Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns) fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns)? Not confirmed. Contact Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns) before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns) (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft source
- Front (street) yard
- 42 inches in the front yard (residential districts) source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences are exempt from side and rear yard setback requirements. No front yard requirement applies to open fences such as chain-link. source
- Good side faces
- The finished side faces the adjoining property. source
- How to apply
- Call 715-839-4741 source
Still being confirmed with Eau Claire County zoning: Does a residential fence in a county-zoned Eau Claire County town (outside shoreland/floodplain) need a land use permit?
How to file for a fence permit in the Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns)
- Call Eau Claire County Planning & Development (715-839-4741) and ask whether your fence needs a land use permit and what setbacks apply to your lot (shoreland and floodplain lots are more restricted).
- If a permit is needed, use the county's Land Use Permit Application (Land Use Controls Division, Applications, Forms and Guides).
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
- Phone
- 715-839-4741
- Address
- Eau Claire County Planning & Development, Land Use Controls Division, 721 Oxford Avenue, Third Floor, Eau Claire, WI
Contact from townofwashington.wi.gov — land use planning
Other rules to know
- Heights and setback come from Eau Claire County Code section 18.30.040 as it appears in a September 2022 copy of Title 18 on energyzoning.org; the county has since revised its zoning code, so confirm the current text.
- The 2022 text of 18.30.040 does not say whether a fence needs a land use permit. The county's permit page says a land use permit is required for new structures in zoned townships; a 2026 Town of Bridge Creek FAQ says county land use permits are currently only required in shoreland, floodplain and wellhead protection districts.
- Shoreland zoning (within 300 ft of a stream/river or 1,000 ft of a lake) and floodplain rules apply in all towns and are handled by Eau Claire County.
- County sources (2018 and 2023) list Clear Creek as county-zoned, but the county's October 2024 permit contact table shows 'NA' for General Zoning in Clear Creek. Town of Lincoln has its own zoning and has its own entry.
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 Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns), WI?
Not confirmed. Contact Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns) before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
How tall can a fence be in the Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns)?
Fences are exempt from side and rear yard setback requirements. No front yard requirement applies to open fences such as chain-link.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns)?
The finished side faces the adjoining property.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns)?
Call Eau Claire County Planning & Development (715-839-4741) and ask whether your fence needs a land use permit and what setbacks apply to your lot (shoreland and floodplain lots are more restricted). If a permit is needed, use the county's Land Use Permit Application (Land Use Controls Division, Applications, Forms and Guides). Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging. buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns) (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns)?
Land Use Controls Division, Planning & Development. Phone 715-839-4741.
Sources
Summarized from Eau Claire County zoning (county-zoned towns)'s own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Eau Claire County Code 18.30.040 Fences
Work for Eau Claire 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.