Town of La Pointe fence rules
Do you need a fence permit in the Town of La Pointe? No. The Town of La Pointe does not require a permit for a typical residential fence, but height and placement rules still apply.
At buildit.dog you can draw your fence on an aerial photo of your lot and check it against the Town of La Pointe's rules before you build. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- No (typical residential fence) source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences do not need to meet the road frontage setback, but must not be located in the right of way of any public or private road. Vision triangle at street intersections: nothing that obstructs the view above 2 1/2 ft within the triangle formed 35 ft from the intersection (does not apply to tree trunks, posts or wire fences). source
- How to apply
- Call 715-747-2707 source
Still being confirmed with La Pointe: Does a fence on Madeline Island within 1,000 ft of the lakeshore need an Ashland County shoreland permit through the Town Zoning Office?
How to build within the rules in the Town of La Pointe
Steps based on townoflapointewi.gov — zoning ordinance 7 2019
- Fences under 10 ft with no land disturbance do not need a Land Use Permit under the 2019 zoning ordinance. Keep the fence out of the road right of way and clear of the intersection vision triangle.
- If installing the fence involves digging, grading or other land-disturbing work, or if you are near the shoreline, call La Pointe Zoning (715-747-2707) to ask about a Land Use Permit and any Ashland County shoreland permit.
- Land Use Permit applications and fees go to the Town Zoning Office, 240 Big Bay Rd, La Pointe.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Land Use Permit: $75.00 + $0.40/sq. ft. (2026 fee schedule; not specific to fences)
Who to contact
Richard M. Kula
Planning and Zoning Administrator
- Phone
- 715-747-2707
- [email protected]
- Address
- Town of La Pointe Zoning, Town Hall, 240 Big Bay Rd, PO Box 270, La Pointe, WI 54850
Contact from townoflapointewi.gov — zoning
Other rules to know
- La Pointe Zoning Ordinance Sec. 4.2.G lists 'Fences under ten (10) feet in height' as a Minor Accessory Structure 'allowed without a Land Use Permit unless there is land disturbing activities done in conjunction with placement of such structure.' It also says 'Other Permits may be required due to land disturbing activities.'
- The Town's 2026 fee schedule lists a Land Use Permit at '$75.00 + $0.40/sq. ft.' and says fees double if the project starts before the permit is issued; it does not name fences. Land-disturbing activity requires a Land Use Permit.
- A draft zoning ordinance rewrite (draft dated May 20, 2026, posted for public hearing) keeps the same fence exemption and adds that the exemption applies 'unless there is land disturbing activities in excess of one hundred (100) square feet.' It is a draft; the Town's page still lists the 2019 version as the ordinance.
- Under an intermunicipal agreement the Town also administers Ashland County shoreland, floodplain and subdivision ordinances on Madeline Island; applications and fees for both Town and County zoning permits go to the Town Zoning Office.
- Town Clerk: Alex Smith, 715-747-2005, [email protected] (PO Box 270, La Pointe, WI 54850).
Before you dig
Call Diggers Hotline at 811 (or file online at diggershotline.com) at least 3 business days before digging post holes. Find your lot corner markers and keep the fence on your side of the line. County parcel maps can be off by several feet; if you're not sure where the line is, a licensed land surveyor can stake it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in the Town of La Pointe, WI?
No. The Town of La Pointe does not require a permit for a typical residential fence, but height and placement rules still apply.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Town of La Pointe?
Fences do not need to meet the road frontage setback, but must not be located in the right of way of any public or private road. Vision triangle at street intersections: nothing that obstructs the view above 2 1/2 ft within the triangle formed 35 ft from the intersection (does not apply to tree trunks, posts or wire fences).
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of La Pointe?
Richard M. Kula, Planning and Zoning Administrator. Phone 715-747-2707, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the Town of La Pointe's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Work for the Town of La Pointe? Help us keep this right
If anything on this page is wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it. Municipal staff reports are reviewed first. Please include a link to the current ordinance, form or fee schedule if you can.