How Huntington Handles Fence Regulations: A Practical Guide

Huntington maintains 128 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 Huntington falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Fence Permit Requirements

In the Town of Huntington, any fence taller than six feet needs a building permit from the Department of Engineering Services before it goes up. Fence posts and decorative tops are capped at six feet six inches without a permit. Deer fences get a carve-out: they can rise to eight feet with no permit at all.

Key details: Permit trigger: Fence over 6 feet requires a permit. Issuing agency: Department of Engineering Services. Post height cap: 6 ft 6 in without a permit. Deer fence exception: Up to 8 ft, no permit needed. First-offense fine: $250 to $5,000 (§ 87-45(A)).

Building without the required fence permit is enforced under the general Chapter 87 penalty schedule at § 87-45(A): a first offense carries a fine of $250 to $5,000, a second offense within five years jumps to $1,000 to $10,000, and a third offense in that window runs $1,500 to $15,000. Each day the unpermitted fence stands counts as a separate offense, so penalties compound the longer it is left up.

Material Restrictions

Huntington's deer-management law lets residents install commercially approved deer fencing up to eight feet without a standard building permit, but bans razor wire, barbed wire, chicken wire, chain link, cloth, canvas, or any electrically charged fencing from being used as, or as part of, that fencing.

Key details: Statute: Town Code § 78-41(A)(1), Deer Management. Banned materials: Razor wire, barbed wire, chicken wire, chain link, cloth, canvas, electric. Permit break: Deer fence up to 8 ft needs no building permit. General fence cap: 6 ft before a building permit is required. First-offense fine: $100-$1,000 (§ 78-50(A)).

Town Code § 78-50(A) sets a fine of $100 to $1,000 for a first Article VII offense, $500 to $2,500 for a second offense within five years, and $750 to $5,000 for a third or later offense within five years. The Bureau of Administrative Adjudication may impose the same ranges, and the Town Attorney can pursue civil penalties of up to $500 per day or an injunction.

Retaining Walls

Retaining walls over four feet, combined height if tiered, need a building permit from Huntington's Department of Engineering Services. Crib walls face their own limits: no more than four feet of exposed face and eight feet of cumulative height. Walls the Town flags as hazardous must carry a 36-inch guard rail with no gaps wider than four inches.

Key details: Permit trigger: Walls over 4 ft (combined if tiered). Issuing agency: Department of Engineering Services. Crib wall face cap: 4 feet exposed vertical face. Crib wall cumulative cap: 8 feet total height. Hazard guard height: At least 36 inches.

Constructing or modifying a retaining wall over four feet without the required permit falls under the same Chapter 87 penalty structure at § 87-45(A): fines of $250 to $5,000 for a first offense, $1,000 to $10,000 for a second offense within five years, and $1,500 to $15,000 for a third, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The Town Board can also order removal or remediation of an unsafe wall.

Height Limits

A fence anywhere in the Town of Huntington may rise to six feet without triggering permit review, and posts or ornamental caps get an extra six inches, six feet six inches total, before a permit is required. Deer fencing is the one carve-out, allowed up to eight feet outright. Height is always measured from grade to the fence's highest point.

Key details: As-of-right height: 6 feet, no yard distinction. Posts/caps allowance: Up to 6 ft 6 in. Deer fence exception: Up to 8 feet, no permit. Measurement point: Grade to fence's highest point. Wall-mounted fence: Measured from wall's base grade.

An over-height fence built without the required permit is prosecuted under the Chapter 87 penalty scale in § 87-45(A): fines run $250 to $5,000 for a first conviction, $1,000 to $10,000 for a second within five years, and $1,500 to $15,000 for a third. Every day the noncompliant fence remains standing counts as a fresh, separately punishable offense.

The Bottom Line

Huntington'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 Huntington is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Huntington 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.