Fence Regulations in Salinas, CA (2026)
5 verified fence regulations for Salinas, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Salinas Zoning Code Section 37-50.090(d) caps residential fences, walls, and hedges at three feet in front yards and within ten feet of a corner side property line, rising to eight feet in interior side and rear yards. A corner side yard fence set back at least ten feet from the property line may also reach eight feet, subject to driveway visibility rules.
Salinas Fence Height Limits by Yard
Some RestrictionsSalinas, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 37-50.090(d) (Fences, Walls, and Hedges: Location and Maximum Height)
(d)Location and Maximum Height. The maximum height of fences, walls, and hedges in required yards (also see Section 37-50.090(e): Required Walls) shall be as follows:(1)Residential and Agricultural Districts (See Figure 37-50.20).(A)Front yards: three feet;(B)Corner side yards:(i)Within ten feet of a corner side property line: three feet, or(ii)If setback a minimum of ten feet from the corner s...
Fence Permit Requirements
Salinas classifies any fence taller than 6 feet (1,829 mm) as a 'Utility and Miscellaneous Group U' structure under the building code, the same classification used for carports, sheds, and retaining walls. That threshold is what pulls a fence out of routine yard construction and into the adopted California Building Code's structural, fire, and life-safety requirements, which the city administers through its building permit process.
Salinas Tall Fence Building Code Classification
Some RestrictionsSalinas, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 9-06.37 (Utility and Miscellaneous Group U)
Utility and miscellaneous Group U includes buildings that are accessory in character and miscellaneous structures not classified in any specific occupancy in the building code, including, but not limited to, agricultural buildings, aircraft hangars (accessory to a one- or two-family residence), barns, carports, fences more than 6 feet (1829 mm) high, grain silos (accessory to a residential occu...
Neighbor Fence Rules
Salinas regulates fences through Sec. 21-10 to 21-15 of the Municipal Code: the building official can order a fence built on an unsightly or unsafe vacant lot, banned materials like flattened tin cans, cardboard, tar paper, and broken boards can't be used in any fence, and every fence must be kept in a safe, uniform, well-maintained condition.
Salinas Fence Construction and Repair Rules
Some RestrictionsSalinas, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 21-10 to 21-15 (Fences)
Sec. 21-11. - Same—When required. The building official may require the construction of a fence on any vacant property where the unsightly or unsafe condition of such property makes said fence necessary in the public interest. Sec. 21-12. - Same—Construction. It shall be unlawful to construct any fence or any part thereof in a manner or of materials not permitted for use in permanent exterior ...
Retaining Walls
A retaining wall in a Salinas floodway that involves placing fill must meet the same floodway limitations as sidewalks and driveways, plus the site-grading requirements of Chapter 18 of the adopted building code. Floodways are the fastest, most hazardous part of a special flood hazard area, and the city bars any encroachment there unless an engineer certifies it will not raise the base flood elevation.
Salinas Retaining Walls in Floodways Rule
Significant RestrictionsSalinas, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 9-06.45 (Retaining Walls, Sidewalks and Driveways in Floodways)
Retaining walls and sidewalks and driveways that involve placement of fill in floodways shall meet the limitations of Section 9-06.48 of these regulations and the requirements for site grading in Chapter 18 of the building code.
Material Restrictions
Salinas Zoning Code Section 37-50.090(k) bans barbed wire, razor wire, and electrically charged fencing in every district except limited industrial zones, and prohibits chain link fencing in any front or corner side yard, or required landscape planter, in residential, commercial, and mixed use districts.
Salinas Barbed Wire and Chain Link Fence Rules
Significant RestrictionsSalinas, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 37-50.090(k) (Fences, Walls, and Hedges: Prohibited Fences)
(k)Prohibited Fences.(1)No barbed wire or razor wire or similar fencing is permitted in any district, except that barbed wire may be allowed for security or safety purposes in the IG (General Industrial) district (when not visible from an arterial, collector street, or U.S. Highway 101), and in the IBP (Industrial-Business Park), and in the IGC (Industrial-General Commercial) districts if not v...
Looking for Monterey County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Salinas city rules.
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