Amherst, NY Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Section 7-5-1 sets the baseline: no fence or wall in a residential district may exceed six feet in height, except where the lot abuts a nonresidential district, in which case eight feet is allowed, and a fence or wall enclosing a tennis court may reach 12 feet. The Planning Board or Planning Director can also require fencing, vegetation or other screening in nonresidential districts that abut residential districts to protect the residential side's privacy and visual, noise and air quality. Section 7-5-3 limits front-yard fencing further: no fence or wall other than a necessary retaining wall may exceed three feet if it extends into the required front yard, except in an industrial district, though fencing up to six feet may extend into a required exterior side yard under the exceptions in § 2-5-2(A)(5).

Section 7-5-4 measures fence height from the average finished grade as determined by the Commissioner of Building, generally following the lay of the land. Corner lots carry an added restriction under § 2-5-1's clear vision triangle, formed 35 feet from the intersection of right-of-way lines: within that triangle, no fence, wall, ornamental gate, bushes, shrubbery or stored material may exceed two feet above average finished grade, and trees must be trimmed so no branches sit lower than eight feet.