In San Clemente's residential zones, fences, walls and hedges may be 3 feet 6 inches in the front-yard setback and up to 6 feet in interior side and rear yards. Corner and reverse-corner lots have stricter street-side limits.
San Clemente Municipal Code (SCMC) Section 17.24.090 sets fence, wall and hedge heights by area of the lot. Table 17.24.090 caps the front-yard setback area at 3 feet 6 inches to keep an open street scene. Interior side yards, rear yards, and other areas of the lot are capped at 6 feet. On a corner lot the street-side yard is limited to 3 feet 6 inches within 5 feet of the property line and 6 feet for the remaining width; a reverse corner lot is 3 feet 6 inches. Height is measured from the lower side of finished grade to the top of the fence, including pilasters and trellises. Nonresidential heights are set through architectural review.
Exceeding the front-yard or street-side limits without a Minor Exception Permit, or exceeding 6 feet elsewhere without approval, violates SCMC 17.24.090. Code Enforcement (949-366-4705) handles complaints; an over-height fence may have to be lowered or removed.
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See how San Clemente's height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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