Are barbed wire or electric fences legal in Birmingham, MI?
No. Birmingham's fence standard states that fences shall contain no barbed wire and no electrical current or charge of electricity (§ 4.10). The prohibition applies in all districts, residential and commercial alike.
The same section adds two general requirements:
- All fences must be maintained in good condition.
- Playground fences may be up to 7 feet tall but can be no more than 25% sight obscuring.
For ordinary residential fences, the height limits are 6 feet in required side and rear open space and 3 feet in the front open space, with limited exceptions (§ 4.11). An invisible pet containment system is a different product from an electrified fence; if you are considering one, ask the city how it treats them before installing. The Planning Division is at 248-530-1850.
Sources
Full text: Birmingham ordinance on enCodePlus. Applies to district: *.
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