FENCE RULES – COCONUT CREEK (CITY), FLORIDA
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Coconut Creek, subject to local regulations.
The City of Coconut Creek regulates fences through the Code of Ordinances, City of Coconut Creek, Florida, including Chapter 13, the Land Development Code. The main fence standards appear in Section 13-379, “Fences, walls and enclosures,” with related rules in the City’s building-permit, yard-encroachment, easement, floodplain, and property-maintenance provisions.
This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one.
Compiled From the City of Coconut Creek Resilient Design and Development Department, Building Department, Code Compliance Division, Code of Ordinances, Land Development Code, Flood Prevention and Protection regulations, and Code Compliance fine-reduction materials as of April 2026.
GOVERNANCE
The City of Coconut Creek is the governing authority for residential fence regulation within the City.
Fence rules are administered through the Code of Ordinances, City of Coconut Creek, Florida, including Chapter 13, the Land Development Code. The current public development office is the Resilient Design and Development Department, formerly identified in the Code as Sustainable Development.
The Building Division administers building permits. The Code Compliance Division enforces the City Code of Ordinances.
The City does not publish a single standalone residential fence code. Residential fence rules appear across fence, permit, yard-encroachment, easement, floodplain, and property-maintenance provisions.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Building Permit: A Building Permit is required for standard residential fence construction, replacement, alteration, movement, or repair under the City’s building-permit requirements and Code §13-38(a).
• Permit Review: Building permits must conform to Chapter 13 and the Florida Building Code. Approved permits authorize only the work shown on the approved plans.
• Fence Permit Category: The Code publishes a fence permit-fee category measured by lineal foot.
• Zoning Compliance: Building permit requirements are separate from zoning, setback, or plat requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning conditions, setbacks, and plat requirements with Resilient Design and Development Department before construction.
• Easement Approval: Fences or walls located in easements require written approval from the City Engineer or other public agency with rights in the easement.
• Floodplain Approval: If proposed fence work is within a flood hazard area or regulated floodway, floodplain development approval may apply in addition to a building permit. Fences in regulated floodways that could block floodwaters must meet the Code’s floodway limitations.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Side and Rear Yards: Fences, walls, and hedges are permitted in required side and rear yards.
• Required Front Yard: Fences and walls are not permitted within a required front yard except as stated in the Code. The fence section permits a fence in a required front yard only within the agricultural zoning district, and it must be 15 feet from the right-of-way.
• Decorative Front-Yard Encroachment: Decorative masonry, ironwork, or woodwork may be used as a front-yard wall, fence, or enclosure, but it may not exceed 4 feet in height or extend more than 5 feet into the required front-yard setback.
• Corner or Street-Side Fences: Fences in a residential district on a corner or street side must be set back 5 feet from the right-of-way line or access easement.
• Sidewalk Edge Landscaping: If a sidewalk is present, shrubs or hedges must be placed along the outside of the fence, with minimum 24 inches height and 18 inches spread.
• Easements: Walls or fences located in easements require written approval from the City Engineer or other public agency with rights in the easement. Platted easements may also restrict permanent improvements, including fences.
• Required Buffers: Where a required buffer applies, walls or fences on residential or nonresidential parcels cannot be closer than 15 feet from the perimeter or right-of-way.
• Regulated Floodways: Fences in regulated floodways that could block floodwaters, including stockade or wire-mesh fences, must meet the Code’s floodway limitations.
• Utility Safety: Florida law requires notice through Sunshine 811 before excavation or demolition. For fence projects that involve digging, including fence post holes, notice generally must be given at least 2 full business days before excavation begins on land.
FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES
• Residential Height: Fences on a residential lot are limited to 6 feet in height.
• Front-Yard Decorative Height: Decorative masonry, ironwork, or woodwork used as a front-yard wall, fence, or enclosure may not exceed 4 feet in height.
• Corner and Street-Side Visibility: The Code does not publish a separate fence-specific sight-triangle standard for standard residential fences. The published corner or street-side residential fence rule is the 5-foot setback from the right-of-way line or access easement.
• Sidewalk Screening: If a sidewalk is present outside a residential fence, shrubs or hedges must be installed along the outside of the fence at minimum 24 inches height and 18 inches spread.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Prohibited Residential Materials: Barbed wire and similar material are not permitted on a fence or wall within a residential district.
• Decorative Side: The decorative side of a fence or wall, if applicable, must face the outside limits of the property.
• Permitted Materials: The Code does not publish a complete list of permitted materials for standard residential fences.
• Maintenance: If 25 percent or more of any single sight view of a fence becomes deteriorated, discolored, peeling, molding, or mildewing, the fence must be cleaned, repainted, or recovered.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
Private covenants, HOA rules, architectural standards, and recorded easements operate independently from the City’s fence rules. They may be more restrictive than the Code and may regulate placement, height, color, materials, and appearance even when a City permit or Code provision allows the fence.
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-Required Fence Work: Fence construction, replacement, alteration, movement, or repair may be reviewed through the Building Division permit process.
• Code Compliance: The Code Compliance Division enforces the City Code of Ordinances and accepts violation reports.
• Height and Yard Placement: Review may address the 6-foot residential height limit, required front-yard limits, agricultural front-yard placement, and street-side or corner setbacks.
• Easements and Rights-of-Way: Review may address fences in easements, encroachments into public rights-of-way, and written easement approvals from the City Engineer or other agency.
• Floodway Constraints: Review may address regulated floodway fences that could block floodwaters.
• Fence Maintenance: Code enforcement may address fences when 25 percent or more of any single sight view is deteriorated, discolored, peeling, molding, or mildewing.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Coconut Creek, based on publicly available materials reviewed as of April 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, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with the Resilient Design and Development Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Coconut Creek staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.