Town of Port Washington fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Town of Port Washington? Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Port Washington 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 Town of Port Washington (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
- 8 ft (residential districts) source
- Front (street) yard
- No closed fence or hedge within 30 ft of an adjacent right-of-way line source
- Corner lots
- No obstructions between 2½ and 10 ft high within the intersection vision triangle source
- Distance from lot line
- Residential fences are permitted on side and rear property lines; no closed fence or hedge within 30 ft of an adjacent right-of-way. Open fences in agricultural districts are exempt from yard and distance requirements. source
- How to apply
- Call (262) 470-2277 source
Still being confirmed with Port Washington: Does a residential fence need a Town building or zoning permit?
How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Port Washington
Steps based on townofportwashingtonwi.gov — building inspector
- Call the Town Clerk (262-284-5235) to ask whether your fence needs a permit - the Town says to call the clerk with permit questions.
- Keep closed fences at least 30 ft back from the road right-of-way.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
Christy DeMaster
Zoning Administrator
- Phone
- (262) 470-2277
- Address
- Town Hall, 3715 Highland Drive, Port Washington, WI 53074
Contact from townofportwashingtonwi.gov — zoning
Other rules to know
- The Town building inspector page says a building permit is needed when there are structural changes; fences are not mentioned.
- The fence rules are from the Town Code Ch. 340 copy on energyzoning.org (2023); the Town posts a newer Zoning Code on its site.
- Buffers between residential and nonresidential uses may require 4-8 ft fences set by the Plan Commission (§ 340-59).
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 Town of Port Washington, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Port Washington before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance. The Town building inspector page says a building permit is needed when there are structural changes; fences are not mentioned.
How tall can a fence be in the Town of Port Washington?
Side and rear yards: 8 ft (residential districts). Front (street) yard: No closed fence or hedge within 30 ft of an adjacent right-of-way line. Corner lots: No obstructions between 2½ and 10 ft high within the intersection vision triangle.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Town of Port Washington?
Residential fences are permitted on side and rear property lines; no closed fence or hedge within 30 ft of an adjacent right-of-way. Open fences in agricultural districts are exempt from yard and distance requirements.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Town of Port Washington?
Call the Town Clerk (262-284-5235) to ask whether your fence needs a permit - the Town says to call the clerk with permit questions. Keep closed fences at least 30 ft back from the road right-of-way. 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 Town of Port Washington (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of Port Washington?
Christy DeMaster, Zoning Administrator. Phone (262) 470-2277.
Sources
Summarized from the Town of Port Washington's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Town Code § 340-88 (Yards - fences)
Work for the Town of Port Washington? 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.