New Fence Installation in Lafayette, CO

New fence installation in Lafayette is governed by one municipal code section that covers nearly every practical question a homeowner asks: how tall, how close to the sidewalk, what happens near a corner, and how deep the posts go. We start every Lafayette fence project by walking the actual property line against that section, because Lafayette measures height and clearance from field conditions, not from a generic yard sketch.

A Permit Is Required Over 3 Feet

Under Lafayette Municipal Code Section 26-14-7, Fences, Hedges, and Walls, a building permit is required for any fence, hedge, or wall over 3 feet (36 inches) in height. A shorter fence does not need a permit under this section. The application package needs an elevation plan showing height and post depth, plus a site plan no larger than 11 by 17 inches showing the fence in relation to the property line and any easements.

Locating the property line is the owner’s responsibility, not the City’s. A fence cannot extend across a line without the written agreement of the abutting property owner, so we confirm the boundary before layout rather than relying on an existing neighboring fence as proof of where the line sits.

One Citywide Height Limit, Not Separate Yard Numbers

Lafayette’s rule is simpler than a lot-by-lot table: fences and walls are limited to 6 feet in height everywhere, measured at the finished grade on the side nearest the street or the abutting property. There is no separate published number for front, side, and rear yards — the 6-foot maximum applies citywide, layered with the sight-triangle limit below near corners and driveways.

Corner Lots Need the Sight-Triangle Check

Within the sight vision clearance area defined by the City’s zoning code, no fence, hedge, or wall may exceed 36 inches in height. That applies at corners and near driveways where a taller fence would block a driver’s view of cross traffic. Lafayette’s own guidance goes further than the bare rule and cautions that even a compliant fence can still reduce visibility for a motorist pulling out of a driveway, so we treat that zone as a planning constraint even at heights technically under the limit.

A fence also cannot sit closer than 12 inches to any public sidewalk, which affects corner and street-facing layouts as much as the sight triangle does.

Easements and Utilities Come Before Post Holes

A fence may be placed in a utility or drainage easement only after the property owner notifies the easement holder of the proposed construction and receives written permission from the City. Fences crossing a drainage swale, channel, or drainage easement additionally need City Public Works approval, because a solid fence line can alter how storm water moves through the yard. Before any digging, we arrange a utility locate through Colorado’s one-call system, since a marked ticket does not always cover every private line an owner may have added over the years.

Post Depth, Spacing, and Materials

Construction standards under Section 26-14-7 are specific: posts for a fence over 3 feet in height must be set in concrete to a depth of 18 inches, except for temporary fences standing no more than 12 months. Posts must be spaced so that no more than 48 square feet of fence material sits between upright posts, with at least two horizontal supporting members between them. Barbed wire, sharp-pointed, or electrically charged fencing is prohibited citywide except in the M1-Industrial, DR-Developing, and P-Public zoning districts, and in DR-Developing districts that fencing must sit 15 feet from the property line.

Pool and spa barrier height is not addressed in this fence section; barrier requirements for a pool enclosure come from the adopted building code rather than this zoning rule, and we confirm the specific figures with the Building Division whenever a fence project doubles as a pool barrier.

How We Sequence a Lafayette Fence Project

We start with the property line, the sight-triangle check at any corner or driveway, and a survey of easements and drainage paths that cross the yard. A utility locate is arranged before digging, and the layout is confirmed against the 6-foot height limit and any 36-inch sight-triangle or easement condition.

Posts are set to the required depth and spacing, panels are installed within the 48-square-foot spacing rule, and any easement or drainage crossing is documented with the required City sign-off before the fence is closed in. Covenant or HOA review, where one applies, is handled separately from this City process.

We photograph the finished layout against the property line and the sight-triangle zone before closing out the job, so there is a record matching what the permit approved. That habit has saved more than one Lafayette homeowner a dispute with a neighbor months after the crew left, since a fence built exactly to the approved plan is far easier to defend than one built from memory.

Common Questions

Do I need a permit for a new fence in Lafayette?
Only if it is over 3 feet tall. Fences and walls over 36 inches need a building permit under Municipal Code Section 26-14-7; shorter fences do not.

How tall can my fence be?
Six feet, measured at finished grade on the side nearest the street or the abutting property. Within the sight-triangle area near a corner or driveway, the limit drops to 36 inches.

How deep do fence posts need to be set?
Posts for a fence over 3 feet must be set in concrete to an 18-inch depth, except for temporary fences standing no more than 12 months.

Can I put a fence in a utility easement?
Only after notifying the easement holder and receiving written permission from the City. A fence crossing a drainage swale or easement also needs Public Works approval.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Tell us your property boundaries, whether the yard touches a corner, driveway, or drainage easement, and your preferred height and material. We will confirm the permit requirement, the sight-triangle and setback limits, and the post layout before construction begins.