What are the fence rules for a corner lot in Birmingham, MI?
Corner lots in Birmingham follow the standard fence heights, plus a visibility rule at the intersection. Fences may be 6 feet in required side and rear open space and 3 feet in the front open space (§ 4.11). A corner lot gets one useful exception: a 6-foot fence is allowed immediately adjacent to the rear lot line of a corner lot, even where that line faces a street.
The corner clearance rule is qualitative: nothing may be maintained at a height that obscures drivers' vision approaching the intersection (§ 4.89). Birmingham's ordinance does not set a numeric sight triangle with fixed distances, so the city evaluates visibility case by case rather than by a measured triangle.
Because a corner lot has two frontages, which yard counts as front open space is not always intuitive. Confirm the layout with the Planning Division at 248-530-1850 before building.
Sources
Full text: Birmingham ordinance on enCodePlus. Applies to districts: R1A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8.
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