence itself as well as the professionals you need to install it. While some people try to install their fences on their own, this often isn’t a good idea, especially if you’ve never done it before. Professionals, on the other hand, have plenty of experience and all the right tools to install a fence properly. So, even though they will add to the total price of getting a fence, they will be worth it as they will save you plenty of time and energy when it’s time for your fence to go up.
Plan Review for Your Residential Fence
Before you jump into the task of getting a new fence, go over your plan review to consider what you need to do. First, you need to see what kind of permits you need for your fence such as height permits, permits from your neighbor, and so on. You also need to make sure your fence coincides with your city’s laws. Once you do that, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting your fence. Contact us here at Chesapeake Fence to get professionals started on your fence.
