Contra Costa County's Ordinance Code does not impose a general material restriction on residential fences in unincorporated areas. The only material-specific rule is that concrete and masonry walls are classified as walls (not fences) and require a building permit regardless of height.
Unlike many incorporated cities in the county, no county-wide ordinance prohibits specific fence materials such as barbed wire, chain link, or razor wire on residential property in unincorporated areas. Per Ordinance Code Section 72-6.202, the only material-based distinction is that 'Concrete and masonry walls are considered walls, not fences and do require building permits.' Wood, vinyl, chain link, wrought iron and wire fences up to 7 feet are exempt from the permit requirement. Property owners should still check the underlying zoning district (Title 8) for any use-specific limits, and any homeowners' association CC&Rs that may impose stricter material rules.
Installing a masonry or concrete wall without a permit is enforceable as a Building Code violation; the county may require removal or after-the-fact permitting. Other material choices are governed primarily by private CC&Rs, neighbor relations, and California Civil Code 'spite fence' provisions (Civ. Code Section 841.4), not by county ordinance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Contra Costa County, CA
Contra Costa County, CA
Gas and electric lawn equipment in unincorporated Contra Costa County may generally be operated between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM on weekdays and 8:00 AM to 5:00 P...
Contra Costa County, CA
Contra Costa County, CA
Contra Costa County's Division 430 establishes an abatement program for abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles on public or private property...
Contra Costa County, CA
Parking on any street or highway with a grade exceeding three percent in a business or residential district requires setting the brakes and blocking the whee...
Contra Costa County, CA
Contra Costa County has no county-wide ordinance prohibiting overnight parking on public roads in unincorporated areas. The general 72-hour limit in Sec. 46-...
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