Fence Installation in Hillside, NJ

Hillside is a Union County township of post-war residential streets between Elizabeth, Union and Irvington — capes, ranches and colonials on level lots, with the township’s commercial corridors along Route 22 and North Broad Street. Fence projects here start with paperwork: Hillside runs fences through its zoning process, and the Building Department’s own application asks for a property survey and dimensioned plans when you erect one. Getting that package right is what keeps a Hillside fence project moving.

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

Hillside’s Fence Rules: Start With the Zoning Permit

Hillside regulates fences and walls in § 188-28 of its Land Use Code (Chapter 188) — under Hillside’s definitions, a fence is a "structure" for zoning purposes (§ 188-20). Hillside’s height rules are unusually simple: one cap for most homes, one sight-line rule for corner lots. The verified steps and standards:

Six feet is the cap on interior residential lots. On an interior lot in a residential district, any wall or fence may be no more than 6 feet high (§ 188-28B). The section sets no separate front-yard, side-yard or rear-yard heights — the 6-foot cap is the whole height rule, apart from the corner-lot rule below and the pool-yard rules in § 188-39.
Corner lots: 3 feet near the intersection. On a corner lot in any district, no fence, wall or other vision obstruction may exceed 3 feet in height, measured from the top of the curb, within 25 feet of any street intersection (§ 188-28A). Corner-lot layouts near the corner itself need low, open fencing — the rest of the lot follows the standard that applies to it. This sight-line rule applies in every district, industrial included.
No barbed wire, no spikes. Residential fences may not use barbed wire or metal spikes on top, and nothing about a fence may be built in a manner dangerous to people or animals (§ 188-28C).
Zoning application first. The Township of Hillside Building Department handles fence permits. Its Application for a Zoning Determination or Zoning Verification states that when you are constructing or erecting a fence, you must submit a property survey, plus plans, drawings or schematics with details and dimensions with your application.
The fee is $80 for a residential property ($160 commercial). Under § 188-44D, as amended in 2026, the fee for a residential Zoning Permit or Zoning Verification is $80, payable to the Township of Hillside. There is no separate fence fee. (An older township form still circulating shows $35 — that figure was superseded in 2026.)
A decision within 10 business days. Under § 188-44C, the Zoning Official conducts the review and either issues the permit or provides a written denial within 10 business days of a complete application.
Placement points the fence section doesn’t cover are confirmed per property. Section 188-28 states no property-line setback and no finished-side rule; because the township reviews every fence against the survey and dimensioned plans you submit, anything the section doesn’t spell out is confirmed for your property during that review — before your project is priced as final.
Pools have their own rules. Section 188-39 requires a pool to be screened so that neither the pool nor bathers are visible from any joining street or neighboring property — by planting or by fencing (§ 188-39E) — and to be completely surrounded by fencing that effectively excludes children or trespassers, with gates kept locked when the pool is not in use (§ 188-39G). No edge of the pool may be closer than 7 feet to any building or lot line (§ 188-39C). Chapter 269 carries parallel pool rules (§ 269-18): a pool only in a rear yard, covering no more than 25% of the rear yard or 800 square feet of water surface, with the same 7-foot clearance, screening and enclosure requirements.

Township reference: Township of Hillside Code, Chapter 188 — § 188-28 (fences and walls), § 188-39 (swimming pools) and § 188-44 (zoning permits); forms and steps on the Hillside Building & Housing Department page.

Fencing Hillside Properties

The practical sequence in Hillside is survey, plans, permit, then posts. Because the township asks for dimensioned plans up front, the layout — where each run goes, where the gates land, how the fence meets the house and the driveway — gets settled on paper first, and the permit review confirms the plan against your lot before installation is scheduled. On an interior lot the design target is simple — up to 6 feet anywhere on the lot — while corner lots take the one piece of real planning: keeping anything within 25 feet of the intersection at or under 3 feet, measured from the top of the curb. Hillside’s level residential lots make for straightforward runs; the planning work is mostly about gates, shared lines with neighbors, and making sure the drawing and the yard agree.

Pools deserve a special note in Hillside. Section 188-39 requires that a pool be screened so that neither the pool nor the bathers using it are visible from any joining street or neighboring property — screening can be provided by planting or fencing (§ 188-39E) — and that the pool be completely surrounded by fencing that effectively excludes children or trespassers, with gates kept locked when the pool is not in use (§ 188-39G). Chapter 269’s pool rules (§ 269-18E and § 269-18G) say the same in the same words. A pool fence in Hillside therefore does double duty: it is the safety barrier and, where it faces a street or a neighbor, part of the screening. During a free estimate we walk the lot with you, sketch the layout the township application will need, and flag anything the Zoning Official will want to see. Anything not settled above is confirmed per property at permit time.

Fence Styles for Hillside Homes

White Vinyl Privacy Fencing

White vinyl privacy fencing is the most-quoted style on Hillside’s residential streets: a full backyard enclosure that never needs painting or staining. Our standard panels are six feet high by eight feet wide with 2-inch by 7-inch rails — the full six feet Hillside allows on an interior residential lot — and a Victorian picket-top style is available where you want a more decorative finish. On a corner lot, runs within 25 feet of the intersection are held to the 3-foot sight-line limit instead.

Black Aluminum Pool Fencing

For pool enclosures, Solanos Fence installs 54-inch black aluminum pool-barrier fencing. Open-style aluminum keeps sight lines clear inside the pool area; in Hillside it works alongside § 188-39’s requirements — the pool completely surrounded, gates kept locked when the pool is not in use, and screening toward streets and neighboring properties. Hillside’s pool sections set no fence height of their own; compliance is judged on the complete installed barrier — height, picket spacing, ground clearance, and self-closing, self-latching gates — under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, not on the panel alone.

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

WPC composite fencing gives a modern, solid look with a wood-like finish in black, teak or gray. Traditional wood fencing and post-and-rail suit Hillside’s older streets and corner lots, and chain link remains practical for rear yards, dog runs and commercial properties along the corridors. We quote these styles per project after reviewing footage, gates and terrain.

Fence Installation Prices in Hillside

Current installation specials start at $23 per linear foot for six-foot white vinyl privacy fencing and $28 per linear foot for 54-inch black aluminum pool-barrier fencing. Minimum project is 150 ft, and both offers apply 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). Other styles and layouts are priced by individual estimate.

See our fence installation deals for current terms.

Fence Materials for Hillside DIY Projects

Installing your own fence? Our Fairfield shop stocks white vinyl panels and posts, black aluminum panels and posts, and WPC packages for pickup. Bring your measurements or a sketch — remember Hillside’s Building Department will want a survey and dimensioned plans with your zoning application, so the same drawing serves both. Call ahead to confirm stock.

Browse fence materials for sale.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fences in Hillside

Do I need a permit for a fence in Hillside, and what does it cost?

Yes — fences go through the Hillside Building Department’s zoning process. The Application for a Zoning Determination or Zoning Verification requires a property survey and plans or drawings with details and dimensions for a fence, and the fee is $80 for a residential property under § 188-44D (amended 2026). The Zoning Official issues the permit or a written denial within 10 business days of a complete application.

How tall can my fence be in Hillside?

On an interior lot in a residential district, 6 feet is the maximum (§ 188-28B) — Hillside sets no separate front, side or rear heights. The exception is a corner lot: within 25 feet of a street intersection, no fence or wall may exceed 3 feet, measured from the top of the curb (§ 188-28A). Residential fences also may not use barbed wire or metal spikes on top (§ 188-28C). The township confirms your lot’s layout when it reviews your survey and dimensioned plans with your zoning application.

My home is on a corner lot — what changes?

Within 25 feet of a street intersection, no fence, wall or other vision obstruction may exceed 3 feet in height, measured from the top of the curb (§ 188-28A) — that corner zone stays low and open, and the rule applies in every district, industrial included. Away from the corner zone, the rest of the lot follows the standard that applies to it, and the township confirms the layout against your survey and dimensioned plans when it reviews your zoning application.

What are Hillside’s pool fence rules?

Section 188-39 requires the pool to be completely surrounded by fencing that effectively excludes children or trespassers, with gates kept locked when the pool is not in use (§ 188-39G), and screened — by planting or fencing — so that neither the pool nor bathers are visible from any joining street or neighboring property (§ 188-39E). Chapter 269 (§ 269-18) carries the same screening and enclosure rules, and adds that the pool itself may sit only in a rear yard, covering no more than 25% of it; under both sections no pool edge may be closer than 7 feet to a building or lot line. Hillside sets no pool-fence height of its own — the installed barrier, gates, latches and spacing included, must also meet the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

Do you offer payment plans?

No, we don’t offer payment plans.

Request a Free Fence Estimate in Hillside, NJ

Call 973-220-7638 or contact Solanos Fence online. Tell us your approximate footage, the style you have in mind and whether your lot is a corner lot, and we will help you plan the next step — including the survey and plans the township application needs. 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