FENCE RULES – WINTER GARDEN (CITY), FLORIDA
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Winter Garden, subject to local regulations.
Fence rules appear primarily in the Code of Ordinances, City of Winter Garden, Florida, Chapter 118, Article VI, Division 7, Fences, Buffers. Section 118-1296 addresses residential corner visibility, and section 118-1297 addresses fence and wall placement, height, materials, permits, and maintenance.
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 Code of Ordinances, City of Winter Garden, Florida, Chapter 118, Article VI, Division 7, Fences, Buffers; the Building Department materials; the Planning & Zoning Department materials; the Code Enforcement Division materials; and the City of Winter Garden Permit Fee Schedule, as of April 2026.
GOVERNANCE
The City of Winter Garden regulates fences through its adopted Code of Ordinances, including Chapter 118, Zoning, and through administrative review by the Building Division and Planning & Zoning Department.
The controlling fence provisions are concentrated in Chapter 118, Article VI, Division 7, Fences, Buffers. Section 118-1297 is the main fence and wall section. Section 118-1296 separately regulates visibility at intersections on residential corner lots.
The Building Division administers the fence permit requirement. The Planning & Zoning Department handles zoning questions involving fences, setbacks, side yards, height limits, zoning districts, and related site conditions. The Code Enforcement Division enforces City code and zoning violations through the City’s code enforcement process.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Fence Permit: A permit from the Building Division is required before any person installs, erects, constructs, relocates, or alters a fence within the City of Winter Garden.
• Permit Review Materials: The permit application must include a sketch or design of the proposed fence, a description of the materials to be used, and the fence height.
• Permit Issuance Standard: The Building Inspector may not issue a permit if the proposed fence does not meet the requirements of section 118-1297.
• Zoning Permit Submittal: The Building Department states that zoning permits are submitted electronically and lists fences as an applicable project type.
• Fence Permit Fee: The City of Winter Garden Permit Fee Schedule lists a $25.00 fee for a fence permit.
• Pool Fences and Enclosures: Fencing or enclosing of swimming pools must also comply with the adopted Florida Building Code provisions for swimming pools and bathing places.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Front Yard Placement: Front yard fences and walls must be set back one-half foot from the property line.
• Side Yard Placement: A side yard fence or wall may be placed on the property line if a scaled drawing showing the fence location and dimensions is overlaid on a sealed survey. Without that survey overlay, the fence or wall must be at least 6 inches from the property line, unless written consent from adjoining property owners is submitted with the permit application.
• Rear Yard Placement: A rear yard fence or wall may be placed on the property line if a scaled drawing showing the fence location and dimensions is overlaid on a sealed survey. Without that survey overlay, the fence or wall must be at least 6 inches from the property line, unless written consent from adjoining property owners is submitted with the permit application.
• Alley Placement: Fences adjacent to alleyways must be set back from the edge of pavement or unpaved alley right-of-way according to the alley height and opacity standards stated in the fence height and visibility rules.
• Alley Gates: Driveways to alleyways may be gated, but the gate may not swing open toward the alley.
• Utility Easements: Fences are allowed in utility easements if the construction does not interfere with utility improvements in the easement. Permanent structures, such as concrete pool decks, are not permitted in utility easements.
• Screen Enclosures: Screen enclosures must be at least 5 feet from the side or rear property line, or outside any utility or drainage easement, whichever is greater.
• Adjacent Commercial or Industrial Property: If the City determines that a proposed residential fence or wall may conflict with adjacent commercial or industrial property, the City evaluates the appropriate alternative to provide necessary screening from that property.
• 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
• Front Yards: Front yard fences and walls are limited to 3 feet in height.
• Side Yards: Side yard fences and walls are limited to 3 feet in height to the building line and 6 feet in height for the remaining side yard.
• Rear Yards: Rear yard fences and walls are limited to 6 feet in height.
• Corner Lot Chain-Link Exception: On corner lots, the yard located on the side of the house oriented toward the street may have a chain-link fence up to 4 feet in height if a landscape hedge is installed in front of the fence.
• Agricultural Parcel Chain-Link Exception: On parcels larger than 2 acres used for agricultural purposes, chain-link fencing may be up to 4 feet high in the front yard and 6 feet high in the side and rear yards.
• Alley Semi-Opaque Fence Standard: Fences adjacent to alleyways may be up to 4 feet high when semi-opaque and set at least 4 feet from the alley pavement or unpaved right-of-way.
• Alley Fully Opaque Fence Standard: Fully opaque alley-adjacent fences may be greater than 4 feet but not greater than 6 feet if set at least 8 feet from the alley pavement.
• Residential Corner Visibility: On a corner lot in a residential district, nothing may be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow in a way that materially impedes vision between 2.5 feet and 10 feet above the centerline grades of intersecting streets within the area bounded by the street lines and a line joining points along the street lines 50 feet from the intersection.
• Triangle of Visibility: All fences and walls must be outside the triangle of visibility.
• Traffic Safety: Fences may not obscure the clear view of traffic at intersections or driveways and may not create a safety hazard to pedestrians or vehicular traffic.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Front Yard Chain Link: Chain-link fences are not permitted in the front yard, except for the stated corner-lot and agricultural-parcel exceptions.
• Chain-Link Coating: New chain-link fences that are visible from a public road or from residential or commercial property must be coated in green, black, or brown vinyl. This vinyl-coating requirement does not apply to existing chain-link fences, chain-link fences on single-family or duplex residential property, or new chain-link fences that receive specific permission from the Planning and Zoning Board.
• Finished Side: All fences must be installed with the smooth side or most finished side facing outward toward the adjacent property.
• Pool Fence Gates: Gates or doors opening through a pool enclosure must be equipped with self-closing and self-latching devices that keep the gate or door securely closed when not in actual use, except where a dwelling door forms part of the enclosure.
• Electric Fences: Electrically charged fences are prohibited within the city, except where the Building Official issues a permit for an electrically charged fence to retain animals after proof that the fence will not be hazardous to life.
• Barbed Wire: Barbed wire, including concertina wire, razor wire, or similar devices, is prohibited except as expressly allowed by section 118-1297. For standard residential fencing, the code does not establish barbed wire as a permitted residential fence material.
• Hazardous Fences: A fence may not be erected, installed, or maintained if it obscures clear traffic views at intersections or driveways or creates a pedestrian or vehicular safety hazard.
• Maintenance: Fences, walls, hedges, and similar structures in residential districts must be maintained by the property owner. The code identifies missing boards or slats, cracks, open gaps, leaning sections, crooked posts, missing blocks or bricks, cracked or crumbling masonry, and loss of structural integrity as maintenance concerns.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
Private covenants, deed restrictions, and HOA rules operate independently from City permits and may be more restrictive than the City of Winter Garden fence rules.
A City permit or zoning approval does not remove the need to comply with applicable private restrictions.
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 Review: Installing, erecting, constructing, relocating, or altering a fence without first obtaining the required Building Division permit.
• Zoning Review: Fence projects submitted through the City’s zoning-permit process, including review of applicable setbacks, height limits, placement rules, and site conditions.
• Placement: Front yard setbacks, side and rear yard property-line documentation, alley setbacks, gate swing, utility easements, screen enclosure separations, and conflicts with adjacent commercial or industrial property.
• Height and Visibility: Front yard, side yard, rear yard, alley-adjacent, corner-lot, and agricultural-parcel height limits, along with triangle-of-visibility and residential corner visibility standards.
• Construction and Materials: Chain-link placement, chain-link coating where applicable, finished-side orientation, pool enclosure devices, electrical fences, barbed wire, and hazardous fence conditions.
• Maintenance: Missing boards or slats, open gaps, leaning sections, damaged masonry, and other conditions affecting appearance or structural integrity.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Winter Garden, 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 Building Division and Planning & Zoning Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Winter Garden staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.