Zoning Ordinance Section 19.2-39 requires fences to be built of materials designed and marketed for fences or walls. Makeshift materials are not permitted, and retaining-wall materials must be compatible with the principal building.
Chesterfield County's Zoning Ordinance Section 19.2-39 governs what a fence may be made of, requiring materials designed and marketed as fence or wall materials rather than salvaged or improvised items. Retaining-wall materials must be compatible with the principal building or approved by the Director of Planning. Barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing are generally limited to agricultural or specific non-residential situations and are not permitted for typical residential yards. Because the modernized ordinance (Chapter 19.2) took effect January 1, 2026, and specific prohibited-material lists sit inside Section 19.2-39, verify current wording with the Planning Department at 804-748-1050 before choosing an unusual material.
Fences built of prohibited or non-approved materials can be ordered removed or replaced, with civil penalties for continued zoning noncompliance.
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