City of Tomahawk fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Tomahawk? Yes. The City of Tomahawk requires a permit before you build a fence.
buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Tomahawk (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft (4 ft and at least 50% open in the required rear street yard of a double-frontage lot) source
- Front (street) yard
- 4 ft in front or street side yards, at least 50% open source
- Corner lots
- 3 ft and at least 50% open within vision clearance triangles of public rights-of-way; a fence along a driveway must leave a 10-ft vision clearance triangle source
- Distance from lot line
- Residential fences may be placed up to the property line. "On the property line" means adjacent to, but not overlapping, the line, and the fence must not block visibility of the survey pipes marking it. source
- Good side faces
- Fences must be installed to present the decorative or nonstructural side outward. source
- Not allowed
- Fences or walls using barbed or similar security wire or sharp top spikes are not permitted in residential districts. No advertising, election campaign or commercial signage on a fence. Fence posts may extend no more than 6 inches above the top edge. source
- How to apply
- In person source
Still being confirmed with Tomahawk: Is Zoning Code Sec. 17-13 (4 ft front / 6 ft side and rear) still current, and what is the fence permit fee?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Tomahawk
Steps based on cityoftomahawkwi.com — index.asp
- Call the City Building Inspector (office 715-453-4636, cell 715-966-0930) for hours or an appointment.
- Get the fence permit before building, moving, rebuilding, extending or enlarging a fence.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
David Hilgendorf (per 2023 County directory)
Building Inspector, City of Tomahawk
- Phone
- 715-453-4636
- Hours
- Please call for hours and/or an appointment
- Address
- Building Inspector, City Hall, 23 N 2nd Street, Tomahawk, WI 54487
Contact from cityoftomahawkwi.com — index.asp
Other rules to know
- No permit is needed for normal maintenance of existing fences (Sec. 17-13(1)).
- Fences allowed without a permit (Sec. 17-13(4)): snow fences of wooden pickets bound by wire or plastic mesh up to 4 ft, removed between April 1 and November 1; agricultural fences in agricultural and conservancy districts; decorative fences up to 3 ft high and 16 ft total length that are at least 50% open; privacy screens up to 6 ft tied to a patio or deck next to the house.
- Pool fences must be at least 4 ft high with self-closing, self-locking gates.
- The Zoning Code fee schedule (Sec. 17-50) lists no separate fence or zoning permit fee; call the Building Inspector for the current fee.
- Fence rules come from the Tomahawk Municipal Code Appendix A Zoning PDF on the City's website; most of the City's site, including its Forms page and permit application, is blocked to automated fetching, so the copy could not be checked against current navigation.
- The Lincoln County 2023 Official Directory lists Building Inspector David Hilgendorf, City Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Bartz ([email protected]) and the City office line 715-453-4040.
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 City of Tomahawk, WI?
Yes. The City of Tomahawk requires a permit before you build a fence. No permit is needed for normal maintenance of existing fences (Sec. 17-13(1)).
How tall can a fence be in the City of Tomahawk?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft (4 ft and at least 50% open in the required rear street yard of a double-frontage lot). Front (street) yard: 4 ft in front or street side yards, at least 50% open. Corner lots: 3 ft and at least 50% open within vision clearance triangles of public rights-of-way; a fence along a driveway must leave a 10-ft vision clearance triangle.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Tomahawk?
Residential fences may be placed up to the property line. "On the property line" means adjacent to, but not overlapping, the line, and the fence must not block visibility of the survey pipes marking it.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Tomahawk?
Fences must be installed to present the decorative or nonstructural side outward.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Tomahawk?
Call the City Building Inspector (office 715-453-4636, cell 715-966-0930) for hours or an appointment. Get the fence permit before building, moving, rebuilding, extending or enlarging a fence. 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 the City of Tomahawk (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Tomahawk?
David Hilgendorf (per 2023 County directory), Building Inspector, City of Tomahawk. Phone 715-453-4636.
Sources
Summarized from the City of Tomahawk's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Tomahawk Municipal Code Appendix A Zoning, Sec. 17-13 Fences
Work for the City of Tomahawk? 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.