How Florissant Handles Fence Regulations: A Practical Guide

Florissant maintains 116 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with fence regulations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Florissant falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Material Restrictions

Florissant bans flimsy fencing materials outright: chicken coop wire, barbed wire, snow fencing and bamboo are all forbidden, and solid-type plywood or similar wood fences and walls are banned entirely in the City's recreational and single-family residential zoning districts.

Key details: Barbed wire / chicken wire: Forbidden citywide. Solid wood/plywood fences/walls: Banned in A, R-1 through R-4, R-6. Max height, rear/side yard (A, R-districts): 6 feet. Non-chain-link fences: Must be painted/preserved. Repair deadline after notice: 45 days.

Erecting or maintaining a barbed-wire, chicken-wire, snow-fence, bamboo or solid wood/plywood fence in a district where it is banned is a Zoning Code violation. Enforcement runs through § 405.480: fines of $10 to $100 per day the violation continues, or $25 to $100 per day (or up to 10 days' imprisonment) if willful. Under § 405.220(A)(7), failing to repair or replace a deteriorated fence within 45 days of a Building Commissioner notice is a separate, ongoing violation.

Height Limits

Florissant requires a permit before any fence goes up, per Zoning Code Section 405.220, and the fee applies even to a straight replacement. In Districts "A" and "R-1" through "R-6," a rear or side yard fence tops out at six feet, and none may sit in the required front yard without Planning and Zoning Commission approval. Corner lots can't fence in front of the building line along the street side.

Key details: Permit required: yes, fee applies even to replacements. Max height, rear/side (residential): 6 feet in Districts A, R-1 through R-6. Front yard fence: needs Planning and Zoning Commission OK. Corner lots: no fence in front of building line. Repair deadline: 45 days after Building Commissioner notice.

Section 405.220 sets no fence-specific fine, so a violation, including erecting a fence without a permit or exceeding the six-foot residential cap, falls under the City's general penalty, Section 100.080: a fine up to $1,000, up to three months in the City or County Jail, or both, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense. An owner who ignores a Building Commissioner repair notice within the given period, typically forty-five days, is likewise subject to enforcement, and a denied fence permit can be appealed to the Board of Adjustment.

Retaining Walls

Florissant exempts retaining walls two feet or shorter from a building permit unless they carry a surcharge load, but any retaining wall creating more than a thirty-inch grade change within two feet of a walk, path, parking lot or driveway must have a protective guard under the Residential Code.

Key details: Permit-exempt height: 2 ft or less, no surcharge load. Guard required: grade change over 30 in within 2 ft of walk. Applies to: walk, path, parking lot, driveway high side. Governing sections: § 500.070(A) [R105.2, R312.1.5]. Commercial wall exemption: identical 2-ft rule (§ 500.050(A)(3)).

Building a retaining wall over two feet without a permit, or over any height while supporting a surcharge load without a permit, is a Building Code violation subject to the Section 100.080 general penalty referenced in Section 500.020, with each day counted separately. Failing to install the required guard where Section R312.1.5 applies is enforced the same way through the Residential Code.

Fence Permit Requirements

Every fence in Florissant needs a permit before it goes up. Property owners file an application and sketch with the Building Commissioner and pay a fee, and if Planning and Zoning Commission review is required, the Commission has 30 days to act or the application is automatically approved.

Key details: Permit required before erecting any fence: Yes, § 405.220(A)(1). Issuing office: Building Commissioner. Commission certification deadline: 7 days after fee received. Commission action deadline: 30 days, or deemed approved. Post-erection inspection: Required.

Erecting a fence without first obtaining the required permit under § 405.220(A)(1) is a Zoning Code violation, enforced under § 405.480: a misdemeanor fine of $10 to $100 per day the violation continues, rising to $25 to $100 per day (or up to 10 days' imprisonment) if the violation is willful. The Building Commissioner may also decline to issue a permit for a design found detrimental to surrounding property values or inconsistent with the neighborhood.

The Bottom Line

Florissant'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 Florissant is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Florissant 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.