Hackensack fences must be installed on the owner's property, not on the property line, unless neighbors have a written shared agreement. The finished side typically faces neighboring properties. Disputes between neighbors over shared fences are civil matters under New Jersey law.
Hackensack's local code addresses fence placement relative to property lines, but most neighbor disputes fall under New Jersey common law. Property owners typically install fences on their own land, set back slightly from the line. Customary practice and many local codes require the finished or smooth side of a fence to face the neighboring property. New Jersey's spite fence doctrine allows neighbors to challenge fences built primarily to annoy adjacent owners. Shared boundary fences require written agreement on cost, maintenance, and modification. Hackensack does not generally adjudicate civil disputes; affected parties may pursue resolution through Bergen County Superior Court if conflicts cannot be resolved informally.
Fences encroaching on neighboring property may be ordered removed. Spite fence claims and boundary disputes are resolved in civil court rather than municipal enforcement.
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