Oshkosh, WI Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Section 30-192 of the City of Oshkosh Zoning Ordinance regulates the materials, location, height, and maintenance of fencing, landscape walls, and decorative posts. Subsection (3) requires review and approval by the Director of Community Development, or designee, and requires a building permit unless a conditional use permit is needed. Subsection (6)(a) sets the maximum heights: in the SR-2, SR-3, SR-5, SR-9, DR-6, TR-10, MR-12, MR-20, MR-36, MH-9, I, and NMU districts, 4 feet in the required or provided front yard or street yard (whichever is closer to the street) and 6 feet in the side or rear yard but not in the required front yard or beyond the front facade of the principal building.

In the RMU district, 4 feet applies in the required waterfront yard or street yard, and 6 feet in the side yard. In the RH-35, SMU, UMU, CMU, BP, UI, and HI districts, 4 feet applies in the front or street yard and 8 feet in the side or rear yard. Height is measured from the ground immediately under the fence to the top rail. Subsection (6)(b) allows decorative posts spaced at least 24 inches apart to extend 8 inches above the maximum height, and up to 4 inches of ground clearance plus modest berms (slopes 3:1 or flatter) do not count toward height.

Subsection (5)(a) lists permitted materials: naturally resistant or treated wood, brick or masonry, natural stone, wrought iron, vinyl, galvanized or coated chain link, and other comparable materials approved by the director. Permanent chicken wire and snow fences are prohibited at residential uses; non-corrugated solid metal fences are permitted only in UI and HI districts; wire mesh and non-coated/non-galvanized chain link is prohibited in front yards of SR-2, SR-3, SR-5, SR-9, DR-6, TR-10, MR-12, MR-20, MR-36, and MH-9 districts (except for parks, schools, airports, and similar institutional uses); coated chain link must be at least 9 gauge with a top rail and is not permitted in front or street yards.

Barb wire and similar security fencing is allowed only on top of fences at least 6 feet above the ground in I, UI, and HI districts and must not extend more than 3 feet beyond the top of the fence. Subsection (5)(b)(1) requires that any front-yard fence (other than required screening) be no more than 50 percent opaque. Subsection (8) requires fences to be erected with the finished side facing outward (visible supports toward the subject property). 5 feet and 8 feet, and any fencing within the public-street vision triangle must be no more than 30 percent opaque.

The CMU district and signalized intersections are exempt from the public-street vision-triangle rule. Wisconsin Stat. Sec. 23 is the enabling statute for city planning and zoning, and Wis. Stat. Chapter 90 (Fences) governs partition-fence duties and the legal sufficiency of fences between adjoining owners.