City of Milton Code of Ordinances Sec. 78-316(10) (Chapter 78 Zoning) caps fences in residential districts at 6 feet in height. Fences must be constructed only of material manufactured for use as fencing unless otherwise approved by a city building official. The general district regulations also exempt customary roof appurtenances such as spires, chimneys, and antennas from height limits but do not extend that exemption to fences. Wisconsin's partition-fence statutes in Wis. Stat. Chapter 90 govern shared boundary fences between adjoining owners.
Chapter 78 of the Milton Code of Ordinances is the City of Milton Zoning Ordinance, adopted under the authority of Wis. Stat. Sec. 62.23 (city planning and zoning). The Common Council approved a full rewrite of Chapter 78 on April 15, 2025, with an effective date of April 28, 2025; legacy provisions remain accessible through the Municode Library. The general district regulations in Sec. 78-316 set out citywide rules that apply across multiple zoning districts. Subsection (10) governs fences and reads, in substance: in residential districts fences are permitted, no fence may exceed 6 feet in height, and fences must be constructed of material manufactured for use as fencing unless a city building official approves an alternative. The ordinance does not draw separate front yard, side yard, or rear yard caps within residential districts, but corner-lot sight obstructions are addressed through general traffic-safety provisions in the city's traffic code (Chapter 70) rather than Sec. 78-316. Setback exceptions and lot-coverage rules in Sec. 78-316(4) and elsewhere may further constrain placement. Owner-builders should also confirm location relative to platted easements shown on the lot's recorded plat, since utility easements (Sec. 78-316(8)) often run along rear and side lot lines where fences are commonly installed. Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 90, especially Wis. Stat. Sec. 90.03 and Sec. 90.05, govern partition fences between adjoining owners, including the legal sufficiency of a fence and cost-sharing duties.
Erecting or maintaining a fence taller than 6 feet in a residential district, or a fence built of materials not manufactured for fencing without city building-official approval, violates Sec. 78-316(10) of the Milton Code of Ordinances. The Building Inspector and Zoning Administrator at Milton City Hall (710 S. Janesville Street) handle enforcement; remedies include written notice, an order to remove or modify the noncompliant fence, and municipal forfeitures under the general penalty provisions of the Code of Ordinances. Unresolved violations may be referred to Rock County Circuit Court for citation and ordinance forfeiture proceedings.
Milton, WI
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