Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns) fence rules
Do you need a fence permit in the Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)? No. Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns) 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 Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)'s rules before you build. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- No (typical residential fence) source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft source
- Front (street) yard
- 42 inches in the front yard (residential districts) source
- Distance from lot line
- Open and solid fences are exempt from side and rear yard setback requirements. Fences must stay out of the visual clearance triangle. source
- Good side faces
- Finished surface faces the exterior of the lot the fence is on. source
- Not allowed
- Barbed wire or electrically charged fencing is not allowed in any district except commercial and industrial districts, or agricultural districts for grazing animals. source
- How to apply
- Call 715-726-7940 source
Still being confirmed with Chippewa County zoning: Is the 2022 fence exemption (no county permit outside shoreland/floodplain) still in the current county code?
How to build within the rules in the Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)
Steps based on energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
- Check the county's Setback Requirements table and the Chapter 70 fence rules; a fence outside shoreland and floodplain areas does not need a county permit under the 2022 code.
- If the lot is within 300 ft of a river/stream or 1,000 ft of a lake, pond or flowage (or in a floodplain), call County Planning & Zoning (715-726-7940) before building.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
- Phone
- 715-726-7940
- Address
- Chippewa County Planning & Zoning, 711 N Bridge St, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Contact from chippewacountywi.gov — 2773
Other rules to know
- Per county code Sec. 70-107(g)(2)b, open and solid fences are exempt from permit and fee requirements except in the shoreland and floodplain districts. This is from an October 2022 copy of Chapter 70 on energyzoning.org; confirm it is still current.
- In the shoreland district, a fence within 75 ft of the ordinary high-water mark must be an open fence (at least 50% open). In the floodplain district only open fences are allowed. Shoreland and floodplain lots need a county permit.
- A front-yard fence taller than 42 inches is allowed only for an in-ground patio (max 40 lineal ft, max 6 ft, outside the visual clearance triangle, at least 20 ft from the road right-of-way, no roof or cover).
- Fences in agricultural districts follow Wis. Stat. Chapter 90.
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 Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns), WI?
No. Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns) does not require a permit for a typical residential fence, but height and placement rules still apply.
How tall can a fence be in the Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft. Front (street) yard: 42 inches in the front yard (residential districts).
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)?
Open and solid fences are exempt from side and rear yard setback requirements. Fences must stay out of the visual clearance triangle.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)?
Finished surface faces the exterior of the lot the fence is on.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)?
Planning & Zoning Department. Phone 715-726-7940.
Sources
Summarized from Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)'s own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Chippewa County Code Sec. 70-107(g) Fences
Work for Chippewa County zoning (county-zoned towns)? 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.