FENCE RULES – LIGHTHOUSE POINT (CITY), FLORIDA

OVERVIEW

Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Lighthouse Point, subject to local regulations.

For properties located outside City of Lighthouse Point municipal limits, Broward County regulates fences in unincorporated areas.

The principal local standards appear in the City of Lighthouse Point Land Development Code, especially Chapter 30, Article IV, Walls, Fences and Hedges; Chapter 28 for clear sight triangles and public rights-of-way; Chapter 32 for floodplain and drainage management; and Chapter 33 for waterfront structures. The Building and Zoning Department also publishes a fence-specific permit checklist and fence-permit guidance.

This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted code or ordinance materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one. If no local code or ordinance is available in the approved source packet, this page notes that the jurisdiction does not publish the relevant standard in the referenced published materials.

Compiled From the Lighthouse Point City Code, Code Rewrite Project Part 1; the City of Lighthouse Point Land Development Code, Code Rewrite Project Part 2; Building & Zoning FAQs; Fence Permit Requirements; Utility Easement Agreement; Florida Building Commission local-amendment search; the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code; Chapter 2026-63 / HB 803; section 556.105, Florida Statutes; and residential pool-barrier materials as of July 2026.

GOVERNANCE

The governing authority is the City of Lighthouse Point.

Residential fence standards are concentrated in Chapter 30, Article IV of the Land Development Code. Permit administration, landscaping, clear-sight, floodplain, waterfront, and enforcement provisions appear in other City Code chapters and in the Building and Zoning Department’s published permit materials.

The Building and Zoning Department has charge of inspections connected with construction, the improvement and use of land, and enforcement of the City’s building code and zoning ordinances. The Development Review Official administers fence-related determinations assigned by the Land Development Code.

The City Administrator is designated as the Floodplain Administrator and administers Chapter 32 in coordination with the Building Official and other City offices.

As of July 2026, the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code is the current effective edition. The Florida Building Commission’s 2023 local-amendment search returned no matching records for City of Lighthouse Point.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

Effective July 1, 2026, Florida’s HB 803, enacted as Chapter 2026-63, changed the building-permit framework for certain work on single-family residential property. A local government that issues building permits must exempt an owner of a single-family dwelling, or the owner’s contractor, from the requirement to obtain a building permit for work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner’s property. The exemption does not apply to work on property located partly or entirely in a flood hazard area as defined by the Florida Building Code, or to electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work performed on property containing a single-family dwelling. A construction project may not be divided into multiple projects to evade this rule. To qualify, the owner or the owner’s contractor must submit a written exemption request to the local enforcement agency with a contract or other documentation showing the nature and value of the work.

This statutory exemption concerns only the requirement to obtain a building permit. It does not eliminate separate requirements involving zoning, fence permits, setbacks, surveys, easements, rights-of-way, drainage, visibility, floodplain review, historic or design review, Certificates of Appropriateness, pool barriers, HOA approval, covenants, or other site-specific restrictions that may apply to the property.

The statute does not classify every fence project as structural or nonstructural. Unless the local permitting authority has published specific guidance for fence work under HB 803, whether a particular fence project qualifies for the valuation exemption depends on the nature of the work, the property location, and the applicable local permitting process.

• Local Fence Permit: The City of Lighthouse Point requires a building permit for a new fence and for replacement of an existing fence, including replacement in the same location.

• Permit Submittal: The fence-permit packet requires a building application stating the lot, block, subdivision, and job value; two copies of a survey showing the property footprint and the proposed fence location and size; and a zoning affidavit when the survey is more than 12 months old, unless intervening work requires a new survey. An owner-builder affidavit is required when the homeowner applies. Aluminum, decorative-metal, and PVC fences require current product approvals with installation details highlighted or signed and sealed engineering plans.

• Structural and Zoning Inspections: Wood, aluminum, and vinyl fence installations receive at least one structural inspection and one zoning inspection. The structural inspection addresses the Florida Building Code and approved plans; the zoning inspection addresses the fence location and height.

• Community Appearance Board: One-family residences and two-family residences are exempt from Community Appearance Board review under section 22-29 of the Land Development Code.

• Utility-Easement Agreement: For proposed construction within a utility easement, the City publishes an Easement Agreement used to obtain the utility holder’s written agreement. The form states that removal or replacement needed for utility use of the easement is the property owner’s responsibility.

• Floodplain Approval: A floodplain development permit or approval may be required in addition to a building permit based on the nature and extent of proposed development in a flood hazard area. Fences in regulated floodways that may block floodwater must satisfy the regulatory-floodway limitations described in Chapter 32.

• Pool-Barrier Fence: When a fence surrounds a swimming pool or spa, the permit materials require self-closing and self-latching gates with the latch at least 54 inches above the adjacent floor. The barrier remains subject to the applicable Florida Building Code and Chapter 515, Florida Statutes.

FENCE PLACEMENT RULES

• Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.

• Sidewalks and Street Pavement: When a wall or fence is adjacent to a City sidewalk or street pavement, it must be set back at least 2 feet from the sidewalk or pavement.

• Front Setback: A chain-link or PVC fence may not be constructed along the front property line or within the front setback of a residential property.

• Street-Facing Walls and Fences: A wall or fence facing a street must be landscaped with a hedge on its exterior side unless an express exemption applies. The hedge must extend along at least two-thirds of the street-facing wall or fence, excluding gates and other openings.

• Waterfront Seawalls and Docks: No wall, hedge, step, or other structure may be erected on a seawall or dock except a chain-link or aluminum fence that is at least 90 percent see-through, no more than 4 feet above the top of the seawall or dock, and located only along the side property line or its extension.

• Waterfront Terraces and Patios: A wall or fence on a waterfront terrace or patio may not exceed 4 feet, must be at least 75 percent see-through, and may not obstruct the canal or waterway view from immediately adjacent lots.

• Regulated Floodways: A fence with the potential to block floodwater, including a stockade or wire-mesh fence, must satisfy the floodway limitation requiring an analysis showing no increase in the base flood elevation.

• Utility Safety: Florida law requires notice through the statewide notification system commonly operated as Sunshine 811 before excavation or demolition. For fence projects that involve digging, drilling, augering, boring, grading, or other movement of earth on land, notice must be provided not less than 2 full business days before excavation begins. Member operators mark or otherwise respond regarding covered underground facilities, and the excavator must verify the system’s positive responses before beginning excavation where required. This statewide utility-notice framework is separate from local fence permitting, zoning, development approval, easement limits, right-of-way approvals, floodplain review, stormwater review, drainage review, historic or design review, HOA restrictions, and other applicable requirements.

FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES

• Height Measurement: Fence, wall, hedge, and decorative-column height is measured from normal ground level as defined in the Land Development Code.

• Front Yards: Walls, fences, and hedges on waterfront and non-waterfront residential lots may not exceed 5 feet along the front property line or within the front setback.

• Side Yards: Residential walls and fences may not exceed 6 feet along side property lines or within side setbacks.

• Non-Waterfront Rear Yards: Walls and fences may not exceed 6 feet in the rear area of a non-waterfront residential lot.

• Waterfront Rear Yards: A solid wall may not exceed 3 feet; the wall may reach 4 feet when the additional portion is more than 75 percent see-through or uses clear material. A solid fence may not exceed 3 feet, while chain-link and picket fences may reach 4 feet.

• Residential Hedges: Side and side-street hedges, and street-front hedges behind the front setback, may reach 8 feet. Rear hedges are limited to 3 feet on waterfront lots and 8 feet on non-waterfront lots. Other permitted hedges in areas not addressed by Table 30-55 may reach 6 feet.

• Two Street Fronts: On a non-waterfront residential lot with two street fronts, the maximum published height is 5 feet.

• Gates: A front- or side-yard gate with an opening wider than 4 feet may reach 8 feet when it is at least 75 percent see-through. A gate opening of 4 feet or less that is attached to a qualifying larger gate may also reach 8 feet; otherwise, a gate opening of 4 feet or less is subject to the applicable Table 30-55 height.

• Decorative Columns: Columns may exceed the applicable wall or fence height by 25 percent. A column may not be wider than 18 inches; the code limits column locations and requires at least 10 feet of clear distance between intermediate columns. A light fixture or ornamental feature may extend no more than 18 inches above the column.

• FEMA Elevation Adjustment: When FEMA requires the finished floor elevation to be more than 18 inches above the crown of the road, the permitted wall, fence, or hedge height may increase by 6 inches for each additional foot of required elevation. The code also extends this adjustment to directly adjacent properties under the conditions stated in Table 30-55.

• Corner Lots: A wall, fence, or hedge erected or maintained within 25 feet of a corner may not obstruct the vision of drivers approaching the street intersection.

• Clear Sight Triangles: The code requires unobstructed 10-foot-by-10-foot sight triangles where two streets intersect and where a residential driveway meets a street. Walls and other obstacles may not block views within the area between 30 inches and 8 feet above the level of the center of the adjacent street intersection.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Fence Types: The Land Development Code identifies wood, PVC, aluminum, and vinyl-coated chain-link as fence types. Wood and PVC fences may be semi-opaque or completely opaque.

• Wall Types: Residential walls may use concrete block, precast concrete, poured concrete, paver, stone, or another material accepted by the Development Review Official and City Engineer.

• Finished Side: The finished surface of a fence must face the exterior side of the property, while posts and bracing must be located on the interior side.

• Concrete-Wall Finish: Precast, poured-concrete, and concrete-block walls must have a plastered, stucco, or decorative finish on both sides above ground level.

• Front-Area Materials: Chain-link and PVC fences are prohibited along the front property line and within the front setback.

• Street-Facing Hedge: The required exterior hedge must be at least 18 inches high when planted and maintained from a minimum of 3 feet to the applicable maximum hedge height. The hedge requirement does not apply to qualifying fences that are at least 75 percent see-through, except chain-link; decorative walls or fences approved by the Development Review Official; or walls and fences set back at least 25 feet from the front street property line.

• Waterfront Picket and Chain-Link Standards: A rear-yard waterfront picket fence must use spindles no thicker than 1.5 inches by 1.5 inches, with no more than 4 inches of clear separation. A rear-yard waterfront chain-link fence must be at least 90 percent see-through.

• Wood-Fence Maintenance: A damaged wood fence must be restored to a square, level, plumb condition, with loose boards secured and missing or rotten boards replaced.

• Pool-Barrier Gates: Pool and spa fence gates must be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch at least 54 inches above the adjacent floor.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

Private covenants, deed restrictions, HOA rules, architectural-review requirements, private easements, recorded subdivision restrictions, and other private agreements operate independently of City of Lighthouse Point regulations and may be more restrictive.

Effective July 1, 2026, section 720.3035(1)(c), Florida Statutes, as added by Chapter 2026-63, provides that an association or similar committee may not require issuance of a governmental building permit as a prerequisite to its review of structures or improvements. This provision does not eliminate HOA or architectural review.

REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT

Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:

• Permit and Inspection: Whether a new or replacement fence has the required City permit, complete application materials, and final structural and zoning inspections.

• Height and Yard Location: Whether the fence complies with the applicable front, side, rear, waterfront, dual-frontage, gate, and decorative-column limits.

• Materials and Street Appearance: Whether the finished side faces outward, front-area material limits are met, and required street-facing hedge treatment is installed and maintained.

• Visibility and Rights-of-Way: Whether the fence, wall, or hedge obstructs a corner or driveway sight triangle or creates an unsafe obstruction in the ultimate public right-of-way.

• Easement and Utility Conditions: Whether proposed construction within a utility easement has the applicable utility-holder agreement and whether excavation follows the Sunshine 811 notice and positive-response process.

• Waterfront Conditions: Whether a fence on a seawall, dock, terrace, patio, or waterfront rear yard satisfies the applicable height, openness, location, and view-protection requirements.

• Flood Hazard Areas: Whether floodplain approval is required and whether a fence in a regulated floodway satisfies the no-rise and floodwater-passage requirements.

• Pool-Barrier Review: Whether a fence serving as a swimming-pool or spa barrier has compliant self-closing and self-latching gates and the required latch height.

• Maintenance and Code Enforcement: Whether damaged fencing is restored to the condition required by the Land Development Code and whether unpermitted or noncompliant work is addressed through City code enforcement.

USING THIS INFORMATION

This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Lighthouse Point, based on the referenced published materials as of July 2026.

In addition to local fence rules, certain Florida laws apply statewide. See Statewide fence laws in Florida.

It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, zoning approvals, zoning certifications, development approvals, Florida Building Code requirements, HB 803 exemption procedures, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, flood-hazard status, coastal conditions, stormwater requirements, drainage conditions, historic district status, design-review status, rural or agricultural context, pool-barrier use, Florida Building Code edition, local amendment status, Sunshine 811 utility-safety requirements, overhead utility-line safety, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants, deed restrictions, private agreements, or conservation easements. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with the City of Lighthouse Point Building and Zoning Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Lighthouse Point staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.