How Wausau Handles Fence Regulations: A Practical Guide

Wausau maintains 127 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 Wausau falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Retaining Walls

Wausau requires a building permit before any retaining wall is built or rebuilt, and the Building Inspector can demand engineer- or architect-approved plans before signing off. Owners must also keep existing walls in safe, presentable repair or face a City-ordered fix under Municipal Code § 15.30.010 and § 15.30.020.

Key details: Permit trigger: Any new or reconstructed retaining wall. Plan approval: Building Inspector; engineer/architect if required. Appeal path: Building Advisory Board. Owner duty: Keep wall in safe, aesthetic repair. Noncompliance cost: City repairs/removes, bills owner.

Building or rebuilding a retaining wall without the required permit, or ignoring a Building Inspector order to repair or remove an unsafe wall, exposes an owner to the City performing the work and billing the full cost against the property, plus the general City forfeiture of $10.00 to $200.00 per offense under § 1.01.110 since Chapter 15.30 sets no wall-specific fine.

Height Limits

Wausau caps residential fences at four feet in the front or street yard and six feet in the side or rear yard across most residential districts, with eight feet allowed in RH-35 and the commercial and industrial districts. Every fence near a street corner must also clear a 20-to-30-foot vision triangle so drivers can see cross traffic.

Key details: Front/street yard max: 4 feet in every district. Side/rear yard max (residential): 6 feet. Side/rear yard max (RH-35, commercial, industrial): 8 feet. Vision triangle, local streets: 20 feet from intersection. Vision triangle, collector/arterial: 30 feet from intersection.

A fence built above the district height cap or placed inside the required vision triangle is out of compliance with the Zoning Administrator's review, who approves every fence under section 23.06.40(3) before or after installation. Owners found in violation must lower, relocate, or thin the fence to restore the sightline or meet the height cap, and the Administrator can require correction before signing off on a related building permit or site plan.

Material Restrictions

Wausau's zoning code bans rope, wire netting, broken glass, corrugated or galvanized sheet metal, plywood, pallets, and plastic panels in any fence, and forbids permanent chicken wire or snow fencing. Chain link is barred from front yards in every residential district, and barbed wire is allowed only on top of security fencing in industrial or institutional zones.

Key details: Banned materials: rope, wire netting, plywood, plastic panels. Chicken wire/snow fence: never permitted as permanent fencing. Chain link gauge: minimum nine-gauge with top rail. Chain link front yards: barred in all residential districts. Barbed wire height: only atop fence, 6+ feet up.

The Zoning Administrator reviews every proposed fence under section 23.06.40(3) and can reject a permit application that specifies a banned material or an out-of-district barbed wire installation. A fence already built with a prohibited material, undersized chain link gauge, or barbed wire outside the approved industrial and institutional districts must be rebuilt or removed to bring the property into compliance.

This is one of the stricter rules in Wausau's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Fence Permit Requirements

Every fence in Wausau needs the Zoning Administrator's review and approval plus a building permit, unless the design instead triggers a conditional use permit. The only exception is temporary fencing: snow fences from November 1 to April 1, and construction or excavation barriers tied to an active building permit.

Key details: Standard fence permit: Zoning Administrator review + building permit. Some fences: may need a conditional use permit instead. Snow fence exemption window: November 1 to April 1. Construction fence exemption: valid only with an active building permit. Governing section: Wausau Municipal Code § 23.06.40(3)-(4).

Installing a permanent fence without the required Zoning Administrator review and building permit puts the property out of compliance with section 23.06.40(3), and the Administrator can require the owner to submit the fence for after-the-fact review or remove it. Temporary fencing left up past its exempt window, such as a snow fence still standing after April 1 or a construction fence kept after its building permit closes, loses its exemption and needs its own permit to stay.

The Bottom Line

Wausau'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 Wausau is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Wausau's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.