7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Spokane County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Spokane County, residential fences may reach 6 feet; nonresidential fences 8 feet. In a residential front or flanking-street yard, a sight-obscuring fence is capped at 3 feet and a non-sight-obscuring fence at 4 feet.
SCC 14.812.100
Residential fences are allowed up to 6 feet in height. Nonresidential fences are allowed up to 8 feet in height. Fences within a front or flanking street yard of a residential lot are limited as follows. The maximum height for a sight-obscuring fence shall be 3 feet. The maximum height for a non-sight-obscuring fence shall be 4 feet.
In unincorporated Spokane County, fences over 7 feet in height require a building permit. Fences at or under 7 feet do not need a building permit, but must still meet the zoning height limits in SCC 14.812.100.
Spokane County Building & Planning fence permit FAQ
Fences over 7 feet in height require building permits. The height of fences that obstruct sight is limited to 36 inches within residential front and flanking street yards. Cyclone and other fences that do not obstruct sight may be 48 inches in these areas.
Spokane County's zoning code sets fence height and clear-view rules but does not resolve who pays for or owns a shared boundary fence. Cost-sharing and boundary-line disputes are governed by Washington state law and private agreement, not the county code.
SCC 14.810.200(3)
Structures less than 120 square feet may be located on a side or rear lot line.
Under the Washington State Building Code adopted by Spokane County, a retaining wall is exempt from a building permit only if it is not over 4 feet high measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, and does not support a surcharge or impound hazardous
Spokane County requires fences to comply with the clear view triangle so intersections stay visible. No sight obstruction, including fencing, is permitted within a clear view triangle established by the county Division of Engineering.
SCC 14.812.200
Sight obstructions, including fencing or structures, shall not be permitted within a 'Clear View Triangle', as determined by the Spokane County Division of Engineering. Local access streets: The clear view triangle is determined by measuring 115 feet from the center of 2 intersecting local access streets along the centerlines of each local access street.
Spokane County prohibits barbed wire fences in the Rural Activity Center, Low/Medium/High Density Residential, and Mixed Use zones (with limited utility/institutional exceptions). Electric fences are allowed only outside the urban growth area, for confining animals.
SCC 14.812.100(3)
Barbed wire fences shall be prohibited in the Rural Activity Center, Low Density Residential, Medium Density Residential, High Density Residential, and Mixed Use zones except that utility and institutional uses may use barbed wire fencing for health/safety purposes. In the Regional Commercial, Light Industrial, and Heavy Industrial zones, barbed wire may be used on the upper part of the fence.
Spokane County's zoning code does not mandate a specific fence material for standard residential fences, but it distinguishes sight-obscuring from non-sight-obscuring fences and allows hedges or shrubbery in lieu of a fence. Electric and barbed wire fencing are separately restricted.
SCC 14.812.100(1)(d)
Hedges, shrubbery, or other materials serving the same function as a fence may be used in lieu of a fence, provided they are not a part of the required landscaping.
1 cities in Spokane County have their own fence regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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