Fence Installation in Garwood, NJ

Garwood, a small borough in Union County, runs its fence rules on a front-to-back split. In a required front yard, a residential fence may not exceed four feet and may not be a closed design at all (§ 106-118B); in side and rear yards, fences may run a full six feet(§ 106-118C). Unusually, six feet is also the least fence Garwood accepts around an in-ground pool: under § 106-119, " for an in ground pool it shall be six feet," where most towns track the state's 48-inch barrier. The permit side is just as distinctive: Garwood's zoning permit costs a flat $10, the lowest fence fee in this part of Union County.

Solanos Fence installs vinyl, aluminum, WPC composite, wood and chain link fencing in Garwood, NJ, and handles fence repair as well. We also sell fence materials for pickup at our Fairfield location. Garwood is part of our Union County service area.

Garwood's Fence Rules: § 106-118 and § 106-119

Garwood regulates fences in § 106-118(Fences and walls) of its Land Use Ordinance (Chapter 106, Article VIII), pools in § 106-119 of the same article, sight triangles in § 106-112, and floodway fences in the chapter's flood hazard article. The main rules:

Front yards: four feet, and open designs only (§ 106-118B). Fences and walls are not permitted in a required front yard except in residential zones, where a front-yard fence may not exceed four feet and may not be chain link, stockade, board-on-board or similar closed fencing — so a front-yard fence in Garwood is a low, open design: picket, split rail or aluminum. (In nonresidential zones, § 106-118B instead allows a fence of up to six feet at the front building line, extending to the side and rear lines.)
Six feet in residential zones, eight in nonresidential (§ 106-118C)."No fence or wall shall be erected in any residential zone district in excess of a six-foot height. No fence or wall shall be erected in any nonresidential zone district in excess of an eight-foot height." For a home, six feet — in the side and rear yards — is the cap; anything higher needs a variance.
Dangerous materials banned (§ 106-118D). No fence may use barbed wire or metal spikes, or be topped with concertina or razor wire, broken bottles or similar materials.
Finished side faces the neighbor (§ 106-118F)."The face or finished side of a fence or wall shall face the adjacent property."
Buffer fence next to homes (§ 106-118G). A six-foot closed fence is required as a buffer between all nonresidential uses and residential zones.
Corner lots: six feet allowed along the street side, with a three-foot inset (§ 106-118H)."On a corner lot, no fence other than an open or closed fence not more than six feet in height shall be permitted in the side yard closest to the street, that is, beyond the side line of the principal building." On a vacant corner lot, the same six-foot fence may run "beyond the permitted building envelope on the side closest to the street." One visibility condition applies: " No closed fence or fence in excess of four feet permitted by this § 106-118H on a corner lot shall be erected any closer than three feet to a side yard property line in the side yard closest to the street." Subsection H is not the whole corner story, though — the sight-triangle rules in the next bullet also apply at the corner itself.
Sight triangles: two sections, two figures (§ 106-112; § 106-118E). Garwood's sight-triangle section, § 106-112, requires an unobstructed sight triangle on every corner lot: no plantings, fences or obstructions may be located or maintained over 24 inches in height within the triangle, whose legs run 25 feet along the front and side lot lines in residential zones (20 feet in the General Business zone). The fence section adds its own visibility rule at § 106-118E: no fence, wall or hedge may constitute a traffic or safety hazard, and fences, walls and hedges within the sight triangle must be maintained at a maximum of three feet from street grade. The two sections state different figures, and which one governs a particular corner is confirmed by the Zoning Officer on the survey — so a corner design is settled on the permit, not assumed from § 106-118H alone.
Permits — zoning permit before you build, $10 (§ 106-118; § 106-157)."A zoning permit is to be obtained prior to the installation of all lot perimeter fencing" (§ 106-118), and § 106-118A adds that no fence four feet or higher, or closer than three feet to a property line, may be built without first obtaining the zoning permit, with adequate surveys, plans and details submitted. The borough's fee schedule prices the zoning permit flat: " The fee for a zoning permit shall be $10" (§ 106-157), and the application must include a survey of the property. A fence built as part of a pool enclosure also carries a construction permit fee of $90: Garwood's codified construction schedule (Ch. 67, § 67-3) lists $75 for the item, but that schedule is subordinated to the Garwood–Cranford shared services agreement, and Cranford's ordinances under the agreement set the pool-enclosure fence fee at $90 — the shared Cranford department is the one that issues Garwood's construction permits.
Pools: six feet for in-ground, four feet for aboveground (§ 106-119). Every Garwood pool "must be enclosed by a fence or barrier completely surrounding the pool." The barrier must withstand a 200-pound horizontal load, have no footholds or handholds a young child can climb, and block a four-inch sphere through any opening or under the fence; a chain link barrier's diamond openings may not exceed 1¾ inches. "While the fence does not have to be closed, it must be of a type to prevent access to the pool. Required minimum fence height for an above ground pool shall be four feet; for an in ground pool it shall be six feet." Gates must be self-closing, with a self-latching mechanism at least four feet above the ground. The pool itself must sit at least five feet from any side or rear property line, a zoning permit is required for the pool, and pools must also conform to the state construction code the borough incorporates (BOCA § 623.1 et seq.).
Floodway fences (§ 106-136.80, Subarticle 15). In a regulated floodway, a fence must have sufficiently large openings that it will not catch debris and obstruct floodwater, under N.J.A.C. 7:13. The chapter names split-rail and strand fences as designs that can meet the rule, and names "a fence with little or no open area, such as a chain link, lattice, or picket fence" as one that does not — solid privacy fencing fails there too. A pool-enclosure fence that meets the construction code but not the floodway openness rule needs a flood variance.

Town reference: Borough of Garwood Code, Ch. 106, §§ 106-112, 106-118 and 106-119 (eCode360); zoning permit fee at § 106-157; construction fees at Ch. 67, § 67-3 (pool-enclosure fence fee $90 under the Garwood–Cranford shared services ordinances); floodway fences at § 106-136.80 (Subarticle 15), under the standard cross-referenced at § 106-136.39A(1).

Fencing Garwood Properties

Garwood design starts with the front-to-back split. The required front yard is four-foot, open-design territory (§ 106-118B); the side and rear yards are where the six-foot line applies — and that six feet cuts both ways: it is the tallest fence you may build (§ 106-118C), and around an in-ground pool it is also the shortest fence you may build (§ 106-119). Between homes, a full six feet of solid privacy is the standard Garwood backyard. The lots that need planning are corner lots, where a six-foot open or closed fence may run along the street-side yard behind the side line of the house — but a closed fence, or any fence over four feet there, must sit at least three feet inside the side property line(§ 106-118H), and the corner's sight triangle carries its own caps (§ 106-112; § 106-118E) that the Zoning Officer confirms on your survey — and lots in a regulated floodway, where solid and picket fences do not meet the openness rule at all.

Pools are where Garwood separates itself: the borough sets the barrier height itself — six feet for an in-ground pool, four feet for an aboveground pool(§ 106-119) — together with the four-inch opening rule, the self-closing and self-latching gate rule, and the pool's own five-foot setback from side and rear lines. During a free estimate we walk the lot with you, check the front-yard line and the corner and flood conditions against your survey, and confirm the barrier spec for your property if a pool is involved, before we talk about styles. Anything not settled above is confirmed per property on the zoning permit, which the borough reviews against your survey before you build.

Fence Styles for Garwood Homes

White Vinyl Privacy Fencing

White vinyl privacy fencing is built for Garwood's side and rear yards: our standard six-foot panels sit exactly at the § 106-118(C) cap, and as a closed fence vinyl is expressly contemplated by the corner-lot rule (§ 106-118H) — on a corner lot's street-side yard, keep the closed run at least three feet inside the side property line. Vinyl privacy is a closed design, so it cannot go in a required front yard at all — front-yard fences there are capped at four feet and must be open (§ 106-118B). Vinyl's finished face on both sides presents the same clean face to the street and the neighbor, which also satisfies the finished-side rule (§ 106-118F).

Black Aluminum Fencing

Black aluminum fencing works in Garwood as an open yard fence anywhere within the six-foot side-and-rear cap — and because it is an open design, aluminum is also the style that can run in a required front yard, at up to four feet (§ 106-118B). Around a pool, read the borough's text carefully: § 106-119 sets the minimum barrier height by pool type — six feet for an in-ground pool, four feet for an aboveground pool — and caps barrier openings at a four-inch sphere (with chain link diamonds limited to 1¾ inches). Our aluminum pickets are spaced 3.75 inches apart, inside the four-inch opening rule, and compliance is judged on the complete installed barrier — height, openings, gates and latching hardware together — never on the panel alone. Because Garwood's in-ground height is a full six feet rather than the standard pool height, we quote Garwood pool enclosures by free estimate after confirming the barrier spec for your property (see Prices below).

WPC Composite, Wood, Post-and-Rail — and Chain Link

WPC composite fencing in black, teak or gray follows the vinyl pattern: solid panels to six feet between neighboring homes in side and rear yards — as a closed design it is likewise excluded from required front yards (§ 106-118B). Wood does both Garwood jobs: open picket and post-and-rail styles are the traditional front-yard fences (four feet maximum in a required front yard), while board fences are closed designs for side and rear yards. Open designs like split-rail are also the ones Garwood's floodway rules name as able to pass floodwater. Chain link appears in Garwood's code in three specific places — it is excluded from residential required front yards by name (§ 106-118B), as a pool barrier its diamond openings are capped at 1¾ inches(§ 106-119), and in a regulated floodway it fails the openness rule — so its placement is confirmed on the zoning permit like everything else. We price these styles after reviewing your footage, gates and terrain.

Fence Installation Prices in Garwood

Current installation special: $23 per linear foot for six-foot white vinyl privacy fencing. Minimum project is 150 ft, and the offer applies within our service area. Gates and removal of an existing fence are not included — they are priced separately(gates from $500 for a single gate and from $1,000 for a double gate). In Garwood, read the special against the code: the $23 price is for the locations where a six-foot privacy fence is permitted — side and rear yards, where six feet is the borough's residential cap (§ 106-118C). A required front yard is limited to four-foot open fences (§ 106-118B), and on a corner lot a closed street-side run must hold the three-foot inset from the side property line (§ 106-118H). Every Garwood fence starts with the permit — the zoning permit is a flat $10, with a survey included in the application.

One special we do not run as a flat price in Garwood is the 54-inch aluminum pool fence. Garwood's code sets the minimum pool fence height at six feet for an in-ground pool(§ 106-119) — a full foot and a half above the standard 54-inch pool panel — so Garwood pool enclosures are quoted by free estimate, after we confirm the barrier spec for your property; for an in-ground pool that means a six-foot barrier, which we install in black aluminum.

See our fence installation deals for current terms.

Fence Materials for Garwood DIY Projects

Installing it yourself? Our Fairfield shop stocks white vinyl panels and posts, black aluminum panels and posts, and WPC packages. The permit comes first either way — the $10 zoning permit, with a survey included in the application, before installation. One caution before you buy: if any part of your lot sits in a regulated floodway, solid privacy and picket fences do not meet the borough's floodway openness rule (Ch. 106) — check the lot's flood status before choosing a style. Call ahead to confirm stock and pickup.

Browse fence materials for sale.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fences in Garwood

How tall can a fence be in Garwood?

Six feet in side and rear yards; four feet in a required front yard. Garwood's fence section (§ 106-118C) provides that "no fence or wall shall be erected in any residential zone district in excess of a six-foot height" — the same six feet that § 106-119 then requires around an in-ground pool — while § 106-118B caps a required-front-yard fence at four feet. (Nonresidential districts allow up to eight feet under § 106-118C.) Anything taller needs a variance; the Planning Board denied one in 2023 for a fence built to about seven and a half feet.

Can I put a fence in my front yard?

Yes, with limits. Under § 106-118B, fences are not permitted in a required front yard except in residential zones, where a front-yard fence may not exceed four feet and may not be chain link, stockade, board-on-board or similar closed fencing — so front-yard fences in Garwood are open designs: picket, split rail or aluminum. (The corner-lot street-side yard is handled separately by § 106-118H: a fence up to six feet, open or closed, beyond the side line of the house, with closed fences and any fence over four feet there held at least three feet inside the side property line — subject to the sight-triangle caps in the corner-lot answer below.)

Do I need a permit for a fence in Garwood?

Yes — a zoning permit(zoning certificate) from the Zoning Officer. Section 106-118 requires the permit before installing all lot perimeter fencing, and § 106-118A adds that a fence four feet or higher, or closer than three feet to a property line, needs the permit first, with adequate surveys, plans and details submitted. The fee is a flat $10 — "The fee for a zoning permit shall be $10" (§ 106-157) — and the application must include a survey of the property. A fence built as part of a pool enclosure also carries a $90 construction permit fee, through the Construction Department Garwood shares with Cranford (Garwood's codified schedule lists $75 for the item, but the shared-services ordinances that govern the joint department set the pool-enclosure fence fee at $90).

I have a corner lot — what changes?

More than in most towns — Garwood rewrote its corner-lot rule in 2018 (§ 106-118H). An open or closed fence up to six feet may run in the side yard closest to the street, beyond the side line of the principal building; on a vacant corner lot, beyond the permitted building envelope. The visibility condition in § 106-118H: no closed fence, and no fence over four feet, in that street-side yard may sit closer than three feet to the side yard property line. On top of that, the corner's sight triangle has its own limits: § 106-112 bars plantings, fences and obstructions over 24 inches within a triangle whose legs run 25 feet along the front and side lot lines, while § 106-118E caps fences, walls and hedges within the sight triangle at three feet from street grade and bars any fence that is a traffic or safety hazard. The two sections state different figures, so the Zoning Officer confirms the governing line on your survey for your exact corner before you build.

What are Garwood's pool fence rules?

Garwood sets its own barrier numbers in § 106-119. Every pool must be enclosed by a fence or barrier completely surrounding it: minimum height six feet for an in-ground pool and four feet for an aboveground pool; no opening — or gap under the fence — may pass a four-inch sphere; chain link diamonds are capped at 1¾ inches; the barrier may have no footholds or handholds a child can climb; and gates must be self-closing with a self-latching mechanism at least four feet above the ground. The pool itself must sit at least five feet from any side or rear property line, and a zoning permit is required for the pool. Solanos Fence quotes Garwood pool enclosures by free estimate, after confirming the barrier spec for the property; compliance is judged on the complete installed barrier.

My lot is in a flood-prone area — what changes?

In a regulated floodway, Garwood's flood hazard rules (§ 106-136.80) require a fence to have sufficiently large openings that it will not catch debris or obstruct floodwater, under N.J.A.C. 7:13. Split-rail and strand fences are named as designs that can meet the rule; "a fence with little or no open area, such as a chain link, lattice, or picket fence, does not meet this requirement" — and neither does a solid privacy fence. (Barbed-wire fences also appear in the floodway list, but § 106-118D prohibits barbed wire in the borough's general fence rules, so it is not a practical option for a home.) A pool fence that meets the construction code but not the floodway openness rule needs a flood variance.

Do you offer payment plans?

No, we don't offer payment plans.

Request a Free Fence Estimate in Garwood, NJ

Call 973-220-7638 or contact Solanos Fence online. Tell us your approximate footage, the style you're considering, whether your lot is a corner lot, and whether a pool is involved — we'll plan the next steps around your property and Garwood's rules. You can also see everywhere we work on our Union County fence page.

Solanos Fence| 1275 Bloomfield Ave, Building 3 Suite 51, Fairfield, NJ 07004 | 973-220-7638 | NJ Home Improvement Contractor Registration #13VH06388200