Des Plaines caps residential fences at 4 feet in front and corner side yards and 6 feet in rear and interior side yards; double-frontage lots may run a 6-foot fence along an arterial street and lots abutting a railroad may build up to 8 feet, all under City Code Section 12-8-2.
Fence height in Des Plaines is governed by Zoning Ordinance Section 12-8-2 (Fence Regulations), as summarized in the City's official Community and Economic Development handouts 'Residential Fences' and 'Permit & Inspection Guidelines: Residential Fences.' The maximum height of a fence for a residential use is four feet (4'-0") when located in front yards and corner side yards, and six feet (6'-0") when located in rear yards, interior side yards, or within the buildable area of the lot. Two exceptions allow taller fencing: double-frontage lots that abut an arterial street may install a six-foot tall fence along the property line that faces the arterial street, and lots that abut a railroad track may build a fence up to eight feet tall along the side that abuts the railroad right-of-way. The maximum height for a nonresidential use is eight feet (8'). Front yard fences carry an additional design rule: they must provide at least fifty percent (50%) open 'see-through' area of uniform distribution. Illinois has no statewide residential fence-height statute; the Illinois Fence Act (765 ILCS 130/) addresses agricultural boundary fences and cost-sharing only, so local height limits like 12-8-2 control.
A fence exceeding the 4-foot front/corner or 6-foot rear/side limits is a zoning violation enforced by the Community and Economic Development Department. Each permit is issued individually, and any exception to the height limits may require a formal Variation; non-compliant fences can be ordered lowered or removed and may trigger citations and abatement.
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Des Plaines, IL
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