Material Restrictions: Colorado Springs vs Manitou Springs
How do material restrictions rules compare between Colorado Springs, CO and Manitou Springs, CO?
Manitou Springs has fewer restrictions than Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs, CO
El Paso County
Colorado Springs permits masonry, solid wood, and chain-link with permahedge inserts or opaque slats, but prohibits tarps, plastic sheeting, and polypropylene when visible off-site, and tightly restricts barbed wire, razor wire, and electric shock fencing.
View full Colorado Springs rules →Manitou Springs, CO
El Paso County
El Paso County regulates fence materials through the Land Development Code Chapter 5. Wood, vinyl, wrought iron, tubular steel, and chain-link are permitted in residential zones. Barbed wire banned in RS-zoned areas. HOAs in Briargate, Flying Horse, Wolf Ranch, and Broadmoor often require cedar, wrought iron, or ornamental metal only.
View full Manitou Springs rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Colorado Springs | Manitou Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Permitted | Masonry, solid wood, chain-link with inserts/opaque slats | - |
| Prohibited off-site visible | Tarps, plastic sheeting, polypropylene | - |
| Barbed/razor wire | Commercial/industrial only, 6 ft+ above grade | - |
| Residential razor wire | Prohibited | - |
| Code Section | UDC 7.4.910D | - |
| Approved | - | Wood, vinyl, iron, steel |
| Chain-Link | - | Rear/side yards only |
| Barbed Wire | - | Banned in RS zones |
| Agricultural | - | Electric fence OK |
| HOA | - | Often cedar-only |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Colorado Springs FAQ
Can I use plain chain-link for my fence?
UDC 7.4.910D requires chain-link to have permahedge inserts or opaque slats; the city's Fences page treats bare chain-link without inserts or slats as a non-permitted permanent fencing material.
Is barbed wire allowed on a residential fence?
Barbed wire may not run along public rights-of-way, sidewalks, or open spaces and may not extend into the required front yard setback, and razor wire is prohibited entirely for residential uses (UDC 7.4.910D.3).
Can I hang a tarp on my fence for privacy?
No. UDC 7.4.910D.2 prohibits tarps, plastic sheeting, and polypropylene as screening when visible from beyond the property boundaries, except for snow fence or active construction projects.
Manitou Springs FAQ
Can I install a chain-link fence in Colorado Springs?
Chain-link is permitted but typically restricted to side and rear yards in residential districts under CSCC §7.3.304. Front-yard chain-link is generally prohibited in R-1 and R-2 zones. Check your HOA covenants — many master-planned communities prohibit chain-link entirely.
Is barbed wire allowed on my 5-acre Black Forest property?
Barbed wire is prohibited in RR-5 and RR-2.5 residential zones, but permitted on A-35 Agricultural parcels under El Paso County LDC Chapter 5. Even in agricultural zones, standard practice is 3-strand smooth wire for livestock fencing.
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