7 rules for unincorporated Merced County, California.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Merced County, residential fences and walls may reach 7 feet at 15 feet or more from the property line, but are capped at 4 feet within the first 15 feet of a front setback. Sight-distance areas at intersections and driveways are limited to 2 feet 6 inches.
Unincorporated Merced County requires a building permit for any fence or wall higher than 7 feet under Chapter 18.34. Fences within the 7-foot height limit are exempt from setback requirements but must still meet sight-distance and corner-lot rules.
Merced County's Title 18 Zoning Code regulates fence height and placement but does not assign cost-sharing for boundary fences. Cost and maintenance of a shared fence between neighbors are governed by California's Good Neighbor Fence Act, Civil Code Section 841.
Merced County's zoning code exempts retaining walls less than 3 feet above finished grade from setback requirements. Separately, the California Building Code requires a building permit for any retaining wall over 4 feet high measured from the bottom of the footing, or any wall supporting a surcharge.
Beyond height, Merced County's Chapter 18.34 sets sight-distance, corner-lot, and design requirements. Fences over 7 feet need a building permit, sight-triangle obstructions are capped at 2 feet 6 inches, and walls must blend with the site's architecture and landscaping.
Merced County restricts hazardous fence materials by zone. Barbed wire, electric fence, and razor wire are allowed only in agricultural and industrial zones; barbed wire is prohibited in residential zones, and electrified fencing and razor wire are prohibited in urban and commercial zones.
Merced County's Chapter 18.34 lists approved fence materials - wood, chain link, PVC, wire mesh, steel mesh, stake, and louvered glass - and requires walls to be solid materials like concrete, concrete block, or wood. Walls and fences must blend with the site's architecture.
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