Fairfield, CA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

2(D)(3) singles out razor and barbed wire, along with similar fencing types, for its own material restriction separate from the general height and design rules that apply to residential, commercial, and industrial fencing. On any developed parcel, this type of fence or wall is flatly prohibited if it can be seen from adjacent properties, public areas, or public rights-of-way, closing off the option of installing it as a visible perimeter barrier on ordinary residential or commercial lots. Where the fencing is not visible from those vantage points, such as tucked behind a solid screen wall on an industrial site, it becomes an approval item rather than a flat ban: the property owner must obtain the Director of Community Development's sign-off before installing it.

Even where approved, the code layers on a public-safety requirement: a sign must be posted on the outside of any fence or area that contains razor or barbed wire, clearly communicating its presence to anyone approaching. 2(D)(5), which is treated as an agricultural fencing type rather than a security barrier and is not subject to the visibility ban that applies to developed parcels. The Fairfield code does not separately address electric fencing for residential or commercial properties in this section.