Fountain, CO Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Barbed wire
- Prohibited on residential fences citywide
- Commercial exception
- Allowed atop a 6-foot fence, commercial/industrial zones only
- Livestock exception
- Allowed fencing livestock/horses on 5+ acre parcels
- Electric fences
- Prohibited in all zoning districts, no exception
- Penalty
- Up to $2,650 fine, no jail time
- Adopted
- Ordinance No. 1742, January 14, 2020
Summary
Fountain bans barbed wire on ordinary fences and prohibits electrified fences citywide under Fountain Municipal Code § 17.11.020(C)-(D); barbed wire is allowed only atop a six-foot commercial or industrial fence, or on livestock fencing on parcels of five acres or more.
Barbed wire or other sharp-pointed material shall not be used in the construction of any fence, except when:1.Located in commercial and industrial zoning districts, provided such barbed wire or other sharp-pointed material is securely affixed to the top of a soundly constructed fence or structural barrier which is at least six feet above grade.2.Used for agricultural purposes or fencing required for livestock, including horses, on areas five acres or greater in size.D.Electrified wire fences are prohibited in all zoning districts.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
Fountain's General Fence Regulations, part of Title 17 as adopted by Ordinance No. 1742 on January 14, 2020, treat barbed wire as prohibited fence material with two narrow carve-outs, and treat electrified fencing as banned with none. 020(C) states that barbed wire or other sharp-pointed material may not be used in constructing any fence, except when it is located in a commercial or industrial zoning district and is securely affixed to the top of a soundly constructed fence or structural barrier at least six feet above grade, or when it is used for agricultural purposes or to fence livestock, including horses, on a parcel of five acres or larger.
An ordinary residential lot in a residential zoning district qualifies for neither exception, so barbed wire is off-limits there regardless of fence height. 020(D) is a single flat sentence with no exception list at all: electrified wire fences are prohibited in all zoning districts, meaning even a large agriculturally-zoned or rural-adjacent parcel that could use barbed wire for livestock cannot substitute an electric fence. 020(C).
Violations & Fines
Installing barbed wire outside its two narrow exceptions, or any electrified fence anywhere in the city, is a Title 17 zoning violation. The zoning administrator can order the material removed, and prosecution proceeds under Fountain's Chapter 1.12 general penalty, capped at a $2,650 fine with no jail time, with each day the prohibited fence remains a separate offense under § 1.12.010(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put barbed wire on my backyard fence in Fountain?
Are electric fences legal in Fountain?
What fence height lets me use barbed wire in a commercial zone?
What happens if I install a prohibited barbed wire or electric fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fountain
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Material Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in El Paso County handle material restrictions.