On Hawaii Island a perimeter fence or wall six feet or less needs no yard setback and is not a structure. See-through strand fencing (barbed wire, hog wire, chain link) may reach eight feet. Corner-lot sight triangles cap fences at three feet.
The County Zoning Code governs fences island-wide (no city government exists). Section 25-4-43(a) lets a solid perimeter fence or wall up to six feet stand on the property line without front, side, or rear yard requirements, and it is not treated as a structure. See-through strand material (barbed wire, hog wire, chain link) is allowed to eight feet. Anything over six feet is an accessory structure that may not project into a required yard (25-4-43(c)). On corner lots, within the 25-foot sight-distance triangle no fence, wall, or hedge may exceed three feet (25-4-42(b)).
Zoning violations are handled by the Planning Department; unpermitted over-height walls may require correction, permitting, or removal, plus applicable code-enforcement fines.
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