Fence Regulations in Petaluma, CA (2026)
4 verified fence regulations for Petaluma, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Petaluma caps fences and walls at 42 inches within a required front or street-side setback, and at 6 feet solid (plus 2 feet of at-least-50%-open screening) elsewhere on the lot. Fences are banned outright in the Floodway zoning district, and height is measured from ground grade to the top of the fence material.
Petaluma Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsPetaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance §§ 13.020, 13.030
Table 13.1 Location of Fence or Wall Maximum Height ... Within required front setback or on the front property line | 42 inches | 8 ft. Minor decorative entry treatments (e.g. arbor, trellis, etc.) ... Within required interior side or rear setback2 | 6 ft solid2 or open fencing | 2 ft of additional screening at least 50% open ... At intersections of alleys, streets and driveways within the sigh...
Fence Permit Requirements
No fence or wall may be installed or constructed in Petaluma without an approved fence permit from the Community Development Department. Applicants must submit a scaled plot plan and a dimensional detail showing materials and proposed height from existing and finished grade.
Petaluma Fence Permit Requirement
Some RestrictionsPetaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance § 13.060
13.060 Fence Permit Required. A. No fence or wall shall in installed or constructed without the approval of a fence permit issued by the Community Development Department. B. Any person desiring to install or construct a wall or fence shall file an application with the Community Development Department. The application shall be accompanied by a plot plan drawn to scale, reflecting property lines,...
Retaining Walls
Petaluma requires any retained embankment over 48 inches high to be stepped so no single exposed retaining wall exceeds 36 inches, with at least a 36-inch step between tiers. A retaining wall in a required front setback is capped at 3 feet 6 inches and limited to 5% of the setback area.
Petaluma Retaining Wall Standards
Some RestrictionsPetaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance § 13.050
13.050 Retaining Walls. A. Retaining Walls. Any embankment to be retained that is over 48 inches in height shall be stepped so that no individual exposed retaining wall exceeds 36 inches in height, and each intervening step is a minimum width of 36 inches. 1. Retaining Walls in Required Front Setback. Retaining walls not exceeding three (3) feet, six (6) inches in height, may be permitted in th...
Material Restrictions
Petaluma Municipal Code Section 13.04.010 makes it unlawful to erect or maintain a barbed wire fence along any public street in the city, a ban that reaches every zoning district. The Implementing Zoning Ordinance carves out one narrow exception: up to one foot of vertical barbed wire on top of a fence in an Agricultural or Industrial district, with a fence permit, for outdoor storage or livestock uses.
Petaluma Barbed Wire Fence Restrictions
Significant RestrictionsPetaluma Municipal Code § 13.04.010
It is unlawful for any person to erect or maintain any barbed wire fence along any public street in the city.
Looking for Sonoma County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Petaluma city rules.
Fence Regulations in Sonoma County →