Aurora limits residential fences to a maximum height of 6 feet (including posts and end caps), restricts fences within 15 feet of intersecting property lines at public streets, walks, driveways, bike paths, or walking paths to 3 feet for sight-triangle visibility, prohibits chain link in any front yard or along a public right-of-way, and requires a fence permit from the City Building & Permits Division (630-256-3130) before installation, with at least a 1-foot setback from any public sidewalk.
Aurora's residential fence rules are administered by the Building & Permits Division (630-256-3130) under the City's Zoning Ordinance and Property Standards Code, and applicants must submit the Fence permit application together with a current plat of survey showing fence heights and locations drawn to scale. Maximum height for a residential fence is 6 feet (including posts and end caps); 8 feet is allowed for screening purposes (commonly commercial bulk-material screening). Within 15 feet of intersecting property lines at public streets, walks, driveways, bike paths, or walking paths the fence may not exceed 3 feet to preserve driver and pedestrian sight lines. Fences adjacent to a public sidewalk must be set back at least 1 foot from the sidewalk and may not extend past the property line. Chain link is prohibited in any front yard and along any public right-of-way; wire mesh, broken or scrap boards, tarps, fabrics, and similar non-standard materials are also prohibited. Approved residential materials include ornamental iron, vinyl, masonry, stone, pressure-treated lumber, and wood with natural decay resistance. Fences are not allowed in the public right-of-way, in FEMA-designated floodways, in drainage swales (a minimum 6-inch grade clearance applies), or within recorded easements without prior permit review and written utility-company permission. Aurora also enforces the Illinois Smoke Detector Act (425 ILCS 60) and the Illinois Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector Act inside the dwelling, but those are unrelated to the fence permit itself. Confirm corner-lot and HOA-specific overlays with the Building & Permits Division before purchasing materials, since HOA covenants in Aurora subdivisions often impose stricter material and color restrictions than the City code.
Installing a fence without a City of Aurora fence permit, exceeding the 6-foot residential maximum (or 8 feet for screening), placing a fence taller than 3 feet within 15 feet of a street, walk, driveway, or bike-path intersection, using chain link in a front yard or along a public right-of-way, or encroaching on the public right-of-way, a FEMA floodway, a drainage swale, or a utility/drainage easement without written permission is enforced by the Building & Permits Division and Property Standards. The City may issue stop-work orders, require removal or after-the-fact permitting, and pursue penalties under the Code of Ordinances general penalty section, with each day of violation a separate offense.
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