Property owners are required to know their property’s boundaries. Unless an agreement is signed with owners of adjoining properties, all fences must be erected inside property borders. Fences must not impair road vision, block walkways, obscure utility boxes, or utility poles.

So long as the work does not necessitate accessing their property, you are not legally compelled to notify your neighbors of any new fence construction. However, it is still the neighborly thing to do to inform them about any new construction. This is particularly true if they have children or pets that go outside.

All fences in Lakeville require a zoning permit. Fences that exceed 7 feet in height require an additional building permit. The zoning permit application is only $30.

The application does require more information than other cities in Minnesota. Applicants must submit which material they plan to use, type of fence (privacy, pool enclosure, kennel, or decorative), setbacks from the property line, copy of a Certificate of Survey, and fence height.

One of our team members will call Gopher State One to identify all utility lines for jobs completed by Northland Fence. We take locating utility lines extremely seriously since it is vital to everyone’s safety.

Lakeville has fluctuating height requirements based on its directional location in relation to the house as well as lot location. Regardless of your lot location, front yard fences cannot exceed 4 feet in height and must have 75% opacity, unless a special building permit is obtained. Fences on the rear or side of the property can not exceed 6 feet in height.

Corner lots must abide by the “visibility triangle” rule. Within 45 feet of the point of the street’s intersection, no structures higher than 3 feet are permitted. However, this can usually be negated if building from a property line setback of 10 feet or more. The “visibility window” rule can be confusing and requires a bit of geometry to understand how it will apply to your property. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Access to easements may not be blocked or significantly restricted by fences. Electrical boxes, fire hydrants, utility poles, public walkways, passageways, and other infrastructural elements are examples of easements.