Minnehaha County, SD Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Section 12.01(A) of the County Zoning Ordinance allows fences up to four feet in height on any part of the lot, with the caveat that a fence within 30 feet of a street intersection (measured along the property line) may not be more than 30 percent solid - this preserves the intersection safety zone triangle referenced elsewhere in the ordinance. Section 12.01(B) permits fences up to six feet on those parts of a lot that are as far back or farther back from the street than the main building. A narrow exception permits a 6-foot fence in the side-street-side front yard when (1) the side-street-side front yard abuts an arterial street on the major street plan, (2) it is not adjacent to a side yard, and (3) the fence is no closer to the front yard than the rear wall of the main building. Retaining walls, concrete slabs, utility poles, and fences are explicitly excluded from the definition of 'structure' in the ordinance (Section 26 Definitions, amended by MC16-73-05), so they do not count toward lot coverage or building setback requirements. Fences in twin-home and town-home Planned Development districts are prohibited under the additional regulations for those zones. State law SDCL 9-29-1 and SDCL Chapter 11-2 supply the underlying police-power and county zoning authority.