Height Limits: Santa Rosa vs Sonoma

How tall can my fence be in Santa Rosa?

Front yard fences are limited to 3 feet solid or 4 feet if at least 50% open. Side and rear fences can be up to 6 feet. A Minor Use Permit allows up to 8 feet.

Do corner lots have special fence rules?

Yes. Corner lot fences must maintain sight-distance triangles at intersections for traffic safety, which may limit heights near the corner.

How tall can my front-yard fence be in unincorporated Sonoma County?

In residential and recreation/visitor-serving zoning districts (AR, RR, R1, R2, R3, K), fences in the front-yard setback may not exceed 3 feet in height under Sonoma County Code Sec. 26-88-030. The same 3-foot limit applies within 15 feet of any street corner (the visibility triangle). Once you're outside the required front-yard setback (typically 20-30 feet from the front property line, depending on zone), there's no height limit from Article 88, though structures over 7 feet (solid materials) or 10 feet (any material) require a building permit under California Building Code Sec. R105.2. In agricultural and resource districts (LEA, LIA, DA, RRD) and in commercial and industrial districts (C1-C3, M1-M3, etc.), there are no setback or height restrictions for fences. If your parcel is in a Scenic Resources (SR), Visitor Open Highway (VOH), or Coastal (CC) combining district along designated scenic corridors like Highway 1, Highway 12, or the Russian River, additional siting, color, and materials standards apply. Heights above the limits in Sec. 26-88-030 may be authorized by Minor Use Permit through Permit Sonoma Planning.

How tall can my back or side fence be in Sonoma County?

Six feet in the side and rear setbacks of residential and K-zone parcels under Sonoma County Code Sec. 26-88-030. Outside the required setbacks (i.e., in the buildable area of the parcel), there's no height limit from Sec. 26-88-030, but fences exceeding 7 feet of solid wood, concrete, metal, or masonry construction, or any fence exceeding 10 feet, require a building permit under California Building Code Sec. R105.2 as adopted in Chapter 7 of the Sonoma County Code. Agricultural fencing (split-rail, post-and-wire, deer-resistant) in AR and RR zones may reach 8 feet without a permit, provided it qualifies as agricultural fencing. In LEA, LIA, DA, RRD agricultural and resource districts, and in commercial and industrial districts, there are no fence height limits in Sec. 26-88-030. All fences must be at least 6 inches outside any public right-of-way or recorded easement. If you want a 7-foot or 8-foot solid fence in a residential setback, apply for a Minor Use Permit through Permit Sonoma.

Do scenic corridor rules limit fences along Highway 12 or the Russian River?

Yes. Many parcels along designated scenic corridors in unincorporated Sonoma County are within Scenic Resources (SR), Visitor Open Highway (VOH), Russian River Recreation and Visitor-Serving (RR-RV), or Coastal (CC) combining districts, which add visual-resource standards on top of Sec. 26-88-030's base height limits. Article 64 of Chapter 26 governs the Scenic Resources combining district, which applies along Highway 1 from Bodega Bay to Gualala, Highway 12 through Sonoma Valley, Highway 116 along the Russian River, Highway 121, Highway 128, the Wine Trail, and other corridors. Fence materials may need to be natural (split-rail, wire, stone) or use earth-tone colors; solid privacy fences may not be allowed along the road frontage; and Administrative Design Review or Design Review Committee approval may be required. In the Coastal Zone (CC suffix - Bodega Bay, Jenner, Sea Ranch, Russian River mouth, Goat Rock), Chapter 26C of the County Code applies and a Coastal Development Permit may be required for fences in shoreline areas, public-access easement corridors, or environmentally sensitive habitat areas. Contact Permit Sonoma Planning before installing a fence in any of these combining districts.