Lakewood's Fence Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles fence regulations a little differently. In Lakewood, Colorado, 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

In Lakewood, Colorado, a retaining wall over 3 feet tall needs a building permit under the Zoning Ordinance, and the Municipal Code's grading chapter separately requires a Colorado-licensed Professional Engineer to design and seal any wall exceeding 30 inches. Plan review and permit fees are billed apart from general grading fees, and walls in the right-of-way get engineering-staff inspection.

Key details: Zoning permit trigger: Wall over 3 feet tall (ZO Sec. 17.6.6.1.B). Engineer seal required: Any wall over 30 inches (MC Sec. 14.21.150.A). Combined fence+wall cap: 6 ft high grade / 8 ft low grade. Plan review/permit fees: Separate fee set by City Council resolution. Appeal deadline: 14 days to Planning Commission.

Building or altering a retaining wall without the required permit, engineer's seal, or plan review is a code violation. Section 14.21.160.D lets the Director issue a stop work order for any violation of Chapter 14.21, including unpermitted retaining wall work. Absent a chapter-specific fine, violations fall under the citywide general penalty in Municipal Code Sec. 1.16.020(A): a fine of up to $2,650, imprisonment of up to 365 days, or both, per offense, adjusted annually for inflation.

Fence Permit Requirements

Lakewood, Colorado requires an administrative fence permit before any fence is installed or replaced anywhere in the city, under Zoning Ordinance § 17.2.14. The Planning Director reviews complete applications and must approve or deny within 15 days; the property owner, a consenting tenant, or a City-registered contractor may apply, and the Director's decision is final.

Key details: Permit required for: installation or replacement of any fence. Review authority: Planning Director, decision is final. Decision timeline: 15 days from complete application. Eligible applicants: owner, consenting tenant, or registered contractor. Permit validity: 180 days to start work, one extension.

If the City finds permitted work deviates from the approved application, § 17.2.14.3.C.3 requires notice to the applicant and property owner, with 15 days to correct the violation; an uncorrected violation triggers permit revocation by mailed notice, after which the owner or contractor gets five more days to fix it. A fence built with no permit at all draws written notice under § 17.2.14.3.C.4, and the owner or contractor must correct it within five working days.

Material Restrictions

Lakewood's Zoning Ordinance bans aluminum siding, vehicle parts, smooth-face concrete block, tarps and scrap wood as fencing, and restricts barbed wire to 12 inches atop a 72-inch fence in the R-1-43 district only.

Key details: Barbed wire allowed: R-1-43 district only. Barbed wire max: 12 in. above 72-in. fence. Banned materials: aluminum siding, vehicle parts, tarps. Temporary/plastic fencing: not allowed as permanent.

Installing barbed wire outside the R-1-43 district, or using a banned material such as scrap wood or vehicle parts, is a zoning violation requiring the fence's removal or replacement.

Height Limits

Lakewood, Colorado caps front-yard fences at 4 feet and 50 percent open, while rear and side yard fences may run solid up to 6 feet.

Key details: Front yard max: 4 ft, 50% open. Rear/side yard max: 6 ft, may be solid. Recreational fence max: 10 ft in side/rear yard. Permit trigger: over 8 ft long or 6 ft high.

A solid front-yard privacy fence over 4 feet, or a rear/side fence over 6 feet without qualifying as a recreational facility fence, is out of compliance and can be ordered corrected by the City.

The Bottom Line

Lakewood'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 Lakewood is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Lakewood's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.