Every wall, fence, and gate in Ontario is subject to Planning Director design review regardless of whether a building permit is needed. A building permit is separately required for fences and walls over 3 feet high and for retaining walls over 2 feet, and a right-of-way encroachment permit is required for anything in the public right-of-way.
Ontario Development Code Section 6.02.005.B requires the design and location of all walls, fences, and gates to be reviewed and approved by the Planning Director, regardless of whether a building permit is required for construction. Separately, the City's Building Division (per the official Building Permit FAQs) requires a building permit for concrete block walls over 3 feet high from grade, block pilasters over 3 feet, chain-link fences over 3 feet, open or screened wrought iron fences and gates over 3 feet, and wood fences over 3 feet; a permit is also required for retaining walls over 2 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. Section 6.02.015.C requires an encroachment permit from the City Engineer before placing any fence, wall, shrub, sprinkler, or construction in a street right-of-way. Sound-attenuation walls over 6 feet and electrified fences require Planning Director approval before building-permit issuance (6.02.020.C.7; 6.02.025.E). For exact front/side/rear height limits, the City directs residents to the Planning Department at (909) 395-2036.
Construction without required Planning review or building permits can trigger stop-work orders and Community Improvement enforcement. Unpermitted encroachments in the right-of-way must be removed by the owner within 7 days of notice or removed by the City at the owner's expense (6.02.015.D).
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