A.

Fences and walls can create a sense of privacy, or a sense of place. They can protect people, pets and property from external forces. They provide separation from streets, and may enhance the appearance of property by providing attractive landscape materials.

B.

Fences and walls can have negative effects. For example: they can inhibit police and community surveillance; decrease a sense of community, so critical to life in a small city; hinder emergency access; hinder safe movements of people and vehicles; and they can be unattractive.

C.

The purpose of these standards is to lessen the negative impacts to the city fences can create, while allowing the more positive attributes of fences and walls to come forward.

D.

These standards are intended to encourage accessible development, built to a human scale, in line with RUACP policies, rather than to create barriers.

(Ord. No. 1132, § 2(Exh. A), 7-11-2013)

This chapter applies to walls, fences and screens of all types whether open, solid, wood, metal, wire, masonry, vegetative or other material. Structures or vegetative material less than forty-two inches high at maturity are not fences for the purposes of this chapter. The planning director shall have the authority, through a Type I procedure to decide whether a fence exists and if it complies with this chapter.

(Ord. No. 1132, § 2(Exh. A), 7-11-2013)

A.

Base Line Criteria. In all zones, except E (employment), the maximum height allowable for any fence construction shall be six feet from grade level to the highest point on the fence structure.

1.

The height of a fence located on a retaining wall shall be measured from the finished grade at the top of the wall to the top of the fence. The overall height of the fence located on the wall shall be a maximum of six feet.

2.

Vegetative matter which functions as a fence may exceed the six-foot limitation provided that the vegetative matter is not or does not violate the city engineering standards relating to "corner sight clearance."

3.

No fence shall exceed forty-two inches in height where:

a.

Section 2.15, "sight obstruction requirements," of the city engineering standards applies; or

b.

The fence is a visual obstruction pursuant to Section 18.100.

B.

E District Criteria. In the E zone, fence height shall be no higher than eight feet from grade to the highest point of the structure, except that fence height shall be less than eight feet where:

1.

Section 2.15, "sight obstruction requirements," of the city engineering standards applies; or

2.

The fence is a visual obstruction pursuant to Section 18.100.

C.

Wood fences installed in any zoning district shall have steel structural posts with wood post covers.

D.

All walls and retaining walls subject to permitting under the Ridgefield Municipal Code Titles 14 and 18 shall be earth-toned and have a stone appearance.

(Ord. No. 1132, § 2(Exh. A), 7-11-2013; Ord. No. 1226, § 2(Exh. A), 12-15-2016; Ord. No. 1345, § 2(Exh. A), 7-8-2021; Ord. No. 1352, § 2(Exh. A), 11-4-2021; Ord. No. 1406, § 2(Exh. A), 7-13-2023)

A.

Modifications or adjustments to the standards in this chapter shall be made pursuant to Chapter 18.350.

B.

To modify the requirements of the chapter, the planning director shall find, by substantial evidence, that that public safety will be substantially impaired unless this height restriction is exceeded or relaxed.

(Ord. No. 1132, § 2(Exh. A), 7-11-2013)

No person shall construct a fence without having first obtained a permit from the city to do so, except that a permit to construct a fence shall not be required on a single lot in a low-density residential zoning district.

(Ord. No. 1132, § 2(Exh. A), 7-11-2013)

The provisions of this chapter are enforceable pursuant to Chapter 18.395 and RMC Title 20.

(Ord. No. 1132, § 2(Exh. A), 7-11-2013; Ord. No. 1370, § 2(Exh. A), 9-8-2022; Ord. No. 1416, § 1(Att.), 2-22-2024)