Fence Regulations in New Berlin, WI (2026)
5 verified fence regulations for New Berlin, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
New Berlin caps residential front-yard fences at 50 inches, side and rear fences at 74 inches, and nonresidential fences at 98 inches, all measured from average ground grade. A three-foot cap applies inside the vision clearance triangle on corner lots under Sec. 275-42 H(1).
New Berlin Fence Height Limits by Yard
Some RestrictionsNew Berlin Code of Ordinances § 275-42 H(1)
H.Fences.(1)Height. Fence height shall be measured from the average grade of the ground beneath the fence.(a)Residential.[1]Front yard. No fence in the front yard shall be located closer to the street than the base setback line and shall not exceed 50 inches in height. No fence in the vision clearance triangle shall exceed three feet in height above mean street grade. On corner lots, the side f...
Fence Permit Requirements
New Berlin needs no permit for a fence built within Sec. 275-42 H's standard height and material rules, but a residential front-yard fence between 50 and 74 inches needs DCD review, and any residential fence over 74 inches needs Plan Commission approval, under Sec. 275-42 H(4).
New Berlin Fence Permit Thresholds by Height
Some RestrictionsNew Berlin Code of Ordinances § 275-42 H(4)
(4)Permits. No permit is required for fences meeting the above criteria. A permit shall be required for:(a)Residential fences located in the front yard that exceed 50 inches but not more than 74 inches, provided that all other requirements for fences are met. DCD review and approval is required.(b)Residential fences exceeding 74 inches in height, provided that all other requirements for fences ...
Neighbor Fence Rules
New Berlin allows a fence to sit directly on a shared lot line only if it is built of maintenance-free material, or if it is a common-lot-line fence with a finished side facing both yards that both neighbors agree in advance to maintain, backed by a survey, under Sec. 275-42 H(2)(a).
New Berlin Shared Boundary Fence Rules
Light RestrictionsNew Berlin Code of Ordinances § 275-42 H(2)(a)
(2)Location.(a)Fences made of maintenance-free materials may be located on the lot line. Such materials include, but are not limited to, cedar, metal fences (chain-link, wrought-iron, aluminum), PVC/recycled materials, removable fencing, pressure-treated wood and other maintenance-free materials, as approved by the Director. Common-lot-line fencing that has a finished side facing both propertie...
Retaining Walls
New Berlin requires an administrative permit for any retaining wall over 16 inches tall. City Code § 275-55 A(5) treats shorter walls as unregulated curbs, sets a five-foot setback from side and rear lot lines absent Director approval, and requires walls to be engineered so they cannot collapse.
New Berlin Retaining Wall Height and Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsNew Berlin Code of Ordinances § 275-55 A(5)
(5)Retaining walls. ... The use of slopes and natural grading is encouraged. However, retaining walls exceeding 16 inches in height may be constructed only upon issuance of an administrative permit. Retaining walls may be reviewed and approved with a building permit, in which case a separate use approval permit would not be required. Retaining walls 16 inches or less in height are considered cu...
Material Restrictions
New Berlin's zoning code limits fence and wall materials citywide. Fences must use wood, stone, brick, decorative concrete block, wrought iron, or look-alike materials. Plywood, particleboard, sheet metal, and concrete slabs are barred outright, chain-link cannot serve a screening or buffering role, and barbed wire or electrical fencing is allowed only on a permitted agricultural use under Section 275-56 of the Code of Ordinances.
New Berlin Bars Barbed Wire and Electric Fencing
Some RestrictionsNew Berlin Code of Ordinances § 275-56 H(1)
(1)Materials. Fences or walls shall be constructed of wood, stone, brick, decorative concrete block, wrought iron, materials designed to resemble any of the latter materials, or a combination of any of these materials.(a)All fencing shall be finished on both sides, except fencing that is accessory to a residential use.(b)Plywood, particleboard, sheet metal, concrete slabs, concrete barriers, or...
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