How tall can a backyard fence be in Birmingham, MI?
A fence in the required side or rear open space in Birmingham can be up to 6 feet tall (§ 4.11). This is the standard limit for backyard privacy fences in the R1 through R8 districts and TZ1.
The front of the lot is treated differently. In the front open space the limit drops to 3 feet, with two exceptions described in § 4.11: the area behind the front of the principal building, and the strip immediately adjacent to the rear lot line of a corner lot, where 6 feet is allowed.
A few rules apply everywhere (§ 4.10):
- No barbed wire and no electrical current or charge.
- Fences must be maintained.
- Playground fences may reach 7 feet but can be at most 25% sight obscuring.
Fence approvals are handled administratively by the City Planner (§ 7.14). Call the Planning Division at 248-530-1850 with siting questions.
Sources
Full text: Birmingham ordinance on enCodePlus. Applies to districts: R1A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8.
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