Fence Regulations in Cocoa, FL

If you live in Cocoa or are thinking about moving there, fence regulations are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Cocoa has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of fence regulations, and some of them might surprise you.

Material Restrictions

Cocoa's fence code bans broken glass, razor wire, chicken wire, corrugated or sheet metal, plastic slats, scrap metal, signs and similar materials from any residential, commercial or industrial fence or wall. Barbed wire is prohibited citywide except in the M-2 Manufacturing and Industrial district, where it must run as angled outriggers at least 6 feet above grade, per Appendix A, Article XIII, Section 5.

Key details: Barbed wire: Prohibited citywide except M-2 zone. M-2 barbed wire rule: Angled outriggers, 6 feet above grade. Also banned materials: Broken glass, razor wire, chicken wire, scrap metal. Chain link (residential): Only behind front of principal structure. Maximum penalty: $500 fine or 60 days jail.

A fence built with a banned material, such as razor wire, broken glass or unauthorized barbed wire, is enforced under Appendix A, Article XXIV, Section 1: the city's code enforcement board, or civil or criminal court action, can order compliance, with fines up to $500 and up to 60 days imprisonment for a conviction. The city manager can also order immediate removal of any fence material creating a hazardous condition.

Height Limits

Cocoa's zoning code caps residential fences at 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet along side and rear lot lines, dropping to just 3 feet inside the site-visibility triangle near any intersection or railroad crossing. Height is measured from the highest ground within 5 feet of the shared property line, and Appendix A, Article XIII, Section 5 requires a building permit before any fence or wall goes up.

Key details: Front yard height (residential): 4 feet maximum. Side/rear yard height (residential): 6 feet maximum. Visibility triangle height: 3 feet within 20 feet of intersection. Permit required: Building permit with boundary survey. Maximum penalty: $500 fine or 60 days jail.

Fence and wall violations run through Appendix A, Article XXIV, Section 1: the city's code enforcement board, or a civil or criminal action, can pursue any breach, with fines up to $500 and up to 60 days imprisonment. A fence built without the required permit, or that blocks visibility at a corner, can also be ordered removed or lowered immediately by the city manager as a hazardous obstruction, with notice and appeal handled under Section 9-2 of the City Code.

Retaining Walls

Cocoa doesn't set a citywide retaining-wall height or permit rule outside flood-hazard land, but inside a regulated floodway a retaining wall that involves placing fill must pass a floodway encroachment analysis proving it won't raise the base flood elevation.

Key details: Governing sections: City Code §§ 6-379, 6-360. Floodway retaining walls: need encroachment analysis. Standard: zero rise in base flood elevation. Citywide height cap: none in the code. Adopted: Ord. No. 12-2014, 3-11-2014.

A retaining wall built in a regulated floodway without the required encroachment analysis and floodplain administrator approval is enforced under the same floodplain ordinance framework as other unpermitted floodway development: the floodplain administrator can require removal or correction, and the work can also be pursued as a building-code violation for lack of the underlying building permit.

The rules around retaining walls in Cocoa lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Fence Permit Requirements

Cocoa requires a building permit before any fence or wall is erected, constructed, installed or replaced anywhere in the city. Appendix A, Article XIII, Section 5(c) requires the application to include a certified boundary survey showing property lines, the fence's exact location and dimensions, setbacks to existing structures and easements, and the construction material.

Key details: Permit required: Before any fence/wall built, altered or replaced. Application must include: Certified boundary survey. Nonconforming compliance deadline: February 24, 2014. Waiver process: Board of Adjustment, Art. XVII Sec. 8. Maximum penalty: $500 fine or 60 days jail.

Installing a fence or wall without the required building permit is enforced under Appendix A, Article XXIV, Section 1: the city may pursue the violation through its code enforcement board or through civil or criminal court action, with a conviction carrying a fine of up to $500, imprisonment of up to 60 days, or both. Unpermitted fences that also violate height, material or setback standards face the same enforcement path.

The Bottom Line

Cocoa'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 Cocoa is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Cocoa's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.