Can I put a fence in my front yard in Ferndale?
In most districts, only a small decorative fence. The fence table in Section 3.08.D marks front-yard fences "Not Permitted" in the residential, mixed-use, and CBD districts. The exception is decorative fencing up to 36 inches, which is allowed in any yard without a permit. In the industrial districts, a front-yard fence may reach 6 feet, and where a front-yard fence is allowed, its opacity is capped at 50 percent.
For a house in R-1 or R-2, that means:
- Decorative fencing up to 36 inches is the only front-yard option.
- A taller or solid front fence is not permitted; changing that would take a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals, not just a permit.
Wherever the fence goes, it must sit at least 1 foot from a public sidewalk or right-of-way (Section 3.08.B), and it must respect the clear-vision triangles at corners and driveways (Section 3.06).
Sources
Full text: Ferndale ordinance on city-hosted PDF (Municipal Code Online mirror). Applies to district: *.
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