Burlington, WI Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Section 315-51A requires a fence permit application to the Building Inspector for the construction of a fence anywhere within the City of Burlington, with the permit fee set by the City Council rather than fixed in the code itself. When the fence is not already part of a landscaping plan, § 315-51B spells out what the application must include: the applicant's name and address, the site owner's and contractor's names, an accurate drawing or plat of survey of the site showing existing structures, the site address, the proposed fence location superimposed on that drawing, and the fence's type, materials, size, height, and design, plus anything else the Zoning Administrator requires.

Section 315-51D puts the Building Inspector in charge of approving fence materials and issuing the permit once the application meets the chapter's requirements; if the Zoning Administrator denies a permit, the applicant can appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals, which may uphold, modify, or overturn the denial. Two categories are excused from the permit step: underground invisible pet fences, which § 315-51C(2)(c) allows without a permit as long as they sit at least three feet from all property lines, and temporary fences protecting new plantings or marking construction hazards, which § 315-51C(3) allows without a permit provided they are clearly visible or marked with warning devices every four feet and stay up no more than 45 days.