City of Adams fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Adams? Yes. The City of Adams requires a permit before you build a fence.
permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Adams (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Fee
- Fee set by resolution (amount not found online), paid to the City Clerk source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft source
- Front (street) yard
- 3 ft in front yards abutting a street (chain link up to 48 inches); must be at least 50% open to vision source
- Corner lots
- Corner-lot front yards follow front-yard rules; any fence within 25 ft of the front lot line must meet front-yard requirements. Vision triangle (25 ft): no obstruction 2-10 ft above street grade except fences at least 50% open source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences must be on your own property (establish the line or reach agreement with the neighbor). Solid back-yard fences need a 5-ft setback from the rear lot line (if the alley is used or open). Side-yard fences must stop at the front line of the house and at least 25 ft from the front lot line. source
- Good side faces
- "The finished side of the fence shall be faced to the outside of the property lines." source
- Not allowed
- Barbed wire, electric wire, double or triple strand wire, and spike or picket fences (unless rounded tops) without Planning Commission approval; solid structure fences also need approval; used/discarded materials and non-fencing items like railroad ties or utility poles. Shrub/hedge/landscaping fences need Planning Commission review. source
- How to apply
- In person source
Still being confirmed with Adams: Who is the City's Building Inspector for fence permits, and what is the fence permit fee?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Adams
Steps based on cityofadamswi.org — Title 15 Building Code
- Ask the City for a fence permit application (City Municipal Building, 101 N Main St, Adams; Clerk's Office 608-339-6516).
- Make sure you know where your property line is.
- Submit it to the Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator with a sketch of the fence location and pay the fee to the City Clerk.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Fee set by resolution, paid to the City Clerk
- Review time
- Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator issues the permit
Who to contact
- Phone
- 608-339-6516
- Address
- City of Adams Municipal Building, 101 N Main St, Adams, WI 53910
Contact from cityofadamswi.org — City of Adams Billing Clerk job advertisement PW
What to submit
- Fence permit application (from the Building Inspector)
- Map showing location, size and shape of the fence (land use permit applications require one)
Other rules to know
- Sec. 15-5-2(o): a written agreement with the abutting owner can allow up to 20% over the dimension limits; it must be filed with the Building Inspector and recorded with the Adams County Register of Deeds.
- Fences existing on August 1, 2005 may stay but may not be altered unless destroyed by an act of God or criminal act.
- The ordinance PDFs are dated 2017 uploads on the city site; confirm they are current.
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 Adams, WI?
Yes. The City of Adams requires a permit before you build a fence.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Adams?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft. Front (street) yard: 3 ft in front yards abutting a street (chain link up to 48 inches); must be at least 50% open to vision. Corner lots: Corner-lot front yards follow front-yard rules; any fence within 25 ft of the front lot line must meet front-yard requirements. Vision triangle (25 ft): no obstruction 2-10 ft above street grade except fences at least 50% open.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Adams?
Fences must be on your own property (establish the line or reach agreement with the neighbor). Solid back-yard fences need a 5-ft setback from the rear lot line (if the alley is used or open). Side-yard fences must stop at the front line of the house and at least 25 ft from the front lot line.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Adams?
"The finished side of the fence shall be faced to the outside of the property lines."
How much is a fence permit in the City of Adams?
Fee set by resolution (amount not found online), paid to the City Clerk.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Adams?
Ask the City for a fence permit application (City Municipal Building, 101 N Main St, Adams; Clerk's Office 608-339-6516). Make sure you know where your property line is. Submit it to the Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator with a sketch of the fence location and pay the fee to the City Clerk. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging. permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Adams (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Adams?
City Clerk's Office. Phone 608-339-6516.
Sources
Summarized from the City of Adams's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: City of Adams Code Title 15, Ch. 5, Sec. 15-5-2 Fences
Work for the City of Adams? 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.