City of Whitewater fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Whitewater? Not confirmed. Contact the City of Whitewater 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 Whitewater (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 or less (taller only with written approval of the community development director) source
- Front (street) yard
- 4 ft or less in front yards source
- Corner lots
- 15-ft fence-free vision triangle at driveway openings onto a public right-of-way source
- Distance from lot line
- Residential fences are permitted within or on the property line. source
- Good side faces
- The finished face of the fence shall face outward. source
- Not allowed
- Approved materials: naturally resistant or treated wood, brick or masonry, natural stone, wrought iron, vinyl, galvanized and/or coated chain link; other materials need the community development director's approval. source
- How to apply
- Call 262-473-0144 source
Still being confirmed with Whitewater: Does Whitewater still ask homeowners to file its fence documentation form (not a permit) for fences 6 ft or under?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Whitewater
- Check that your fence meets the height limits (4 ft front, 6 ft side/rear) and faces its finished side outward.
- Contact Neighborhood Services (Llana Dostie, 262-473-0144, or City Hall 262-473-0500) to ask whether the City's fence documentation form is still used and whether anything must be filed.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
Llana Dostie
Neighborhood Services Administrative Assistant
- Phone
- 262-473-0144
- [email protected]
- Address
- City of Whitewater, 312 W Whitewater Street, P.O. Box 178, Whitewater, WI 53190
Contact from mccmeetingspublic.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net — ITEM Attachment 001 92e420b28d934e209cc77e95f104346a
Other rules to know
- Materials must be consistent; fences must be kept in good repair, including paint or stain (Sec. 19.06.120(3)).
- A 2023 City fence documentation application stated it was "not a permit, but a memorandum of understanding"; fences over 6 ft in a side or rear yard need written approval of the Director of Neighborhood Services and a Building Permit.
- A 6-ft fence in a street yard needs a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals ($200.00 variance application fee in 2023).
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 Whitewater, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the City of Whitewater before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Whitewater?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft or less (taller only with written approval of the community development director). Front (street) yard: 4 ft or less in front yards. Corner lots: 15-ft fence-free vision triangle at driveway openings onto a public right-of-way.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Whitewater?
Residential fences are permitted within or on the property line.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Whitewater?
The finished face of the fence shall face outward.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Whitewater?
Check that your fence meets the height limits (4 ft front, 6 ft side/rear) and faces its finished side outward. Contact Neighborhood Services (Llana Dostie, 262-473-0144, or City Hall 262-473-0500) to ask whether the City's fence documentation form is still used and whether anything must be filed. 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 Whitewater (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Whitewater?
Llana Dostie, Neighborhood Services Administrative Assistant. Phone 262-473-0144, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the City of Whitewater's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Zoning Code Sec. 19.06.120(3) Yard modifications - fences
Work for the City of Whitewater? 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.