New Fence Installation in Manitou Springs, CO

A new fence in Manitou Springs is a small structure with several rules layered on top of it: a regional building-code height exemption, a city zoning rule about where a fence can go on a corner lot, a state utility-locate law before anyone digs, and, on some properties, historic district review. Apollo Construction checks all four before the first post hole is marked.

Fences Up to 7 Feet Don’t Need a PPRBD Permit

The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department exempts fences that are not more than 7 feet in height from a building permit. Most residential fences in Manitou Springs — privacy fences, picket fences, yard enclosures — fall under that height and do not need a PPRBD permit on that basis alone.

That exemption is about the regional building code, not about zoning, so it does not by itself answer where the fence can sit on the property or whether a taller fence is allowed at all — those are separate questions we check against the city’s own code.

Manitou Springs’ Own Code Sets the Six-Foot Line

Manitou Springs’ Title 18 Land Use and Development Code describes a fence of six feet or less as able to be built without an additional setback within the property boundary, as long as it does not interfere with traffic sight lines or block visibility from a driveway. A fence taller than six feet may need a setback to preserve light, air, or views to an adjacent building. We treat six feet as the practical line for a no-setback fence and flag anything taller as a design question for the City before we plan the layout.

Corner Lots Have a Sight-Triangle Height Limit

On a corner lot, Manitou Springs measures a vision clearance triangle 25 feet along the property lines adjacent to a street, road, railroad right-of-way, or nonresidential drive, starting from the point where those lines meet, and connecting those two points to form the triangle. Any fence, wall, hedge, or other obstruction inside that triangle is limited to 36 inches — 3 feet — or less in height.

This is one of the most common reasons a fence design changes after the first site visit on a corner property: a privacy-height run that works along most of the yard often has to step down to 3 feet as it approaches the street corner, and we lay that transition out on the ground before any post is set.

Colorado 811 Applies to Every Post Hole

State law requires at least two full business days’ advance notice to Colorado 811 before any excavation, and fence post holes are explicitly listed as an example of the kind of digging that requires a locate request. That applies to a six-post backyard run the same as it applies to a full perimeter fence — the locate ticket does not scale down for a small job.

We request the locate as a standard step before layout, not as an afterthought once posts are already staked, since the two-business-day window has to be built into the schedule regardless of fence size.

Historic District and Pool-Barrier Questions Need Early Answers

If the property is in one of Manitou Springs’ local historic districts and the fence is visible from an adjacent public street, alley, sidewalk, or walkway, it requires Historic Preservation Commission review before installation. A backyard-only fence with no street visibility is typically outside that review; a front-yard or street-facing fence on a historic property is the case where we raise this early.

If the fence is enclosing a pool, PPRBD’s permit exemption applies to pools under 24 inches deep and 5,000 gallons; a larger pool that needs a permit is also subject to the adopted code’s swimming pool barrier requirements. We confirm the specific barrier details — height, gate self-closing and self-latching hardware, opening limits — with PPRBD for the actual pool rather than assuming a standard fence design satisfies a pool barrier by default.

How We Sequence a Manitou Springs Fence

We start by confirming the planned height against the 7-foot PPRBD exemption and the city’s six-foot no-setback line, checking whether the lot is a corner lot subject to the sight-triangle rule, and confirming historic district status. Then we request the Colorado 811 locate and wait out the required notice period before any digging.

In the field, we lay out the fence line against the confirmed boundary and sight-triangle constraints, set posts to a depth suited to Front Range freeze-thaw conditions, frame and hang gates with room to swing and drain, and finish with a walk-around before closeout. If a Material Change of Appearance Certificate applies to a street-facing run, we hold that section until the review is complete.

Common Questions

What’s the tallest fence I can build without extra review in Manitou Springs?
PPRBD does not require a building permit for a fence up to 7 feet. Separately, the City’s own code treats six feet or less as buildable without an additional setback within the property boundary; taller fences may need a setback and should be checked with Planning.

Does my corner lot fence need to be shorter near the street?
Often, yes. Within the city’s 25-foot vision clearance triangle at a corner, fences and other obstructions are limited to 36 inches in height, even if the rest of the fence run is taller.

Do I need to call 811 for a small backyard fence?
Yes. Colorado law requires at least two full business days’ notice to Colorado 811 before digging, and fence post holes are specifically listed as work that requires a locate request, regardless of fence size.

Will my fence need historic district approval?
Only if the home is in a local historic district and the fence is visible from an adjacent public street, alley, sidewalk, or walkway. A backyard fence with no street visibility is typically not subject to that review.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Tell us the fence’s purpose, approximate height and runs, whether the lot is a corner lot, and whether the home is in a Manitou Springs historic district. We will confirm the height rules, request the utility locate through Colorado 811, and outline a buildable layout for the project.