Blog · Permits

How does a corner lot change a fence permit?

On a corner lot the height threshold is only half the question. Section 4.5 of Ordinance 2026-07 requires a 25-foot sight triangle along each street frontage, and a fence inside it needs planning review whatever its height.

A corner lot in Tamarack County must preserve a 25-foot sight triangle measured along each intersecting street frontage. That is section 4.5 of Ordinance 2026-07, adopted in March 2026. A fence, wall or accessory structure proposed inside the triangle needs a planning review even when its height is below the six-foot permit threshold in section 4.2. So on a corner lot there are two questions: is the fence six feet or higher, and does any part of it sit inside the triangle? Either one can bring the proposal to Planning & Building.

Marcus Hale · Planning & Building Director · · 4 min read

Last updated

What is a sight triangle?

Stand at the corner where two streets meet. Measure 25 feet along each street frontage from that corner. Join the two points. The triangle you have drawn is the sight triangle, and section 4.5 of Ordinance 2026-07 requires a corner lot to keep it clear enough that drivers and pedestrians can see along both streets.

The rule exists for visibility, not for appearance. A solid fence at the corner can hide a child on a bicycle from a car turning in. That is why the section applies regardless of height.

Why does height not settle the question on a corner lot?

Because section 4.5 and section 4.2 answer different questions. Section 4.2 asks how tall the fence is: six feet or higher needs a permit. Section 4.5 asks where the fence is: inside the triangle needs planning review. A four-foot fence inside the triangle does not need a permit under 4.2 and still needs review under 4.5. A six-foot fence outside the triangle needs a permit under 4.2 and nothing further under 4.5. A six-foot fence inside the triangle needs both.

The permit desk asks about corner lots at the very start of intake for this reason. Version 3 of the intake procedure, effective 1 April 2026, records the property address, the proposed work and whether the property is a corner lot before any form is chosen.

Did the 2025 handout mention this?

No. The 2025 residential fence counter handout described the seven-foot threshold and the application details. The corner-lot sight-triangle rule arrived with Ordinance 2026-07 in March 2026. A resident working from the old handout would not know the rule exists, which is one more reason the handout is superseded.

How do I show the triangle on my sketch?

Draw the property boundary and mark both street frontages. Mark the corner. Measure 25 feet along each frontage and draw the line between the two points. Then draw the proposed fence line and its height. If any part of the fence crosses the triangle, say so on the sketch. The desk will refer the sketch to Planning & Building for review rather than deciding it at the counter.

An honest sketch saves time. If the lot position or the measurements are unclear, the procedure is to refer the case for review, not to approve it on an assumption.

What does planning review involve?

Planning & Building looks at the proposal against section 4.5 and the rest of the ordinance. Where plan-check work is required it is charged at $110 per hour under the FY2026 fee schedule, and the desk will explain any plan-check estimate separately from the $85 fence fee. Staff do not promise an hourly total before the review hours have been determined, because the procedure does not allow it.

What happens if I build inside the triangle without review?

The ordinance is the rule in force and the county applies it. The practical advice is simpler: tell the desk you are on a corner, bring a sketch that shows the triangle, and let the review happen before the posts go in. A receipt for a permit fee is not approval, and approval is what you want before construction.

Does the rule apply to walls and hedges too?

The ordinance title is Fences, Walls and Accessory Structures, and section 4.5 speaks of a proposal inside the triangle without limiting itself to fences. A wall or an accessory structure proposed inside the triangle is referred for the same review. Plantings are a different question, and the desk will not improvise an answer about them at the counter; that is a case for Planning & Building to look at against the ordinance text, and the honest response is to refer it rather than to guess.

Why measure along the frontage rather than the lot line?

Because that is what section 4.5 says: along each intersecting street frontage. Visibility is measured from where traffic actually is. If your lot line sits back from the kerb, the triangle is still drawn from the street frontage, and your sketch should show both lines so the reviewer can see the relationship. When in doubt, draw more rather than less; a reviewer can ignore a line they do not need.

Q&A

The questions corner-lot owners ask most are answered below.

Last updated 1 October 2026.

Questions and answers

How big is the sight triangle?
25 feet along each intersecting street frontage from the corner, joined by a line, under section 4.5 of Ordinance 2026-07.
Does a low fence inside the triangle need review?
Yes. Section 4.5 applies regardless of height. A fence inside the triangle needs a planning review even when it is below the six-foot threshold in section 4.2.
Does the permit desk decide corner-lot cases at the counter?
No. Where a proposal is inside the triangle, or the lot position is unclear, the desk refers it to Planning & Building for review.
What does plan check cost?
Plan-check work is charged at $110 per hour under the FY2026 schedule where that review is required. The desk explains the estimate separately and does not promise an hourly total before the hours are known.

#corner lots #sight triangle #Ordinance 2026-07 #planning review

Permits

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Marcus Hale · Planning & Building Director · · 4 min read

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