How Oak Lawn Handles Fence Regulations: A Practical Guide
Oak Lawn maintains 130 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 Oak Lawn falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Fence Permit Requirements
Oak Lawn requires a permit before erecting any fence, issued by the director of the office of quality control for a $30 fee.
Key details: Permit required: Before erecting any fence. Permit fee: $30.00. Issuing office: Director, office of quality control. Residential height cap: 6 feet, rear/side yard. Prohibited materials: Barbed wire, chicken wire (residential).
Erecting a fence without a permit, or in violation of the design standards, is enforced by the office of quality control; general code penalty provisions apply absent a specific fine in this chapter.
Material Restrictions
Oak Lawn bans barbed wire, electrically charged wire, chicken wire, mesh wire, snow fence and solid concrete block on residential fences, and separately lists barbed wire as a nuisance in residential districts.
Key details: Barbed/electric wire: Banned residential, allowed commercial 7ft+. Also banned: Chicken wire, mesh wire, snow fence, concrete block. Nuisance overlay: § 8-1-3(N) also bans residential barbed wire. Fine range: $10 to $750 per violation.
Violating the fence chapter's material rules draws a fine of $10 to $750 per violation under section 6-11-7, with each day a noncompliant fence remains up counting as a separate offense.
This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Oak Lawn actively enforces its material restrictions requirements.
Height Limits
Residential fences in Oak Lawn top out at 6 feet between buildings or in the rear yard, and can't cross the front yard building line or the side street yard on a corner lot. A $30 permit is required before construction.
Key details: Residential max height: 6 feet. Corner lot: no fence past side street yard. Front yard: no fence past building line. Permit fee: $30, before construction. Fine range: $10-$750 per day.
Fines run $10 to $750 per violation under § 6-11-7, with each day a noncompliant fence stays up counting as a separate offense. Fences built without the required permit or past the allowed line are also subject to correction orders from the office of quality control.
Neighbor Fence Rules
Oak Lawn requires fences to be installed with the finished (smooth) side facing the neighboring property. Oak Lawn does not mediate private boundary disputes, which are civil matters governed by Illinois property law.
Key details: Finished Side: Must face neighbor. Neighbor Consent: Not required by village. Survey: Recommended before install. Disputes: Civil matter, not village. Contact: Building (708) 499-7830.
Fences installed with the rough side facing outward may receive correction notices requiring reinstallation with the correct orientation, with fines of $50 to $200 for non-compliance. Encroaching fences must be removed or relocated by the owner; failure to do so may result in civil lawsuits from neighbors.
The Bottom Line
Oak Lawn'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 Oak Lawn is broadly strict or permissive.
Keep in mind that Oak Lawn 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.