Mendocino County, CA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

Mendocino County does not maintain a general list of banned fence materials in the inland area. Instead, Section 20.152.015 of the Inland Zoning Code distinguishes fences by whether they are view-obstructing. View-obstructing fences such as solid board fences and picket fences are subject to the standard height limits (3.5 feet in front and street-frontage yards, 8 feet in interior rear/side yards). By contrast, fences built of loose-meshed wire for animal containment (barbed wire, chicken wire, hog wire, and similar) and non-view-obscuring fences such as cyclone/chain-link fences are expressly not subject to those height restrictions, reflecting the County's rural, agricultural character. There is no county prohibition on common residential fence materials such as wood, vinyl, masonry, or metal, though any fence over six feet still requires a building permit and engineered review where applicable. The most material-specific scrutiny arises in the Coastal Zone. Under the Division II Coastal Zoning Code, development in designated highly scenic areas must protect coastal views; Section 20.504.015 requires that development be visually compatible with its surroundings, which in practice leads coastal permit conditions to address fence height, transparency, color, and materials so as not to block public ocean views. Because requirements differ between inland districts and the Coastal Zone, owners should confirm any material or visual-compatibility conditions with Planning and Building Services.