Do I need a permit for a six-foot fence in Tamarack County?

What does section 4.2 actually say?

Section 4.2 of Ordinance 2026-07 is one sentence long in substance. A residential fence or wall six feet or higher requires a permit, including replacement of an existing backyard fence. The ordinance was adopted in March 2026 and the section sits on page 2.

Two words in that sentence do most of the work. The first is "replacement". Many residents assume that putting a new fence where an old one stood is maintenance rather than construction. Under the current ordinance it is not. If the new fence is six feet or higher, it needs a permit. The second is "higher". The threshold is met at six feet exactly, not only above it.

Why do some residents remember seven feet?

Because that was the rule printed on the 2025 residential fence counter handout. The 2025 edition said a fence seven feet or higher needed a permit and described lower backyard fences as ordinarily outside the permit requirement. Ordinance 2026-07 replaced that threshold with six feet and added the corner-lot sight-triangle rule.

The handout is now marked superseded. We keep an archived copy so that staff can explain why a resident remembers different advice, but it is not used to decide a current application. If you have a printed copy at home, the number on it is historical.

How do I measure the height?

Measure from the finished ground beside the fence to its highest point. Do not subtract decorative panels, lattice or caps. If the ground slopes, measure at the point where the fence is tallest relative to the ground beside it. The ordinance does not allow an average.

If the measurement is unclear, or you are not sure where the lot line sits, the permit desk refers the case to Planning & Building for review rather than inventing an exception at the counter. That is the procedure, and it protects you: a permit issued on a guess can be challenged later.

What if my lot is on a corner?

Section 4.5 adds a second rule. A corner lot must preserve a 25-foot sight triangle measured along each intersecting street frontage. A fence proposed inside that triangle needs a planning review even when its height is below the general permit threshold. So a corner lot can need review for a fence that would be exempt elsewhere. Say so at the counter; it is one of the first questions the intake procedure asks.

What do I bring to the permit desk?

• A site sketch showing the property boundary, the proposed fence line, the proposed height and any street corner.
• The property address and your preferred way to be contacted.
• Whether the fence is a replacement and whether the lot is a corner lot.

The intake procedure in force, version 3, effective 1 April 2026, begins by recording those details. If the sketch is incomplete, the desk returns it with a written list of what is missing. It is not quietly rejected.

What does the permit cost?

The over-the-counter residential fence permit fee is $85 under the FY2026 fee schedule. Staff will explain, before you pay, that paying the fee does not authorise work. A receipt confirms payment. The issued permit is what authorises construction, and it is issued once intake and any review are complete.

Where can I read the ordinance myself?

Ask at the permit desk for Ordinance 2026-07 and the current intake form. The desk can provide read-aloud, large print or audio copies through the Accessible Services and Reasonable Accommodation Procedure, and every copy carries the title, section and effective date so you can check that what you are reading is the provision in force.

What happens after I apply?

The desk records your inquiry under version 3 of the intake procedure, checks the sketch, and explains the fee category with the schedule open. If the proposal is straightforward, an over-the-counter fence permit follows once the intake requirements are satisfied. If the lot is a corner lot, or the measurements are unclear, the case goes to Planning & Building for review first, and any plan-check work is explained separately at $110 per hour before it begins. Either way, you receive the issued permit before construction starts, and the file, including the sketch and the review notes, is kept for 10 years after the final permit action.

What if I change my mind?

Withdraw in writing. A refund request within 30 days of withdrawal, made before plan check starts, returns 80 percent of the permit fee. The desk explains which condition applies to your case and gives you the decision in writing with the section it rests on.

Q&A

The questions residents ask most about fence permits are answered below.

Last updated 1 October 2026.