This article covers how to get a permit for building a fence in Obetz, Ohio. Please note that we try to keep this information up to date but we do not represent Village of Obtez.
For fences you only need to obtain a permit from the Village of Obetz. No additional certificate or permit is required from Franklin County.
How to get a fence permit in Obetz, Ohio?
Complete an Application for a Residential Fence
Complete the Application, which you can find here. Attach a copy of a site plan drawn to scale to your application.
Fees for Fence Permit:
$0.
Where to file the application:
You can submit this form online using the form for a Residential Fence Permit.
The administrative office is located at:
Village of Obetz
4175 Alum Creek Drive
Obetz, Ohio 43207
(614) 491-1080
Where to ask a question?
You can contact Village of Obetz staff at (614) 491-1080.
Summary of Obetz Residential Fencing Regulations
The following types of fences are not permitted:
- Barbed wire or similar sharp point fences
- Electrically charged fences
- Fences or walls in the sight visibility triangle
- Guard rails used as fencing
- Mesh wire fences
Location of fencing:
- Fences must be set back a minimum of 6” from the property lines
- Board on board or stockade fences cannot abut on an improved right of way
- Fences must be set back at least ten (10) feet from the front of the house.
Height of fencing:
- Maximum height of fencing in the rear and side yard is six (6) feet
- If the property line abuts a commercial or industrial zoning district, fencing can be eight (8) feet in height.
- Chain link fencing cannot exceed four (4) feet in height.
All fences and walls must present the finished non-structural face outward.
There can only be one type of fence on a property.
Front Yard Fences:
All front yard fences require a Conditional Use Permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. Chain link fencing is prohibited in the front yard. The only type of fencing permitted in the front yard is decorative fencing not exceeding three (3) feet in height. An example of this would be a short length of white picket fencing incorporated into a landscape treatment along a walkway to a porch.
Mulberry Grove Fence Standards
These rules apply to the Mulberry Grove community:
- Fences or walls must be constructed of wood, stone or brick only.
- Chain link fencing is prohibited.
- Maximum height of fencing is six (6) feet.
- Fencing or walls shall not be located closer to the street than a line parallel to the street and extending from the rear corner of the house, except ornamental railing adjacent to entrance platforms or steps.
Bixby Grove Fence Standards
These rules apply to the Bixby Grove community. Fence installation will require HOA approval.
Standards for Sections 1 and 2
- No fence, wall, hedge or screening panel shall be constructed, erected, or planted in front of the rear line of the house.
- Fences shall not exceed 6 feet in height except fences on lots surrounding the ponds shall not be greater than 4 feet in height.
- Except for invisible fences, no fence of any type shall be erected on a lot whose rear yard faces an improved right of way.
- Fences shall be a minimum of 3 feet from the side and rear property line.
- Stockade and chain link fences are prohibited.
Standards for Section 3
- Invisible fences are permitted on any lot.
- Other fences no higher than 4 feet are permitted in the rear yard, behind the rear line of the house except on lots 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 and all other lots whose side or rear yard is visible from an improved public right-of-way.
- All fences shall be white vinyl or aluminum split rail or ornamental iron.
- Fences shall be a minimum of 3 feet from the side and rear property lines.
- Walls, hedges, or screening panels must meet the same setback and height requirements as fences.
Butler Farms Fence Standards
These rules apply to the Butler Farms community. HOA approval is required for fence installation.
- No fencing shall exceed 42″ in height on lot lines. Fencing is limited to a split rail yard fence with an optional black wire mesh or smooth rail style.
- No stockade or other solid fences shall be permitted on lot lines, or within 10 feet of lot. The sole intent or purpose for this type of fencing shall be for screening around pools, patios, or other similar uses. Such screening type fences shall not exceed 72” in height.
- No chain link, or metal fences shall be permitted upon any of the lots. The only exception to this is that wire mesh is permitted when installed on the inside of a split rail fence. The mesh shall be black in color either by applied vinyl or painted. Light colors or aluminum finishes are not acceptable for this wire mesh.
- Refer to Exhibit A from the Butler Farms Deed Restrictions for additional information regarding the approved fence type.
Obetz Ohio Fence Regulations
The following are the sections of the Village of Obetz Zoning Ordianances relevant to fence installation.
1173.01 PURPOSE AND SCOPE.
The purpose of this section is to establish regulations controlling the location, installation and standards for fences in order that a property owner may construct a fence which retains the privilege of privacy, allows attractive landscape design, or offers reasonable security while assuring that such fences are located and constructed to respect the rights and enjoyment of neighboring property owner, the appearance of the community, and the overall health, safety, and public welfare of its residents.
This section sets forth regulations pertaining to the location, installation and standards for new fences in all zoning districts in the Municipality. Any fence erected prior to the date of this section, which does not comply with these regulations, shall be nonconforming. However, the Zoning Inspector may order appropriate remedial measures to alleviate any hazardous conditions related to any fence, whether newly constructed following adoption of this section, or constructed prior to the adoption of this section, whether conforming or nonconforming, when the Zoning Inspector determines that such condition, without immediate remedial measures jeopardizes the health and safety of nearby residents or occupants. (Ord. 33-03. Passed 5-5-03.)
1173.02 DEFINITIONS.
(1) “Fence” means an artificially constructed barrier of wood, masonry, stone, wire, metal, vinyl, or other manufactured material or combination of materials erected to enclose, screen, or separate areas. For purposes of this Zoning Code, a fence shall not be considered an accessory structure.
(2) “Fence, barbed wire” means one or more strands of wire or other material having
intermittent sharp points of wire or metal that may puncture, cut, tear, or snag persons, clothing, or animals. The term “barbed wire” as used herein excludes razor ribbon.
(3) “Fence, chain link” means an open mesh fence made entirely of wire woven in squares of approximately 1.5 inches in diameter with vertical supports spaced not less than six feet, and not more than eight feet, apart.
(4) “Fence, decorative” means a designed open or solid fence or wall that meets all of the following: (a) It contributes to the identification and beauty of the principal use; (b) It is not erected to satisfy any other provision of this code; (c) It does not act as a retaining structure; (d) It is not a privacy or stockade fence.
(5) “Fence, privacy” means a fence no more than six feet in height intended to inhibit public view and provide seclusion, and when viewed at right angles has less than sixty-six percent (66%) of its area open to light and air.
Examples of privacy fences include but are not limited to:
A. Basketweave or woven fences. Made of interwoven strips of slats of flexible material in which the pattern has the appearance of a “basketweave”.
B. Louver or ventilating fences. Made of a series of slats pl aced at an angle or positioned so as to provide air but to deflect light perpendicular to its plane.
C. Board on board fence, also known as a stockade fence. A fence made of vertical wood planks supported by horizontal framing with the vertical planks usually mounted on alternating sides of the framing. The planks may or may not be placed with a space between.
D. Masonry walls.
(6) “Fence, temporary” means fences erected for a specific function and limited time duration. For the purposes of these regulations, temporary fences are limited to “snow fences” in place no longer than from November 1 – April 15, and “construction fences” which enclose a construction site for the duration of the construction period.
(7) “Fence height” means the height above the horizontal property grade
that represents not less than sixty percent (60%) of the property plane.
(Ord. 37-13. Passed 8-12-13.)
1173.03 STANDARDS.
(a) General Standards for All Zoning Districts.
(1) No barbed wire fence or similar sharp point fence shall be constructed, erected or maintained in any district except for agricultural uses.
(2) Electrically charged fences shall be forbidden in all districts except on sites of more than ten (10) acres used to confined livestock.
(3) All fences shall be maintained in good condition, be structurally sound and attractively finished at all times. Any ground between the fence and property line shall be well maintained.
(4) Board on board or stockade fences are prohibited on parcels that abut on an improved right-of-way.
(5) All fences and walls must present the finished non-structural face outward.
(6) No fence or wall may be placed within the sight visibility triangle
defined in Section 1165.03(g). No fence or wall shall be permitted to encroach upon public rights-of-way or easements.
(7) No mesh wire fence shall be construed in any district.
(8) No fence shall be construed on any property line; nor shall any fence be constructed on or within any easement.
(9) No fence shall be constructed beyond the front building line unless said fence is a decorative fence as defined in 1173.02. Refer to 1173.03(b) for decorative fence standards for residential districts. Refer to 1173.03(c) for decorative fence standards for commercial, office, and industrial districts.
(10) All fences on a parcel shall have a unified style.
(11) Guardrails shall not be used as fencing.
(b) Standards for Residential Districts.
(1) Front yards. All front yard fences will require a Conditional Use permit according to the requirements of Chapter In front yards only the following fences shall be permitted unless otherwise prohibited by deed restrictions:
A. Decorative fences to a maximum height of three (3) feet provided
that said fence complies with Section 1173.03(a).
B. Open fences designed to only partially enclose an area. An example of this would be a short length of white picket fencing incorporated into a landscape treatment along a walkway to a porch.
(2) Side and rear yards. The following shall be permitted unless
prohibited by deed restrictions:
A. Chain link fences to a maximum height of four (4) feet.
B. Fences to a maximum height of six (6) feet, including privacy fences unless the property line abuts property in a commercial or industrial district. When the property line abuts property in a commercial or industrial district, a fence with a maximum height of eight (8) feet may be constructed.
(3) Other. The following shall be permitted:
A. Chain link fences shall be permitted in residential districts for sport applications. Chain link fences for full size tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, softball diamonds and other similar applications are limited to ten feet in height.
(c) Standards for Commercial, Office, and Industrial Districts.
(1) All fences erected in a commercial, office, or industrial district require a Conditional Use Permit consistent with the requirements of Chapter 1181.
(2) Chain link fences shall be permitted in order to secure the premises and for sport applications.
(3) Chain link fences are limited to the buildable area of the lot.
(4) Chain link fences are limited to a maximum height of five feet above grade except as specifically stated otherwise. Chain link fences for full size tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, softball diamonds and other similar applications are limited to ten feet in height.
(5) In industrial districts only, chain link fences are permitted forward of the principal structure but shall not encroach into the minimum required front building setback.
(6) The use of wood, metal, plastic or fiberglass strips woven into chain link fence is prohibited.
(7) Chain link fences viewable from public rights-of-way shall be screened with evergreen trees and shrubs. (Ord. 33-03. Passed 5-5-03.)
1173.04 ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Permit Required. No fence shall be constructed, altered or reconstructed without a permit from the Zoning Inspector and after such application has been approved.
(b) Inspections. It shall be the duty of each property owner to determine property lines and to ascertain that the fence thus constructed does not deviate from the plans approved by the Municipality, and such fence does not encroach upon another lot or parcel of land nor is it in violation of any deed restrictions. The Municipality shall furnish such inspection as is deemed necessary to determine that the fence is constructed in accordance with plans submitted for permit, provided, however, that the issuance of the permit by the Municipality shall not be construed to mean that the Municipality has
determined that the fence is not encroaching upon another lot, nor shall it relieve the property owner of the duty imposed upon him therein.
(Ord. 33-03. Passed 5-5-03.)
