City of Oconto fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Oconto? Yes. The City of Oconto 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 Oconto (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Fee
- Permit fee due with the application (amount not published online) source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 feet source
- Front (street) yard
- In the front setback area (residential): no higher than 3 feet if a solid pattern, or no higher than 4 feet if an open web, weave or board-and-space pattern source
- Corner lots
- No solid fence or segment of a fence more than 3 feet high within the vision clearance required for corner lots abutting a street or alley; fences along a side street follow the front setback rules source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences must be on the builder's own property; the owner is responsible for establishing the property line. No fence nearer than 4 feet to any alley line. Posts must be on the owner's property or in line with the fence face. source
- Good side faces
- The finished side or decorative side of a fence shall face adjoining property. source
- Not allowed
- Fences in a dangerous condition, fences that conduct electricity or are designed to shock, and barbed wire (allowed only in industrial areas with securing devices 8 feet or more above the ground projecting toward the fenced property). source
- How to apply
- Call 920-835-6016 source
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Oconto
Steps based on cityofoconto.com — inspections
- Download the Fence Permit Application and Fence Affidavit from the City's Inspections page.
- Draw a site plan showing where the fence will go on your lot (see the City's Site Plan Example). You are responsible for locating your property line.
- Contact Building Inspector Joe Last (920-835-6016, [email protected]) to turn in the application and pay the permit fee; City Hall is at 1210 Main Street.
- Build only after the permit is issued: 6 ft maximum, 3 ft solid / 4 ft open in the front setback, finished side facing the neighbor.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Permit fee paid upon application
Who to contact
Joe Last
Building Inspector
- Phone
- 920-835-6016
- [email protected]
- Address
- City Hall, 1210 Main Street, Oconto, WI 54153
Contact from cityofoconto.com — inspections
What to submit
- City of Oconto Fence Permit Application
- Fence Affidavit
- Site plan (the City posts a Site Plan Example)
Other rules to know
- Sec. 13-1-202(c): "No person shall erect a fence in the City of Oconto unless a permit is first obtained from the Building Inspector."
- Decorative fences are limited to 36 inches with an open pattern. Any enclosure longer than 5 feet counts as a fence, and retaining walls count as fences under this section.
- Hedges follow the same height and setback rules; hedges 3 ft or less may be in the front setback and the drip line must stay on your property.
- Temporary protective/warning fences need no permit, must be marked every 4 feet and may stay up no more than 45 days.
- Fences existing on May 29, 1991 may remain, but any alteration must bring them into compliance.
- The City's code is published on Municode (linked from the City site); the fence text here was read from the zoneomics mirror of the City Zoning Code (Ch. 13, as amended by Ord. 2017-26).
- The County Directory lists the inspector email as jlast@cityofocontowigov (missing a dot); the City's Inspections page gives [email protected], used here.
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 Oconto, WI?
Yes. The City of Oconto requires a permit before you build a fence. Temporary protective/warning fences need no permit, must be marked every 4 feet and may stay up no more than 45 days.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Oconto?
Side and rear yards: 6 feet. Front (street) yard: In the front setback area (residential): no higher than 3 feet if a solid pattern, or no higher than 4 feet if an open web, weave or board-and-space pattern. Corner lots: No solid fence or segment of a fence more than 3 feet high within the vision clearance required for corner lots abutting a street or alley; fences along a side street follow the front setback rules.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Oconto?
Fences must be on the builder's own property; the owner is responsible for establishing the property line. No fence nearer than 4 feet to any alley line. Posts must be on the owner's property or in line with the fence face.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Oconto?
The finished side or decorative side of a fence shall face adjoining property.
How much is a fence permit in the City of Oconto?
Permit fee due with the application (amount not published online).
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Oconto?
Download the Fence Permit Application and Fence Affidavit from the City's Inspections page. Draw a site plan showing where the fence will go on your lot (see the City's Site Plan Example). You are responsible for locating your property line. Contact Building Inspector Joe Last (920-835-6016, [email protected]) to turn in the application and pay the permit fee; City Hall is at 1210 Main Street. Build only after the permit is issued: 6 ft maximum, 3 ft solid / 4 ft open in the front setback, finished side facing the neighbor. 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 Oconto (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Oconto?
Joe Last, Building Inspector. Phone 920-835-6016, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the City of Oconto's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: City of Oconto Zoning Code Sec. 13-1-202 Fences and Hedges
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