Yakima, WA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed materials
- Wood, masonry, concrete, slatted chain link
- Required height
- 6 feet, view-obscuring
- Planting strip
- 3 ft wide if street-facing
- Governing section
- YMC § 15.07.040(A)
Summary
Where zoning requires a sitescreening fence between differing land uses, Yakima's Standard C option only allows wood, masonry block, concrete, or slatted chain link, at six feet high with a planting strip.
STANDARD C —A six-foot-high, view-obscuring fence, made of wood, masonry block, concrete, or slatted chain link material. A three-foot-wide planting strip landscaped with a combination of trees, shrubs and ground-cover along the outside of the fence is also required when the fence is adjacent to a street, alley or pedestrian way.
B. Provisions A, B and C are standards for the size of sitescreening area and the density and type of landscaping/planting. The developer may substitute a higher site-screening standard, with standard C being higher than B, and B being higher than A.
C. Other sitescreening plans that improve the site design and achieve the purpose of this section may also be approved by the administrative official in accordance with YMC Chapter 15.10. All sitescreening shall also conform to the provisions of YMC Chapter 15.05. (Ord. 2947 § 1 (part), 1986; Ord. 2008-46 § 1 (part), 2008; Ord. 2016-029 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2016)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4980636; v1 updated 2026-08-03; through 08-03-2026).
Full Breakdown
Yakima's sitescreening standards (YMC § 15.07.040(A)) give developers three buffer options between uses of differing intensity: a landscaped strip (Standard A), an evergreen hedge (Standard B), or a fence (Standard C). Standard C requires a six-foot-high, view-obscuring fence built of wood, masonry block, concrete, or slatted chain link; open chain link and other see-through materials don't qualify because the fence must be view-obscuring. A three-foot planting strip with trees, shrubs, and groundcover is required outside the fence wherever it faces a street, alley, or pedestrian way. This governs required buffer fencing under Table 7-1, not ordinary yard fences.
Violations & Fines
Installing a required sitescreening fence in a non-listed material, or without the accompanying planting strip, fails site plan review and can hold up final building or occupancy approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use plain chain link for a required sitescreening fence in Yakima?
When does this material rule apply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima
Compare Yakima to another location·View the Washington fence regulations overview
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