This article covers how to get a permit for building a fence in Sunbury, Ohio. Before contacting a fence company near Sunbury, Ohio please check out the guide below.
Please note that we will try to keep this information up to date but we do not represent the City of Sunbury.
Do you need a permit for a new fence in Sunbury?
Yes, a permit is required before constructing any fence in Sunbury, Ohio, regardless of the type of fence or its location. The permit application must include detailed plans of the proposed fence and the property, along with information about the materials, height, and location of the fence. The Sunbury Zoning Inspector reviews each application to ensure it complies with the regulations outlined in the zoning ordinance. Getting a permit isn’t just a formality; it’s a legal requirement.
Do you need a permit to repair a fence in Sunbury?
The Sunbury ordinance does not specify whether a permit is needed for simple repairs. However, fences must be maintained in good repair.
If the repair involves replacing a substantial portion of the fence or altering its height, design, or materials, it’s highly recommended to contact the City of Sunbury Zoning Department for clarification. It’s possible such extensive repairs would be considered akin to building a new fence or altering an existing one and thus trigger permit requirements.
It’s best to contact the Sunbury Planning & Zoning Department directly to confirm whether your specific fence repair project requires a permit. You can reach them at (740) 965-2684.
Where do you get a fence permit in Sunbury?
To obtain a fence permit in Sunbury, Ohio, you need to apply through the City’s Zoning Department. Here’s how you can proceed:
1. Contact the Sunbury Zoning Department
Begin by reaching out to the Sunbury Zoning Department to obtain the necessary application forms and guidance.
Contact Information:
- Address: City of Sunbury
Zoning Department
9 East Granville Street
Sunbury, OH 43074 - Phone: (740) 965-2684
- Email: Please visit the official website or contact the department for the most current email address.
- Website: City of Sunbury Official Website
2. Obtain the Fence Permit Application
- In Person: You can pick up the application form directly from the Zoning Department office during business hours.
- Online: Check the City’s official website under the Zoning or Building Department sections for downloadable forms or additional information.
3. Prepare Required Documentation
When applying for a fence permit, you’ll need to provide detailed information about your proposed fence:
- Site Plan: Submit plans or drawings showing:
- The accurate shape and dimensions of your property.
- Exact height, location, length, type of material, color, and type of construction of the proposed fence.
- Location of all existing buildings on the lot.
- Any other information deemed necessary by the Sunbury Zoning Inspector.
- Property Lines: It’s your responsibility to determine property lines and certify that the proposed fence does not encroach upon neighboring properties.
4. Submit Your Application and Pay the Fee
- Application Submission: Turn in your completed application along with all required documents to the Zoning Department.
- Application Fee: The fee for a fence permit in Sunbury is $25. Please verify the current fee with the Zoning Department, as fees are subject to change.
5. Application Review Process
- Zoning Inspector Review: The Sunbury Zoning Inspector will review your application to ensure compliance with the City’s fence regulations as specified in the Zoning Ordinance.
- Approval: If your application meets all requirements, the Zoning Inspector will approve it, and you will be issued a fence permit.
6. Permit Issuance and Construction
- Permit Display: Keep the permit on-site during construction as proof of approval.
- Inspections: The Zoning Inspector may inspect the fence after construction to ensure it complies with the approved plans and regulations.
Additional Assistance
For any questions or if you need assistance filling out the application, you can contact the Zoning Department:
Sunbury Zoning Department
- Phone: (740) 965-2684
- Address: City of Sunbury
Zoning Department
9 East Granville Street
Sunbury, OH 43074 - Website: City of Sunbury Official Website
By following these steps and working with the Sunbury Zoning Department, you can obtain the necessary permit to install or repair your fence in compliance with local regulations.
What is the maximum height for a fence in Sunbury?
The maximum permitted height of a fence in Sunbury, Ohio depends on its location on the property:
Side and rear yards: Ornamental fences, chain link fences, and privacy fences are permitted, but they cannot be higher than 6 feet. Privacy fences in side yards cannot extend closer than 20 feet to the front corner of the primary structure.
Front yards: Ornamental fences only, maximum 3.5 feet high and at least one foot away from the street right-of-way. Chain link and privacy fences are not permitted.
What types of fences are allowed in Sunbury?
Sunbury allows a variety of fence materials, including:
- Stone
- Brick
- Wood
- Metal
- Synthetic look-alike products (designed to mimic the appearance of natural materials)
- Hedges or other non-invasive plants (with approval)
- Chain link (allowed in side or rear yards of single-family homes with Zoning Inspector approval, smooth side facing out)
Certain types of fences are prohibited, including:
- Electrified fences
- Barbed wire fences
- Razor wire fences
- Sharp-edged fences
- Snow fences (except during appropriate weather conditions)
- Construction fences (allowed only during active construction and must be removed within 14 days of completion)
All fences are subject to specific regulations regarding height, location, and design, as detailed in Section 24 of the Sunbury Zoning Ordinance. It’s always a good idea to review the full ordinance or contact the zoning department for the most accurate and up-to-date information before planning your fence project.
Is there a setback requirement for fences?
Yes, Sunbury’s zoning ordinance specifies setback requirements for fences. However, it distinguishes between the building setback line and the property line. Fences cannot extend beyond the building setback line.
Additional setback rules apply to certain fence types and locations:
- Front Yard Ornamental Fences: Must be at least 1 foot away from the street right-of-way.
- Side Yard Privacy Fences: Must be at least 20 feet from the front corner of the main structure.
- Side Yards adjacent to residential uses: Minimum setback of 1/4 the sum of the fence’s height and the building depth, or 25 feet from the neighboring residential lot/subdivision (whichever is greater).
- Rear Yards adjacent to residential uses: Minimum 30-foot setback.
It’s crucial to consult Section 24 of the Sunbury Zoning Ordinance for the precise details relevant to your specific situation and property. Contacting the Sunbury Zoning Department directly is always recommended to ensure complete understanding and compliance before installing a fence. They can clarify any ambiguities and provide the most current interpretations of the regulations.
Sections of the Sunbury Zoning Ordinance relevant to fences:
Here are the complete sections from the provided Sunbury, OH zoning ordinance that pertain to fences:
Chapter S81.16. General Development Standards
- S81.16.01(24) Fence Regulations
A. Purpose – Fence regulations are established in order to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare by establishing regulations controlling the use of fences in order to assure property owners of privacy, security, and personal preference in landscape design within their own properties, with consideration of the surrounding environment, the appearance of the community as a whole, and the safety of the public and the individual.
B. Definitions – As used in this chapter:
- “Fence” means any structure composed of wood, metal, stone, brick or other material, including hedges or other plants, directed in such a manner and location so as to enclose, partially enclose or divide any premises or part of premises for the purpose of confinement, screening, partition, or decoration. Trellises or other structures for the purpose of supporting vines, flowers, or other vegetation when erected in a position to enclose, partially enclose or divide any premises or any part of a premises shall also be considered a fence.
- “Privacy fence” means a fence made to inhibit public view and provide seclusion and, when viewed at right angles, having more than fifty percent (50%) of the area of its vertical plane (the area with a rectangular outlining closing all parts of the fence and its vertical plane) closed to light or air. Permitted privacy fences are:
a. “Basket weave or woven fence” means a fence of interwoven strips or slats of flexible or semi-flexible material in which the pattern has the appearance of a plaited basket.
b. “Louver or ventilating fence” means a fence made of a series of slats placed at an angle or position so as to provide air but to deflect light perpendicular to its vertical plane.
c. “Stockade fence” – fence of contiguous or closely spaced usually pointed boards
d. “Dog ear fence” – fence of contiguous or closely spaced boards with top of fence boards in dog ear shape
e. Other like or similar privacy fences as approved by the zoning inspector which meet the criteria set forth above - “Ornamental fence” means a fence usually made of wood constructed for its beauty or decorative effect and when viewed at right angles having not less than 50% of the area of its vertical plane (the area within a rectangular outlining closing all parts of the fence in its vertical plane) open to light and air. Permitted ornamental fences are:
a. “Rail or split rail fence” means a fence construction of narrow, wood or split, with Timbers placed horizontally between operate supporting posts.
b. “Picket fence” means an open fence made of upright pales or slats.
c. “Wrought iron” means an open fence made of the type compounds formed of iron that has been beaten out or shaped by hammering rather than cast.
d. Other like or similar ornamental fences as approved by the zoning inspector which meet the criteria set forth above - “Chain link fence” means a fence usually made of metal consisting of loops or wire interconnected any series of joined links.
- “Barb wire fence” means a fence made with metal wire having sharp points or barbs along its length.
C. Application – The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any zoning district except where expressly provided herein.
D. Fence Standards for all Districts
- Permit and Inspection Required: No fence shall be constructed prior to the issuance of a permit by the City Zoning Inspector. Applications for permit shall include plans or drawings showing the actual and accurate shape and dimensions of the property on which the fence is to be built; the exact height, location, length, type of material, color, and type of construction of proposed fence; the location of all buildings on the lot; or any other information deemed necessary by the Sunbury Zoning Inspector. The Sunbury Zoning Inspector shall review each application to determine its compliance with the provisions of this Ordinance. Each property owner shall determine property lines and certify that the proposed fence does not encroach upon another lot or parcel of land. The issuance of a permit by the City shall not be construed to mean the City has determined the fence is not encroaching upon another lot, nor shall it relieve the property owner of the duty imposed herein.
- Materials, Maintenance, and Repair: Approved fencing and wall materials include stone, brick, wood, metal, synthetic look-a-like products or other materials including hedges or other non-invasive plants as approved by the Sunbury Planning and Zoning Commission. Chain link fences shall be permitted for use on single-family lots provided that they are located in the side or rear yard and approved by the Zoning Inspector. The smooth finished side of the fence shall be the side of the fence that faces outward from the yard being fenced. All of the framing or support members shall face the property owner (inward). Fences and walls shall be maintained in good repair, be structurally sound, and be attractively finished at all times by the owner and/or occupant of the lot on which they are located.
- Uniform Design: Whenever a development identification fence is proposed along a public or private right-of-way or there is an existing fence in the development, proposed fencing should be uniform in design and color.
- Height and Location: The permitted height of a fence shall be determined by its location on the property as follows:
a. Front yards: Ornamental fences only may be erected in front yards. …Fence must be parallel to the building line to a height not exceeding three and one-half (3 1/2) feet and not nearer than one foot to the street right of way. Chain link and privacy fences are not permitted in front yards.
b. Side and rear yards:
i. Ornamental fences may be erected in side and rear yards up to and parallel with a common property line to a height of not more than six feet.
ii. Chain link fences subject to the standards set forth herein shall be permitted in side and rear yards parallel to and adjacent to a common property line to a height of not more than six feet.
iii. Privacy fences shall be permitted in rear and side yards only. Privacy fences in side yards may extend no closer than 20 feet to the front corner of the primary structure. Such fences shall not exceed six (6) feet in height above the natural grade.
c. Corner Lots: Where a rear or side yard abuts a street, privacy fences otherwise permitted in a side or rear yard shall not extend into required side or rear yards on the street side absent prior approval of the Sunbury Planning and Zoning Commission, provided however, that this provision shall not prohibit permitted rail or split rail fence is erected in such side or rear yards parallel to and not nearer than 1 foot to the side or rear property line, height not to exceed four (4) feet above the natural grade. - All fences on a single parcel shall have a unified style for all fence segments visible from off the premises from any single direction unless otherwise approved by the Sunbury Planning and Zoning Commission.
- Fences are prohibited to extend further than the existing sidewalk….
- The Sunbury Planning and Zoning Commission may permit other fences which are similar in character and design to one or more of the fences permitted herein.
- Prohibited Fences: Unless provided for elsewhere in this chapter, the following fences and walls are prohibited:
a. Above-ground electrified fences, barbed wire, razor wire or sharp edged fences.
b. Snow fencing except during the appropriate weather conditions
Construction fencing is prohibited except during active construction and must be removed within 14 days of completion of construction. - Appeal: Should the Zoning Inspector fail or refuse to issue (deny) a permit after proper application has been made therefor, a person may appeal the failure or refusal to the Planning and Zoning Commission. …
- Fee: Anyone desiring to build or install a fence in the City of Sunbury shall pay an application fee as provided by council.
- Easements: A fence may be located within an easement provided the fence is not prohibited by the express terms of the easement and provided the fence will not prohibit the purpose of the easement. …
- Nonconforming Fences: Fences existing as of the date of the enactment of this ordinance shall be allowed to remain. Replacement of nonconforming fences shall be made in compliance with the terms of the fence provisions in existence at the time of the replacement.
A few other sections indirectly relate to fences as they mention needing fences for certain uses (pools, child care facilities, quarries), but S81.16.01(24) is the core section detailing the regulations themselves. Always consult the official, published version from the city directly for definitive answers.