Everett, MA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Height cap
- 2 1/2 feet above the adjacent ground
- Where it applies
- Within 5 feet of the front lot line
- Covered items
- Fence, hedge, wall, sign, other structure or vegetation
- Exception
- Owner shows visibility from driveways is not restricted
- General penalty
- Up to $300.00 per offense under Section 1-8
- Governing text
- Everett Revised Ordinances Section 17-116(n)
Summary
In the City of Everett, Massachusetts, Section 17-116(n) of the Revised Ordinances holds a fence, hedge, wall, sign or other structure or vegetation to 2 1/2 feet above the adjacent ground within 5 feet of the front lot line, unless the owner can show that visibility for a vehicle leaving a driveway is not restricted.
(n) A fence, hedge, wall, sign or other structure or vegetation may be maintained on any lot provided 2 1/2 feet in height above the adjacent ground within 5 feet of the front lot line unless it can be shown that such vegetation or structure will not restrict visibility in such a way as to hinder the safe entry of a vehicle from any driveway to the street.
Full Breakdown
The front-yard height rule sits in Section 17-116, Specific Conditions for Driveways, inside Chapter 17 (Streets, Sidewalks and Other Outdoor Spaces) of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Everett, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, enacted by the Everett City Council. Subsection (n) names a long list of things it covers: a fence, hedge, wall, sign or other structure or vegetation on any lot. The figure to remember is 2 1/2 feet in height above the adjacent ground, measured within 5 feet of the front lot line. The stated concern is the safe entry of a vehicle from any driveway to the street.
The exception is built into the sentence. The 2 1/2 foot cap gives way only where it can be shown that the vegetation or structure will not restrict visibility in a way that hinders a vehicle entering the street. The wording puts the showing on the property owner, and the section as printed does not name the official who accepts it.
Because the rule lives in the driveway article, it works alongside the neighboring driveway conditions. Subsection (a) of Section 17-116 says no construction activity on driveways shall begin without a driveway permit, and subsection (c) makes all driveway work subject to the zoning ordinance, including the landscape requirements. Subsection (o) bars parking within the front yard setback, subsection (p) bars impervious materials in the front yard setback except walkways (walkway maximum width 4 feet) and driveway entrances, and subsection (s) sets any driveway flare out back 10 feet from the street lot line with a width not exceeding 9 feet.
A fence near a street line also triggers Section 17-7(a): no person shall erect any fence on the line of any public way without first ascertaining the bounds of the street from the city engineer. If a fence encroaches on a street and the owner refuses to remove it after notice, the city services commission can remove it at the owner's expense and have the offender prosecuted. Barbed and razor wire on top of a fence is a separate rule in Section 17-7(b).
Violations & Fines
Section 17-116(n) prints no penalty of its own, so the general penalty in Section 1-8 applies: a penalty not to exceed $300.00 per offense, set at $25.00 for a first offense, $50.00 for a second, $100.00 for a third and $300.00 for a fourth and later offense. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate violation, and the enforcing agent writes it as a ticket under the Non-Criminal Disposition Ordinance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a fence be near the front lot line in Everett, Massachusetts?
Does the 2 1/2 foot limit apply to hedges and plantings in Everett?
Who decides whether the visibility exception applies?
Do I need a permit before building a fence on the edge of a street in Everett?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Everett
How Everett compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Everett to another location·View the Massachusetts fence regulations overview
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Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle height limits.