Juneau County, Wisconsin

City of Mauston fence permit

Do you need a fence permit in the City of Mauston? Not confirmed. Contact the City of Mauston before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.

permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Mauston (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.

Quick facts

Permit required: Not confirmed source
Side and rear yards: 6 ft (residential, outside required front or street yard setbacks) source
Front (street) yard: 3 ft within a front yard setback (Sec. 114-177(b)(3)); Sec. 114-120(d)(4) separately allows fences up to 4 ft in front/street yards source
Corner lots: Nothing that blocks vision between 2 1/2 ft and 10 ft high in the intersection vision clearance area (Sec. 114-41(a)(1)) source
Distance from lot line: Not closer than 2 ft to the front yard or street yard property line; fences may be placed on any property line abutting a side or rear yard. source
Good side faces: Visible supports and structural components must face toward your own property. source
Not allowed: Barbed wire not permitted in residential districts; wire mesh and chain link not permitted in required front or street yards; street-yard fences may be at most 60 percent opaque; snow/temporary fencing limited to 180 consecutive days per calendar year. source
How to apply: Call 608-747-2707 source

Still being confirmed with Mauston: Does a residential fence need a City zoning permit, and what is the fee?

Plan your fence and build the applicationLook up your address, draw the fence on an aerial photo of your lot, and get a site plan and filled-in application.

How to file for a fence permit in the City of Mauston

Steps based on zoneomics.com — Municipal code: chapter 7

Call Zoning Administrator Val Nelson (608-747-2707) to ask whether your fence needs a zoning permit and for the application.
If a permit is needed, submit the application to the zoning administrator with a plat of survey (and an 11 x 17 reduced map) or a scaled drawing showing the fence location.
Wait for the written decision (within 30 days of a complete application) and post the permit at the site while you work.
Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.

Review time: Zoning permit granted or denied in writing by the zoning administrator within 30 days of a complete application
Permit good for: Expires 4 months after issuance unless 10 percent of the work is done, and 18 months if not 75 percent complete

Who to contact

Val Nelson
Zoning Administrator

Phone: 608-747-2707
Email: [email protected]
Address: Zoning Administrator, City of Mauston, 303 Mansion Street, Mauston, WI 53948

Contact from cms2.revize.com — Master Directory 2026 2027 Digital 3

What to submit

Zoning permit application (to the zoning administrator)
Plat of survey and a reduced map not larger than 11 x 17 inches, or a scaled drawing at the zoning administrator's discretion

Other rules to know

The fence standards (Sec. 114-177) apply to all fencing, landscape walls and decorative posts 30 inches tall or more.
Sec. 114-287(b) requires a zoning permit before any building or structure is located, erected, enlarged, moved or altered; the code does not say in so many words whether a fence needs one.
Two front-yard height figures appear in the code (3 ft in Sec. 114-177, 4 ft in Sec. 114-120(d)(4)); ask the zoning administrator which applies.
Fences must be kept structurally sound and attractive. Pool fencing follows the NSPI model enclosure code; in-ground pools need an enclosure at least 4 ft high (Sec. 114-44(e)).

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 Mauston, WI?

Not confirmed. Contact the City of Mauston before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.

How tall can a fence be in the City of Mauston?

Side and rear yards: 6 ft (residential, outside required front or street yard setbacks). Front (street) yard: 3 ft within a front yard setback (Sec. 114-177(b)(3)); Sec. 114-120(d)(4) separately allows fences up to 4 ft in front/street yards. Corner lots: Nothing that blocks vision between 2 1/2 ft and 10 ft high in the intersection vision clearance area (Sec. 114-41(a)(1)).

How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Mauston?

Not closer than 2 ft to the front yard or street yard property line; fences may be placed on any property line abutting a side or rear yard.

Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Mauston?

Visible supports and structural components must face toward your own property.

How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Mauston?

Call Zoning Administrator Val Nelson (608-747-2707) to ask whether your fence needs a zoning permit and for the application. If a permit is needed, submit the application to the zoning administrator with a plat of survey (and an 11 x 17 reduced map) or a scaled drawing showing the fence location. Wait for the written decision (within 30 days of a complete application) and post the permit at the site while you work. 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 Mauston (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.

Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Mauston?

Val Nelson, Zoning Administrator. Phone 608-747-2707, email [email protected].

Sources

Summarized from the City of Mauston's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.

Ordinance: Mauston Code Ch. 114 Zoning, Sec. 114-177 Fencing standards; Sec. 114-120; Sec. 114-287 Zoning permit

Work for the City of Mauston? 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.