Napa County defines a fence broadly to allow wood, wire, stone, concrete, glass block or other construction, but in residential and agricultural zones any portion above 6 ft in side or rear yard setbacks must be see-through (deer wire, lattice or chain link). Commercial and industrial fencing must be approved by use permit or site plan, except for agricultural uses.
Section 18.08.297 defines a fence as 'a continuous structural barrier at least ten feet in length generally parallel to the perimeter of a property boundary or use area. Fences may be solid, transparent, or both (e.g., slatted) and of wood, wire, stone, concrete, glass block, or other construction.' That breadth means most common residential fence materials are allowed by right, but transparency matters in setbacks: under section 18.104.270(A)(1) any portion of a fence above 6 ft in a side or rear yard setback must be see-through unless a fence permit modifies the rule. In the CN, CL, MC and IP (commercial/industrial-park) districts, section 18.104.270(C) requires that 'all fencing must be specified by use permit or site plan approval, except fences associated with agricultural uses.' In the GI and I (general industrial and industrial) districts, subsection (D) allows fencing in required yards 'as necessary to provide effective screening and security for permitted uses,' again subject to use permit or site plan approval. Barbed-wire and electrified fencing are not separately addressed in 18.104.270 and would be reviewed under the use-permit / site-plan process and the California Building Code for permitted construction.
A fence that uses a non-conforming material or design (for example a solid 8-ft wood fence above the 6-ft see-through line) without a fence permit is a Zoning Code violation. Napa County Code Compliance accepts complaints via online form, phone (707-253-4417), or in person, and prioritizes complaints by severity per the PBES Code Compliance page.
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Napa, CA
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