Fence height rules in Rancho Palos Verdes, California
In Rancho Palos Verdes, fences, walls and hedges in the front setback are limited to 42 inches, and fences and walls elsewhere on the lot can be up to 7 feet. A city fence/wall permit, which reviews whether the fence would block a neighbor's view, is needed for most fences in the side or rear setback next to another lot, unless the grade difference is 2 feet or less or your lot is upslope.
| Max height in front setback | 42 inches (fence, wall or hedge) [3] |
| Max height elsewhere on the lot | 7 feet [4] |
| Fence on top of a retaining wall | 8 ft from the low side, 7 ft from the high side [5] |
| Fence/wall permit trigger | Side or rear setback next to another parcel, or next to a city viewing station [1] |
| Main permit exemption | Grade difference between building pads of 2 feet or less [2] |
| Front fence 42 in. to 7 ft | Minor exception permit, with landscaping on the street side [6] |
| Chain link, chicken wire, fiberglass | Banned in front yards, street-side yards and rear setbacks on listed arterials [7] |
| Pool fence | At least 5 feet, self-closing and self-latching gate [8] |
Height limits (no permit needed)
In residential zones, fences, walls and hedges in the front yard setback can be up to 42 inches, subject to corner-lot intersection visibility rules (Sec. 17.48.070, which wasn't in the sources we reviewed, so ask Planning about sight-triangle limits on a corner lot) [3]. Elsewhere on the lot, fences and walls up to 7 feet are allowed [4], and hedges can grow to any height that doesn't significantly impair a view from surrounding property. Where a fence sits on a retaining wall, the combined height can't exceed 8 feet from the lower side or 7 feet from the higher side [5]. Fences and walls built within 3 feet of each other are measured as one unit.
When you need a fence/wall permit
Because the city protects views, a fence/wall permit is required for any fence or wall in the rear or side yard setback next to another parcel, or next to a city-designated viewing station [1]. It isn't required where the grade difference between the two building pads is 2 feet or less [2], where your lot is upslope of the neighbor, or where the top of the fence is below the upslope lot's pad. Staff visit the site; if there's no view impairment, the permit is approved and neighbors are notified. Otherwise a formal review follows, and the city's handout says it typically takes 1 to 2 months. Same-height, same-type replacement of a damaged fence doesn't need a permit, according to the handout.
Taller fences
A fence over 42 inches and up to 7 feet in the front setback needs a minor exception permit, and the area between the street and the fence must be landscaped [6]. Hedges up to 6 feet in the front setback also need a minor exception permit.
Materials
Chain link, chicken wire and fiberglass fences are banned in front yards, street-side yards, and rear setbacks along arterials such as Hawthorne Blvd., Crenshaw Blvd. and Palos Verdes Drive [7]. Barbed wire is prohibited, and electrified fences are allowed only for animals in the Equestrian Overlay District.
Pools
Pools, spas and water 18 inches or deeper must be enclosed by a fence or wall at least 5 feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates [8].
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Next steps
- Check whether your fence is in the front setback (42-inch limit) or in a side/rear setback next to another lot, and compare the pad heights with your neighbor's.
- If a fence/wall permit is needed, submit a Residential Planning Application, two copies of a site plan with topography and fence locations, two side-view drawings, and the pre-application and foliage analysis fees to the Planning Division, (310) 544-5228. The fee doubles if you build before getting the permit.
- Be ready to trim foliage on your lot over 16 feet (or the roof ridgeline) that blocks a neighbor's view before approval.
- For a front-yard fence over 42 inches, apply for a minor exception permit with a landscaping plan.
Common questions
- How tall can a fence be in Rancho Palos Verdes, California?
- Fences, walls and hedges in the front setback are limited to 42 inches, and fences and walls elsewhere on the lot can be up to 7 feet. A fence on a retaining wall can't exceed 8 feet from the lower side or 7 feet from the higher side.
- Do I need a permit for a fence in Rancho Palos Verdes, California?
- Often. A city fence/wall permit, which reviews neighbor view impairment, is needed for fences in a side or rear setback next to another lot or a city viewing station, unless the pad grade difference is 2 feet or less or your lot is upslope. The city's handout says formal review typically takes 1 to 2 months.
- Can I have a taller front yard fence in Rancho Palos Verdes, California?
- Yes, with a minor exception permit. A front-setback fence over 42 inches and up to 7 feet needs that permit, and the area between the street and the fence must be landscaped.
- Is chain link fencing allowed in Rancho Palos Verdes, California?
- Not in front yards, street-side yards, or rear setbacks along arterials such as Hawthorne Blvd., Crenshaw Blvd. and Palos Verdes Drive, where chain link, chicken wire and fiberglass are banned. Barbed wire is prohibited citywide.
California state rules on fences
Fence height, location and design are mostly set by your city or county zoning code. A few state rules apply everywhere:
- Building permit: the California Residential Code (R105.2) exempts fences up to 7 feet high from a building permit. Pool barriers are not exempt. Zoning height limits still apply, and many cities cap front-yard fences well below 7 feet. Some cities have amended the exemption.
- Spite fences: under Civil Code §841.4, a fence or fence-like structure that unnecessarily exceeds 10 feet and is maliciously put up or kept to annoy a neighbor is a private nuisance. The neighbor can sue to have it removed.
- Good Neighbor Fence Act (Civil Code §841): since January 1, 2014, neighbors are presumed to share equally the reasonable cost of building, maintaining or replacing a fence between their properties, unless they agree otherwise in writing.
- Before spending money on a shared fence, you must give each neighbor 30 days' written notice. The notice must describe the problem, the proposed fix, the estimated cost, how costs would be shared, and the timeline.
- A neighbor can overcome the presumption in court by showing equal sharing would be unjust, for example because of financial hardship or costs driven by the other owner's aesthetic preferences.
- Pool fences must meet the Swimming Pool Safety Act's barrier standards when used as the pool enclosure (see Pools).
- Coastal zone: a new fence may need a coastal development permit, depending on the local coastal program.
What the ordinance says
- Sec. 17.76.030(B)(1), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.76 Miscellaneous Permits and Standards (17.76.030 fences, walls and hedges; 17.76.110 exotic animal permit; 17.76.115 large domestic animal permits), p. 1
Permit required. A fence/wall permit shall be required for any fence or wall placed within the rear yard or side yard setback adjacent to any contiguous or abutting parcel (as determined by the director), or placed adjacent to or abutting a city-designated viewing station identified in the city's general plan or coastal specific plan, except as specified below:
- Sec. 17.76.030(B)(1)(a), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.76 Miscellaneous Permits and Standards (17.76.030 fences, walls and hedges; 17.76.110 exotic animal permit; 17.76.115 large domestic animal permits), p. 1
Fences or walls located where the grade differential between the building pads of adjacent lots, measured perpendicular to the boundary between the two properties contiguous to or abutting the fence, wall or hedge, is two feet or less in elevation;
- Sec. 17.76.030(C)(1)(a)(i), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.76 Miscellaneous Permits and Standards (17.76.030 fences, walls and hedges; 17.76.110 exotic animal permit; 17.76.115 large domestic animal permits), p. 1
Up to 42 inches in height shall be permitted, except as restricted by the intersection visibility requirements of section 17.48.070 (Intersection visibility) of this title;
- Sec. 17.76.030(C)(1)(b)(i), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.76 Miscellaneous Permits and Standards (17.76.030 fences, walls and hedges; 17.76.110 exotic animal permit; 17.76.115 large domestic animal permits), p. 1
Fences and walls up to seven feet in height shall be permitted on any part of a lot not subject to subsection (C)(1)(a) of this section except as restricted by section 17.48.070 (Intersection visibility) of this title;
- Sec. 17.76.030(C)(1)(b)(iii), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.76 Miscellaneous Permits and Standards (17.76.030 fences, walls and hedges; 17.76.110 exotic animal permit; 17.76.115 large domestic animal permits), p. 1
When combined, the total height of a fence, freestanding wall or retaining wall may not exceed eight feet, as measured from grade on the lower side, and may not exceed seven feet, as measured from grade on the higher side;
- Sec. 17.76.030(D)(1)(a), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.76 Miscellaneous Permits and Standards (17.76.030 fences, walls and hedges; 17.76.110 exotic animal permit; 17.76.115 large domestic animal permits), p. 1
Fences, as defined in chapter 17.96 (Definitions), higher than 42 inches and up to seven feet in height located in the front setback areas, provided the area between the street and any such fence is landscaped, per a plan approved by the director of community development;
- Sec. 17.76.030(F)(5), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.76 Miscellaneous Permits and Standards (17.76.030 fences, walls and hedges; 17.76.110 exotic animal permit; 17.76.115 large domestic animal permits), p. 1
Chain link, chicken wire and fiberglass fences are prohibited in front yards between the front property line and the exterior facade of the existing single-family residence closest to the front property line, in side yards between the street-side property line and the exterior facade of the existing single-family residence closest to the street side property line, and within a rear yard setback which abuts the following arterial streets identified in the city's general plan:
- Sec. 17.76.030(F)(3), Municipal Code Title 17 Ch. 17.76 Miscellaneous Permits and Standards (17.76.030 fences, walls and hedges; 17.76.110 exotic animal permit; 17.76.115 large domestic animal permits), p. 1
All pools, spas and standing bodies of water 18 inches or more in depth shall be enclosed by a structure and/or a fence or wall not less than five feet in height measured from the outside ground level at a point 12 inches horizontal from the base of the fence or wall.