Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Fence required?
- No, perimeter fence or wall is optional
- Approved materials
- Treated wood, block, brick, stone, wrought iron, chain link
- Applies to
- Optional multifamily perimeter fences/walls
- Barbed wire
- Not addressed by this section
- Governing section
- § 17.73.190(B)(4)(a)
Summary
A perimeter fence or wall around a Matanuska-Susitna Borough multifamily development, outside Wasilla, Palmer and Houston, is optional, but if a developer installs one it must be built of high-quality materials. Treated wood, decorative block, brick, stone, wrought iron and chain link are the examples the code names, under § 17.73.190(B)(4).
A perimeter fence or wall is not required but may be installed. If a perimeter fence or wall is installed, in addition to the perimeter landscaping, then the following standards apply: ... Walls and fences shall be constructed of high-quality materials, such as treated wood, decorative blocks, brick, stone, wrought iron, chain link, and other natural and appropriate building materials.
Full Breakdown
030(B). The section makes clear a perimeter fence or wall is not required, a developer can rely on the perimeter landscape buffer alone, but if one is installed in addition to the landscaping, it must be built of high-quality materials. The code names treated wood, decorative blocks, brick, stone, wrought iron, chain link, and other natural and appropriate building materials as acceptable choices. 73 does not separately ban barbed wire or electrified fencing for multifamily perimeter fences; the standard is a material-quality requirement rather than a list of prohibited materials.
Elsewhere in the borough code, an eight-foot chain-link fence topped by barbed wire is the code's own definition of a secure junkyard enclosure, showing the borough treats barbed-topped fencing as an industrial security standard rather than a residential perimeter fence material.
Violations & Fines
Installing a multifamily perimeter fence out of material other than what § 17.73.190(B)(4)(a) allows is a violation of the design standards and, under § 17.73.110, is a borough infraction unless the code specifies otherwise. Remedies and penalties run through MSB Chapter 1.45, with the general penalty in § 1.45.080(A) capping an infraction fine at $1,000 with no jail exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a perimeter fence required around a Mat-Su multifamily development?
What fence materials are approved for a Mat-Su multifamily perimeter fence?
Does Mat-Su ban barbed wire fencing around multifamily housing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Compare Matanuska-Susitna Borough to another location·View the Alaska fence regulations overview
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