Marin County does not categorically prohibit fence materials, but fences taller than 4 feet in front yards or street-side setbacks must be at least 50% open above the 4-foot mark. State Zone 0 wildfire rules also affect non-combustible material requirements within 5 feet of structures.
Marin County Development Code § 22.20.050 does not contain an explicit list of prohibited fence materials, but it imposes a transparency standard on tall street-facing fences: the portion above 4 feet must have a surface area that is at least 50% open and unobstructed by structural elements. This effectively bars solid materials (e.g., solid wood plank, masonry) above 4 feet in those setbacks and requires open materials such as lattice, wrought iron, or wire mesh. Open wooden-post and wire-mesh fences up to 6 feet may also be installed on lots where no primary use has been established. Separately, California Government Code § 51182 and Public Resources Code § 4291 (as updated by AB 3074, 2020) require an ember-resistant Zone 0 within 5 feet of any structure in a State Responsibility Area or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (which covers much of unincorporated Marin); regulations being implemented by the Board of Forestry require non-combustible materials in that zone, including for fence sections directly attached to homes.
Non-compliant fence materials in street-facing setbacks must be modified or removed. Wildfire-zone violations of Zone 0 requirements may be cited by Cal Fire or local fire districts and create insurance complications.
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