Utica requires every fence to be installed with the posts and rails facing inward, toward the owner's own property, so the finished side shows to neighbors. Corner side yards on reversed corner lots may not have opaque fences.
Section 2-29-585(A) requires all fences to be installed with the posts and rails of the structure exposed to the interior of the area being fenced, meaning the smooth finished face is presented to adjoining neighbors and the street. Opaque fences are prohibited in the corner side yard of reversed corner lots. Where a commercial use adjoins an R1 or RM residential district, a solid six-foot fence must be erected along the shared lot line. Utica's zoning code does not require formal neighbor notice for a standard residential fence, but boundary-line disputes are a private matter between owners.
A fence installed with the framing facing outward, or an opaque fence in a prohibited location, is a zoning violation subject to correction orders and fines from Codes Enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Utica, NY
Animal hoarding in Utica is handled under New York's cruelty law. Keeping so many animals that they lack proper food, water, or sanitary conditions is a clas...
Utica, NY
Utica has no ordinance banning residential backyard composting. Home compost bins are allowed, but a pile that becomes odorous, attracts rodents, or accumula...
Utica, NY
Utica has no ordinance specifically permitting or banning artificial turf for residential lawns. Synthetic grass is generally allowed, though front-yard or l...
Utica, NY
Utica does not mandate native plants, and its zoning planting standards allow varied landscaping as long as it's maintained weed-free and orderly. Naturalize...
Utica, NY
Utica has no ordinance restricting or requiring residential rainwater harvesting. New York State broadly allows rain barrels and cisterns for outdoor, non-po...
Utica, NY
Utica has no municipal lawn-watering or sprinkler ban ordinance. Water is supplied by the regional Mohawk Valley Water Authority (MVWA), which sets conservat...
See how Utica's neighbor fence rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.