Wausau regulates fence heights through Title 23 (Zoning), Section 23.06.40(6) of the Wausau Municipal Code. In residential and mixed-use districts (SR-2, SR-3, SR-5, SR-7, MH-7, DR-8, TR-10, MR-12, MR-20, MR-50, NMU and others), fences are limited to four feet within the required or provided front yard and six feet in the side or rear yard. In commercial and industrial districts, the side/rear yard limit increases to eight feet, while the front yard limit stays at four feet. Fence permits are required by the City of Wausau Inspections Division (407 Grant St., 715-261-6780). Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 90 governs partition (boundary) fences between adjoining landowners statewide.
The City of Wausau's principal fence-height rules sit in Title 23 (Zoning), Article VI - Performance Standards, Section 23.06.40(6) 'Fences and Walls.' Subsection 23.06.40(6)(a)(1) caps fences at four feet in the front yard and six feet in the side or rear yard for residential and mixed-use zoning districts (SR-2, SR-3, SR-5, SR-7, MH-7, DR-8, TR-10, MR-12, MR-20, MR-50, I, NMU). Subsection 23.06.40(6)(a)(2) applies to higher-intensity districts (RH-35, SO, SMU, UMU, DPMU, DHMU, DRMU, RP, LI, MI, HI, IOS, IOC, AO, EX), keeping the four-foot front-yard cap but allowing up to eight feet in side and rear yards. Section 23.06.40(6)(b) permits decorative posts to extend up to eight inches above the maximum height (with minimum 24-inch spacing) and allows up to four inches of ground clearance for slopes. Front-yard fences must be no more than 50 percent opaque, meaning gaps between pickets must be equal to or greater than the picket width per Section 23.06.40(5)(b)(1) - this preserves an open street character. Bufferyard fences along district edges and screening for HVAC, utility boxes, and outdoor storage are addressed separately in Article VIII (Landscaping Requirements), Section 23.08.30, which references 44-inch picket, 4-foot rail, 6-foot, and 8-foot solid-fence options depending on opacity needed (see Figure 23.08.30f). Construction, replacement, or expansion of a fence requires a permit issued by the Wausau Inspections Division (407 Grant St., 715-261-6780, inspections@wausauwi.gov), with applications available through the city's Evolve permit portal. Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 90 (Partition Fences) and Section 90.05 govern who pays for and maintains shared boundary fences between adjoining landowners across the state but do not set a height cap.
Building or expanding a fence without the required City of Wausau permit, or exceeding the height limits in Section 23.06.40(6), is a zoning violation. The Inspections Division can issue notices to correct, require an after-the-fact permit, or order removal or reduction of the offending fence. Continued violations can be enforced under the general penalty provisions of the Wausau Municipal Code, with daily fines accruing until the fence is brought into compliance. Front-yard fences that exceed 50 percent opacity or that obstruct intersection sight triangles are also subject to correction orders.
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