Gardena, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Gardena Municipal Code § 18.42.070(A)(1) allows a fence up to eight feet in height along side or rear property lines for residential uses. Within the required front yard setback, however, § 18.42.070(A)(2)(c) limits fences and hedges to three and one-half feet on interior lots and three feet on corner lots; beyond the front setback, fences in the front yard may rise to the full eight feet. Cluster developments with perimeter fencing get an exception under § 18.42.070(A)(2)(d): fences in the front setback may reach eight feet if built of wrought iron or tubular steel interspersed with stone, brick, stucco, or decorative block every eight feet, and if at least five feet of landscaping separates the fence from the sidewalk.

Nonresidential uses follow a parallel rule under § 18.42.070(A)(3): eight feet along side or rear lines, three and one-half feet (interior lots) or three feet (corner lots) in a required front setback, plus a minimum three-foot landscape setback where the fence fronts a street. Where a commercial or industrial parking lot abuts a residential zone, § 18.42.070(A)(4) requires an eight-foot decorative masonry wall along the shared line, stepping down to three and one-half feet within the adjacent property's front setback. Separately, § 18.42.070(B) requires a visibility cutback on reversed corner lots, where rear yards of two corner lots abut, or wherever visibility is impaired: fence height drops to a maximum of three feet, or a ten-by-ten-foot corner cutback applies, measured on a forty-five-degree angle from the property line.

Height is measured from the grade on the higher side under § 18.42.070(C). Community Development reviews compliance through building permits and can grant a minor variance of up to twenty percent above the permitted height for side or rear fences under § 18.42.070(E)(3), decided within thirty days of a complete application and filing fee.