A few things to consider before you install a fence in Santa Fe Springs. These are general guidelines — always confirm current requirements with the City before you start.
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Front Yard Height
In the R-1 zone, Santa Fe Springs keeps the front setback open: fences, hedges and walls there may not exceed 3 feet 6 inches, and solid fences or walls are not permitted at all, so picket, wrought iron or similar open styles are the only option. The front setback is typically 20 feet deep, or the block average between 15 and 40 feet, so the open-fence rule covers a good part of the lot.
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Side & Rear Yard Height
Outside the front setback, side and rear fences along lines shared with another residential lot may run up to 7 feet, a foot more than most nearby cities allow. Where a side or rear line adjoins commercial or industrial property, the height is set case by case with approval from the Director of Planning and Development. Where the City requires a wall, the owner is responsible for keeping it in good condition.
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When You Need a Permit
Santa Fe Springs writes its own permit exemptions into the Building Code: masonry, concrete or wood fences up to 6 feet are exempt, as are open wood fences up to 8 feet that are at least 60 percent open, and chain link or wrought iron fences up to 12 feet. Retaining walls up to 4 feet from the bottom of the footing are also exempt unless they support a surcharge. Anything taller needs a building permit.
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Corner Lots & Sight Lines
Santa Fe Springs does not publish a numeric sight triangle for residential corners. Instead the Zoning Code treats any combination of fencing, hedges, trees, shrubs and walls that limits visibility at intersecting streets or alleys as a visual obstruction and prohibits landscaping that creates a traffic hazard. On a corner lot the required side yard along the street is at least 10 feet, and Planning will check that side-street fencing does not block the view at the intersection.
Good to Know
If your home is part of an HOA, check your community's CC&Rs before installing — many HOAs add their own material and height rules on top of the City's. Building a pool or spa? California's Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code §115922–115923) requires at least two independent, approved drowning-prevention features, such as a 60-inch enclosure. Fence codes can change, so we always recommend confirming current requirements with the Santa Fe Springs Community Development Department before you start. Have questions about your property?
Contact Legacy Fence and we'll help you sort it out.
Source: Santa Fe Springs Municipal Code §§155.075, 155.552 and 150.001.002; City of Santa Fe Springs Community Development Department.
