New Fence Installation in Sheridan, CO

Fencing in Sheridan is one of the more precisely written parts of the city’s code. Article 19 of the Zoning Code spells out permit rules, height limits by yard, corner-lot sight triangles, and prohibited materials in specific numbers rather than general language, which gives our crew a clear standard to design a new fence against before the first post hole is dug.

A Fence Permit Is Required, With a Narrow Repair Exemption

Sheridan requires a permit for a new fence under Zoning Code Article 19. The code carves out a narrow exemption for repair work: fixing less than 25% of an existing fence does not trigger a new permit. Anything beyond that threshold, or a genuinely new fence, needs to be filed and approved before installation.

We treat that 25% figure as a real line, not a rounding allowance. A repair project that starts creeping past a quarter of the fence’s total length or area is a project that needs a permit in hand before the work continues.

Front-Yard Height Is Capped Lower Than Side and Rear

Article 19 sets different height limits depending on where the fence sits on the lot. In a residential front yard, a fence is capped at 42 inches and has to be at least 50% open, meaning it cannot be a solid privacy fence facing the street. Side- and rear-yard fences are allowed up to 6 feet, without the openness requirement that applies in front.

That split matters for design as much as for compliance. A homeowner who wants full privacy along the back property line has 6 feet of solid fence to work with, but the same solid design cannot wrap around to the front without exceeding both the height cap and the openness rule.

Corner Lots Carry a Sight-Triangle Rule

On a corner lot, Article 19 applies a 25-foot sight-triangle rule at the intersection, measured from the corner along each property line. Within that triangle, a fence is held to the same 42-inch height and 50%-open standard as a front yard, regardless of which yard it technically sits in, because the purpose of the rule is keeping sightlines clear for traffic at the intersection.

We check corner-lot geometry against this 25-foot triangle before finalizing a fence layout. A design that works on a standard interior lot can violate the sight-triangle rule on a corner lot even at the same height, simply because of where the property sits relative to the intersection.

Retaining Walls Combined With Fences Have a Height Ceiling

Where a fence sits on top of or alongside a retaining wall, Article 19 sets rules for how the combined height is measured and caps the overall combined height at 10 feet. That figure covers the retaining wall and the fence on top of it together, not the fence alone, which is a detail that matters on a sloped Sheridan lot where a retaining wall is doing real grade work before the fence even starts.

We measure existing grade and any proposed retaining structure as part of the fence design on a sloped site, specifically to confirm the combined height stays under that 10-foot ceiling before the permit is filed.

Materials and District-Specific Rules

Article 19 identifies permitted and prohibited fence types, and sets separate standards for business and commercial districts, where a front-yard fence is not allowed at all and side/rear fencing is capped at 6 feet, and for industrial districts, where fences can go up to 9 feet, with barbed wire allowed only above the 6-foot mark. Parks and playgrounds can exceed the 9-foot industrial cap with the building inspector’s approval, since those uses can call for taller enclosure fencing than a typical property.

A fence enclosing a pool follows the adopted Building Codes rather than Article 19’s general fence rules, since pool barriers are a life-safety requirement layered on top of the zoning fence standards. Property owners are also responsible for maintaining a fence once it is installed, which the code addresses as an ongoing duty, not just an installation-day standard.

How We Sequence a Sheridan Fence Installation

We start by confirming the lot type, whether it is a standard interior lot or a corner lot subject to the 25-foot sight triangle, and by measuring the yard lines the fence will follow. Front-yard sections are designed to the 42-inch, 50%-open standard; side and rear sections can go to the full 6 feet. Where a retaining wall is part of the plan, we work out the combined height against the 10-foot ceiling before finalizing post layout.

Once the layout is confirmed against Article 19, we file the permit, and installation follows the approved plan exactly, height by yard, openness in front, and materials appropriate to the district. We do not treat any of these as flexible after the permit is issued, since the code ties compliance to the finished fence, not just the application.

Common Questions

Does a new fence in Sheridan need a permit?
Yes. Zoning Code Article 19 requires a permit for a new fence, with a narrow exemption for repairing less than 25% of an existing fence.

How tall can a front-yard fence be in Sheridan?
A residential front-yard fence is capped at 42 inches and must be at least 50% open. Side and rear yards allow up to 6 feet without the openness requirement.

Are corner lots treated differently?
Yes. Within a 25-foot sight triangle at a corner-lot intersection, the fence is held to the same 42-inch, 50%-open standard as a front yard, regardless of the yard it sits in.

What if the fence sits on a retaining wall?
Article 19 caps the combined height of a retaining wall and fence together at 10 feet, measured under the code’s specific rules for that combination.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Tell us your lot type, whether it is a corner lot, and where you want privacy versus an open front-yard look. We design the layout to Article 19’s height and openness rules before filing the Sheridan fence permit.