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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11_fences_retaining_wall_faq_and_guidelines_v2Information Sheet Fences and Retaining Walls TOWN OF LEXINGTON MASSACHUSETTS Office of Land Use, Health and Development 1625 Massachusetts Avenue 02420 PHONE (781) 698-4530 • A fence not greater than 6 feet in height may be installed at the side or rear property line. No building permit is required if the fence is less than 7 feet in height. Fence, posts and holes must be on your property. Any fence great than 6 feet in height requires a Building Permit and greater than 7 feet requires a Special Permit. • A fence or retaining wall not greater than 4 feet may be installed at the front property line. Fence, posts and holes must be on your property. • Retaining walls may be installed within the required rear and side yard setbacks. However, the retaining wall must be set back from the lot line at a distance equal to or greater than the height of the retaining wall. • If two or more fences and/or retaining walls are separated by a distance that is less than the height of the highest structure, their height is the combined height of the structures and must not exceed 6 feet. • Supporting posts for a fence may extend 6 inches higher than the top of the fence. • In order to correctly identify your property boundaries, you must have a stamped, signed, certified plot plan from a Massachusetts licensed land surveyor. • You cannot block site lines along a street. You need to be sure there are no visibility issues with pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or your neighbor’s driveway. If you’re on a corner lot, you’ll likely need to bring the fence down in height and away from corner. We recommend calling the DPW, Police, or Building Departments before the fence is installed if you have any questions. • We suggest sharing your fence plans with your neighbors. Sometimes a surprise of a new fence when you come home from work is problematic. Boundary disputes are common, so letting your neighbors know ahead of time and getting your lot surveyed is good practice. • We recommend staying a couple feet off the lot line so that future replacement and maintenance can be done without trespassing onto abutters land. We also recommend installing the so-called “good side” facing the neighbors and street out of courtesy. If you disturb your neighbor’s property, you should restore it to its original condition. • Always check with Conservation, Historic Districts Commission and Neighbor Conservation Districts. • Every site is different, so ask your fence company to confirm that your plans conform with the Bylaw. They should know how to prevent issues or problems when planning a fence. • This sheet is for informational purposes only. To see the complete bylaw use the QR code above or see https://ecode360.com/10529421 It may be helpful to give this information sheet to your fence company.