In unincorporated Sangamon County, fences are regulated under the Sangamon County Zoning Ordinance, Title 17 (adopted April 22, 1969, as amended), with the specific fence rules in Chapter 17.44 (Fences, Walls or Hedges). Fences must use standard fencing material - wrought iron, decorative metal, masonry, concrete, stone, chain link, metal tubing, wood plank, or vinyl/fiberglass composite manufactured for fencing. On Agriculture (A) lots used for outdoor storage, the screening fence may not exceed 6 feet. Residential fences over 4 feet typically require a permit from the Sangamon County Department of Building and Zoning (217-753-6760).
Sangamon County's fence regulations are part of Title 17 (Zoning) of the County Code, with detailed rules in Chapter 17.44 'Fences, Walls or Hedges.' The Department of Building and Zoning issues fence permits for unincorporated land. Standard residential practice in Sangamon County: fences up to 4 feet in height are generally allowed in front yards without a permit; fences taller than 4 feet, including typical 6-foot privacy fences in side and rear yards, require a fence permit. Approved permits may allow heights up to roughly 8.5 feet in special circumstances based on terrain and zoning district review. Materials must comply with Chapter 17.44's standard-fencing-material list. On Agriculture-zoned lots of five or more acres used for outdoor storage, the fence screening the storage area must be standard material and may not exceed 6 feet (Chapter 17.44 read with the storage provisions in Title 17). Corner-lot sight triangles, setbacks, and visibility at driveways and intersections are reviewed at permit time. Cities within Sangamon County - Springfield (the county seat and Illinois state capital), Chatham, Sherman, Riverton, Auburn, Pawnee, Rochester, Jerome, Leland Grove - administer their own fence ordinances inside their corporate limits, which override county rules there.
Building a fence taller than 4 feet, or using non-standard materials, without a permit can lead to a stop-work order and a code-enforcement action by the Sangamon County Department of Building and Zoning. Owners typically must apply for an after-the-fact permit (often at higher fees) or remove or modify the fence. Fences in poor repair can be cited as a property maintenance violation under Title 17.
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