Battle Creek, MI Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

The Fence Ordinance, Battle Creek Codified Ordinances § 1260.02(c), opens with a flat rule: no person may construct or cause to be constructed any permanent fence on property within the City without first obtaining a permit. The application goes in with the fee, and the amount is not fixed in the zoning text. It is the figure established by the City Commission, so the current number comes from the City's fee schedule rather than the ordinance itself.

Three carve-outs apply. Painting needs no permit, and neither do repairs that affect no more than 25% of the fence within a one-year period, as long as the height, location and style do not change. Fences used for agricultural purposes where agriculture is the principal use are exempt, as are fences that can be installed or removed without tools or machinery, and shrubs or hedges planted to serve as a fence.

The permit is only the first step, because the rest of § 1260.02 sets what the permit will allow. In a residential district, or any property used residentially, a fence in the primary or required secondary front yard cannot exceed four feet and a fence in a rear or side yard cannot exceed six feet. Front yard fences need a minimum transparent surface area of 50%. No fence can sit in a public right-of-way or within 25 feet of the corner property line at a street intersection. Construction fences up to eight feet are allowed for one year or while a construction permit is open, whichever is shorter, and snow fences are allowed between November 1st and May 31st.

A legally existing nonconforming fence must be brought into compliance when a change or repair affects more than 25% of the fence surface within a one-year period. The Planning and Zoning Administrator or their designee administers the ordinance, and applications for concealment fences in commercial and industrial districts go to the Community Services Department.