Southampton Village, NY Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Section 116-18 of the Southampton Village Code sets fence height by district type and yard. In a residence district, subsection A caps a fence or wall at four feet in a required front yard and six feet in a required rear or side yard. In a nonresidence district, subsection B applies its cap only within 10 feet of a lot line: six feet in a required front or side yard and 10 feet in a required rear yard.

Where the height is measured decides many disputes. Subsection C measures from the ground level at the base of the fence. Where a retaining wall is involved, the measurement starts from the average of the ground levels at each side of the retaining wall, and a fence or wall on the uphill side of the retaining wall can be at least four feet high notwithstanding the A and B limits.

The finished side is regulated too. Any fence must have its face or finished side toward the adjacent owner's property line or the adjacent street, and the Building Inspector designates which side is the face. Driveway gates get their own rule: a gate and/or gateposts at a driveway entrance or exit can exceed the yard limit but cannot exceed eight feet in height, for not more than an aggregate width of 25 feet. Those gates and gateposts also need a minimum setback of 18 feet from the edge of street pavement on the street right-of-way and cannot encroach upon the street right-of-way.

Corner lots have a tighter rule in § 116-16. On a corner lot in any district, except districts where there is no minimum lot area requirement, no wall, fence or other structure can be higher than 30 inches within the triangular area, and no parked vehicle, hedge or shrub can exceed 30 inches either. The triangle is fixed by two points, one on each intersecting street line, each 20 feet from the intersection of the street lines. Trees are allowed if their branches are trimmed to at least 10 feet above the curb level.

Berms are not a workaround: § 116-18.1A(4) bars constructing any fence or wall on a berm. A fence taller than § 116-18 allows needs a permit from the Board of Appeals under § 116-28E(1).