Broken Arrow's Fence Regulations: The Rules That Matter
Every city handles fence regulations a little differently. In Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, there are 4 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.
Retaining Walls
Retaining walls up to 4 feet tall are exempt from a Broken Arrow building permit; taller walls, or any wall holding back a surcharge or hazardous liquids, need one.
Key details: Permit-exempt height: 4 feet or less. Not exempt: walls with surcharge load. Not exempt: Class I/II/IIIA liquid walls. Citation: Broken Arrow Code § 6-17(b)(1)(d).
Building a retaining wall over 4 feet, or one bearing a surcharge, without first pulling a permit is a code violation subject to the Class B offense penalties that apply to unpermitted building work.
Fence Permit Requirements
Broken Arrow exempts fences up to 7 feet from a building permit: except fences abutting an arterial or collector street, which need one regardless of height.
Key details: Permit-exempt fences: up to 7 feet. Exception: abutting arterial/collector street. Exception: RD/RM/RMH abutting ag/RE/RS. Citation: Broken Arrow Code § 6-17(b)(1)(b).
Installing a fence that triggers the permit requirement without one violates Broken Arrow's building code; unpermitted work is subject to the Class B offense penalties set out for building code violations.
Material Restrictions
Broken Arrow bars chain link and wire mesh from any fence or wall its zoning ordinance requires, mandating opaque masonry, vinyl, or treated, stained or painted wood instead.
Key details: Banned materials: Chain link, wire mesh. Approved materials: Masonry, vinyl, treated wood. Barbed wire: Allowed only in floodplain. Fix window: 30 days after notice.
Noncompliant fencing found by the Code Compliance Officer must be repaired or replaced within 30 days of the violation notice, per Section 4-3-8.C.8.
Height Limits
Broken Arrow caps residential fences at 36 inches in any front yard for single-family and two-family homes, and requires corner-lot fences to preserve a 30-foot traffic visibility triangle at the property line.
Key details: Front yard cap: 36 inches. Corner visibility triangle: 30 feet each direction. Side/rear yard height: No stated cap. Fix window: 30 days after notice.
A fence the City's Code Compliance Officer finds noncompliant must be repaired or replaced within 30 days of the violation notice, per Section 4-3-8.C.8.
The Bottom Line
Broken Arrow's fence regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Broken Arrow is broadly strict or permissive.
Keep in mind that Broken Arrow can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.