Town of Washington fence rules

How to build within the rules in the Town of Washington

1. Call Door County Land Use Services (920-746-2323) to confirm your zoning district and whether your lot is in a shoreland or floodplain area.
2. In the county's single-family, High Density and Small Estate districts, keep the fence 8 ft or lower above preconstruction grade.
3. Keep the fence out of the public road right-of-way.
4. No county zoning permit is needed for a fence itself (s. 3.12(1)(b)).
5. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.

Other rules to know

• The Town of Washington follows the Door County zoning ordinance, so fence permits come from the county zoning office, not the town.
• Door County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance s. 3.12(1)(b): accessory structures require a regular zoning permit, except fences.
• s. 3.08(4) (added 22 Mar. 2022, Ord. 2022-05): "The height of a fence in the Single-Family Residential 10,000, Single-Family Residential 20,000, Single-Family Residential 30,000, High Density, and Small Estate zoning districts shall not exceed 8 feet above preconstruction grade at any point." No fence height limit was found for other districts.
• In Wetland districts, fences for pasturing livestock need no zoning permit only when limited excavating and filling is involved (s. 2.05(4)(b)4.).
• The county also administers Shoreland, Floodplain and Land Division ordinances in all 14 towns; fence rules in the Shoreland and Floodplain ordinances were not reviewed. Check with Land Use Services if your lot is near water.
• The ordinance text read is the energyzoning.org archive dated 2023-02-20; the county's current site links a newer consolidated ordinance (Chapter 3 dated 05-23-2023) that could not be opened.
• The county page says the ordinance is in effect in all areas of nine towns but does not name them. The covers list is built from each town's own site (Baileys Harbor, Forestville, Gibraltar, Jacksonport, Sevastopol, Sturgeon Bay, Washington) and from town-specific provisions in the county ordinance (Liberty Grove, also Baileys Harbor). The ninth town was not confirmed.
• Town building permits are issued separately by Inspection Specialists, LLC (Brett Guilette, 920-495-3232) in most of these towns; no town source says fences need a building permit.
• Gibraltar's FAQ says the Town has some additional zoning requirements in certain areas.
• Town offices for the covered towns: Baileys Harbor 920-839-9509; Forestville 920-639-2431 ([email protected]); Gibraltar clerk Laura Reetz 920-868-1714 ([email protected]); Jacksonport 920-823-8136; Sevastopol 920-746-1230 ([email protected]); Town of Sturgeon Bay 920-328-5246; Washington (Washington Island) 920-847-2522 ([email protected]). Liberty Grove 920-854-2934 (11161 Old Stage Rd., Sister Bay).

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

Sources

Summarized from the Town of Washington's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.

Ordinance: Door County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance s. 3.05(8)(d), 3.08(4), 3.09(2)(b), 3.12(1)(b)

1. co.door.wi.gov — Zoning Other Ordinances
2. co.door.wi.gov — Zoning Permit Applications
3. energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
4. gibraltarwi.gov — frequently asked questions
5. forestvilletown.wi.gov — building permit
6. forestvilletown.wi.gov — zoning commission
7. townofsevastopolwi.gov — frequently asked questions
8. jacksonportwi.gov — frequently asked questions
9. washingtonisland-wi.gov — zoning permit
10. townofsturgeonbay-wi.gov — permits license information
11. baileysharborwi.gov — forms permits maps
12. baileysharborwi.gov — building inspector
13. cdn.townweb.com — List of Ordinances by Subject
14. mds.wi.gov — Clerk
15. libertygrovewi.gov — 2024 12 27