Lakewood, NJ Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

The Unified Development Ordinance draws a hard line on a short list of fence materials. Section 18-803F19 states flatly that barbed wire, razor wire, electric, and other similar type fences are prohibited in all residential districts, with no variance procedure listed in the subsection. That prohibition sits alongside the temporary-fence rule in F18, which allows the Zoning Officer to approve snow fences, expandable fences, collapsible fences, canvas and cloth fences only when necessary to contain airborne material during construction, and only until the construction activity ends and before any bonds are released.

Section 18-803F20 closes the loop: tarps and other similar type fences are expressly prohibited in all zoning districts, residential and non-residential alike, except for the construction-dust exception carved out in F18. Outside of those two bans, the code otherwise defines an allowed fence broadly in F4 as wood, glass, resin, plastic, masonry, stone or metal, or a wall or hedge, so chain link, vinyl, wood picket, and split rail fences are all permitted materials as long as they meet the height, setback and sight-triangle rules elsewhere in § 18-803F.

The ban on barbed wire and electric fencing tracks the residential character the Township is protecting under this subsection; nothing in the text extends the same prohibition to agricultural or industrial districts, where fencing tied to farm operations is separately exempted under F17.