Springfield, OR Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Max combined height
- 6-foot chain link plus wire, 8 feet total
- Barbed/razor-only fences
- prohibited outright
- Electrified fence signage
- warning signs every 24 feet
- Banned districts
- PLO Downtown Exception, MUC, MUE, MUR
- Residential review
- Type 3 review under SDC 5.9.100
- Medical Services district
- barbed/electric fencing not allowed
Summary
Barbed wire, razor wire and electrified fencing are tightly limited in the City of Springfield, Oregon: Development Code Section 4.4.115(C)(8) allows them only atop a 6-foot chain link fence with a combined height under 8 feet, bans them outright in several commercial and mixed-use districts, and forces a Type 3 review for most residential installations.
(8) Barbed wire, razor wire, or electrified fencing is permitted atop a 6-foot chain link fence. The total height of the fence and barbed wire must not exceed 8 feet. These materials must not extend into the vertical plane of adjoining public sidewalks. Barbed wire or razor wire only fences are prohibited. Electrified fencing must be posted with warning signs every 24 feet. (a) In the PLO District in the Downtown Exception Area and in the MUC, MUE, and MUR Districts, no barbed wire, razor wire, or electrified fences are permitted. (b) In the residential districts, barbwire and electrified fencing on lots/parcels less than 20,000 square feet, and razor wire on any lot/parcel, regardless of size, must be reviewed through at Type 3 procedure as specified in SDC 5.9.100, using the criteria specified in subsection (D), below.
Full Breakdown
Under Section 4.4.115(C)(8), barbed wire, razor wire or electrified fencing may only sit on top of a 6-foot chain link fence, and the combined height of the fence plus the wire cannot exceed 8 feet; none of it may extend into the vertical plane of an adjoining public sidewalk, and a fence made only of barbed or razor wire, without the chain link base, is prohibited outright. Electrified fencing carries an added condition: warning signs must be posted every 24 feet along its length. The code then layers on district-specific bans.
In the PLO District's Downtown Exception Area and in the MUC, MUE and MUR mixed-use districts, no barbed wire, razor wire or electrified fence is permitted at all under subsection (8)(a). In the residential districts, barbed wire and electrified fencing are allowed on lots of 20,000 square feet or larger without extra review, but on smaller residential lots, and for razor wire on a residential lot of any size, the property owner must go through Type 3 review under SDC 5.9.100, applying the security-need criteria in subsection (D).
Table 4.4.1 backs this up district by district, marking barbed and electric fencing allowed for Residential, Commercial and Industrial districts, split allowed/not allowed for the PLO District, and not allowed at all for the Medical Services District.
Violations & Fines
The Director enforces fence material restrictions under Development Code Section 2.1.120, entering a site when a violation is reasonably believed to have occurred and directing the City Attorney to pursue legal action when needed. Section 2.1.125 authorizes revoking any fence permit issued in error or violated after the fact. An unauthorized barbed wire, razor wire or electrified fence is otherwise treated as a Municipal Code civil infraction, with Section 1.205 capping the fine at $720 and counting each day of noncompliance as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put barbed wire on my fence in Springfield, Oregon?
Is electrified fencing allowed on a residential lot?
Where is barbed and razor wire fencing banned outright?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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Material Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle material restrictions.