Oberlin, Ohio

Fence Company in Oberlin, Ohio

Fence installation and repair for Oberlin homes, from the streets near the college to lots at the edge of town. Matt measures, quotes and runs each job from our North Ridgeville shop, with nothing handed to subcontractors.

Fence installation and repair in Oberlin.

Nothing subcontracted · Free estimates · Itemized pricing

Zoning certificate required

Routine upkeep exempt

Wood, vinyl or metal up front

Oberlin fence rules

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Max height, side and rear yards

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Max height, front yard

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Corner visibility triangle

Per Oberlin's fence chapter

Oberlin population, 2020 Census

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Side and rear yard max height

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Front yard max height

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Corner sight triangle

North Ridgeville

Avon

Avon Lake

Elyria

Amherst

Lakewood

Westlake

Oberlin

North Ridgeville

Avon

Avon Lake

Elyria

Amherst

Lakewood

Westlake

Oberlin

Installation

Fence installation in Oberlin, by material

Oberlin’s front-yard rule allows wood, vinyl or metal, so those are the three to compare first.

Oberlin wants a zoning certificate before the first post.

Oberlin’s Planning and Development Department administers the zoning code, and a fence needs a zoning certificate. This list is built from Chapter 1350 (Fences), published as Exhibit B of Ordinance 21-71 on the city’s website. Ask the city to confirm before you order.

The 2020 census counted 8,555 residents and 3,031 housing units in Oberlin, with 12.4 percent of the units vacant (U.S. Census Bureau). Not sure which of these rules reaches your lot? Send the address through the Best Fence contact form.

4 ft front yard

6 ft side and rear

50% open in front

Zoning certificate first

Certificate: no person may erect a fence without first obtaining a zoning certificate (Section 1350.02). No certificate is required for routine maintenance of an existing fence where no modifications are proposed.
Front yard: no taller than 4 feet, built of wood, vinyl or metal (chain link and wire are not allowed), with at least 50 percent of the fence evenly open for light, air and visibility. Along a side lot line next to a business or industrial district, the front-yard limit can reach 6 feet if the Planning Commission approves.
Side and rear yards: 6 feet in side yards, and 6 feet in rear yards on interior lots. On a corner lot, the part of the rear yard closer to the right-of-way than the house is limited to 4 feet.
Property line: a fence may be located abutting a property line. The unfinished side, supporting rails and posts must face the interior of the property.

Sight lines: corner lots keep a visibility triangle (the code gives 25 feet from the intersection), and driveways need clear sight lines.
Historic review: Oberlin has a Historic Preservation Commission that issues Certificates of Appropriateness for work on designated landmarks and within historic districts. Its charge covers any "building, object or feature" and does not name fences, so if your house is a landmark or in a district, ask the city whether a fence needs review before you order. The Downtown Oberlin Historic District has been on the National Register since 2003, and the city's landmarks booklet lists 72 designated landmarks.
Contractors: the city's Building Department forms page lists a Contractor and Subcontractor Registration form (revised 01/26/24): $100 for the first trade, no bond required, and a certificate of insurance required. The same page has the Residential Permit Application, which includes a Deck/Patio/Porch/Fence checkbox.

Planning and Development and the Building Division: 69 South Main Street, 2nd floor, Oberlin, OH 44074, (440) 775-7182 (per the city’s contractor registration form). Oberlin City Hall: 85 South Main Street, (440) 775-1531. Both forms are on the city’s Building Department Forms and Applications page.

Old fence in an old Oberlin neighborhood?

The city’s fence chapter exempts routine maintenance of an existing fence where no modifications are proposed, and the city can tell you what counts. A leaning post or a loose picket is worth a text before you think about replacing. We repair every material, including fences we did not build. See fence repair in Oberlin and wood fence repair.

Areas

Nearby areas we serve

Closest to Oberlin: Amherst fence company, Elyria fence company and fence company in North Ridgeville. See also the Best Fence home page.

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Fence Company in Oberlin, Ohio

Fence installation in Oberlin, by material

Wood

Vinyl

Aluminum

Gates

Oberlin wants a zoning certificate before the first post.

Old fence in an old Oberlin neighborhood?

Nearby areas we serve

Amherst, OH

Elyria, OH

North Ridgeville, OH

Avon, OH

Avon Lake, OH

Westlake, OH

Lakewood, OH

Get your free fence estimate

Tell us about your fence