El Monte, CA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

120(D), Materials, sets citywide limits on what a fence or wall in El Monte can be made of, layered on top of the height rules in the rest of the section. Barbed, pointed, spiked, razor, piercing or other similarly hazardous materials cannot be attached to any wall or fence anywhere in the city, residential or nonresidential, with no stated exception. For residential uses specifically, chain link fencing is prohibited outright, meaning a homeowner can't use chain link anywhere on the property regardless of yard location or height.

Nonresidential uses get a narrower allowance: chain link is permitted, but only where it is not visible from the public right-of-way, so a business could use chain link to enclose a rear storage yard but not along a street-facing property line. 070, which caps that temporary security fencing at 6 feet in residential zoning districts and 8 feet elsewhere, reduced to 4 feet at the site's primary entrance for visibility. 080(C)(4): chain link fencing is not permitted for refuse enclosure gates or walls, which must instead use a decorative finish matching the site's building style.