Fence Installation in Mountainside, NJ

Mountainside, a borough in Union County, shapes every fence with three lines in § 1003 of its Land Use Ordinance. The first is the front-yard line: under § 1003(u)(4), fencing may not "extend beyond the rear front yard line of any building unless the fence is of an open type such as a split rail or chainlink, or any other fence at least 51% open," and no more than four feet high — so a solid privacy fence can only start behind the front of the house. The second is the inset: under § 1003(u)(1), " no fence or wall shall be constructed within 6 inches of a property line" — and on a street side line the borough is stricter still, barring any fence within 3 feet of the street line in a residential zone (§ 1003(n)), so a Mountainside fence never sits on the line itself. The third is the parallel rule: a fence over four feet that runs parallel to the house must sit at least its own height away from the building (§ 1003(u)(2)). Inside those lines the borough is workable: a full six feet in side and rear yards, on a zoning permit with a survey.

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

Mountainside's Fence Rules: § 1003(u)

Mountainside regulates fences in § 1003(u) of its Land Use Ordinance (Chapter XXII, Article 10), with street-line and corner-visibility rules at § 1003(n) and (m), pools in Chapter XI, and floodway fences in Chapter XXI. The main rules:

Forward of the front-yard line: open fences only, four feet maximum (§ 1003(u)(4))."Fencing shall not be allowed to extend beyond the rear front yard line of any building unless the fence is of an open type such as a split rail or chainlink, or any other fence at least 51% open, and such fence does not exceed four (4) feet in height." Solid vinyl, stockade and solid composite fences cannot run in front of the house at all — the borough's fence regulations restate it plainly: fencing may not exceed four feet in front yards, and only in an open design. (The subsection excepts lots under construction or after demolition, where six-foot perimeter fencing may be permitted at the Construction Official's discretion to protect public safety.)
Six feet in residential zones, eight in nonresidential (§ 1003(u)(1))."No fence or wall shall exceed 6 feet in height in a residential zone nor 8 feet in height in nonresidential zones." Six feet is therefore the working cap for a Mountainside backyard, and the borough's department page adds that fences over six feet are generally prohibited.
Six inches off a property line — three feet off a street line (§ 1003(u)(1); § 1003(n))."No fence or wall shall be constructed within 6 inches of a property line or street side line." Unlike most towns, Mountainside does not let a fence sit on the property line — the whole run, posts included, stands at least six inches inside your lot. On a street frontage the rule is stricter: § 1003(n), "Planting And Fences On Street Property Lines," bars any fence, hedge, shrubbery or planting in a residential zone within 3 feet of any street side line, and that stricter setback governs street-side runs.
Keep it back from the house, too (§ 1003(u)(2)). A fence or wall over four feet that runs parallel to a principal building may not sit nearer that side of the building than a distance equal to the fence's own height — so a six-foot privacy run parallel to the house needs six feet of separation from the wall. Height is not the only fit test in Mountainside.
Finished side out (§ 1003(u)(6)). The ordinance itself states it: "All fences shall be constructed with the finished side facing out." The borough's published fence regulations say the same thing in plainer words: "The 'good' or 'front' side must face the neighboring property."
Dangerous devices banned (§ 1003(u)(5)). On residential properties, no fence may carry barbed wire, sharp or pointed objects along the top, electrification, or similar dangerous devices. Nonresidential fences may not be electrified either; barbed wire there is allowed only through site plan review for a security purpose.

Corner lots have two frontages (§ 1003(u)(4); § 1003(j))."As indicated by Section 1003(j), a corner lot shall be considered as having two frontages" — so the open-only, four-foot rule forward of the front-yard line applies along both streets, and the borough's regulations add that a fence on the corner of a property must be set back beyond the established front yard along any street frontage.
Corner sight triangle: two feet maximum (§ 1003(m)(1)). Inside the sight triangle at a street corner, no fence, wall, structure, obstruction, hedge or growth may exceed two feet in height (trees inside the triangle are trimmed to ten feet). The triangle is measured from sight points on the intersecting street centerlines — 75 feet for local roads, 400 feet along a county road, and 500 feet along a state highway.
Permits — zoning permit and survey (§ 1003(u)(1); Ch. XXIII, § 23-13)."A zoning permit in a form approved by the Zoning Official is required for the construction of any fence 6 feet or less in height" — which in practice means every residential fence, since six feet is the residential cap. The application must include a current property survey showing measurements and the fence location. The borough's codified fee schedule lists exactly one fence fee: " Fence Permit (4 Feet or higher) — $100" (§ 23-13), and it carries no separate zoning-permit fee line. Be aware the borough's own figures conflict: its department webpage states a $50 application fee and its current application form states $75. We state the codified $100 schedule figure here; the total permit cost for your project is confirmed with the borough when you apply. (Retaining walls take a permit at four feet or less — including multiple stepped walls totaling four feet or less combined (§ 1003(u)(1)) — and necessary retaining walls over six feet go to Article 9 site plan review (§ 1003(u)(3)).)
Pools: the borough has its own barrier rules (§§ 11-2.10–11-2.13). Every swimming pool must be enclosed by a substantial fence at least four feet high, built so a child cannot gain access beneath or through it, with a gate that has locking facilities — and the gate stays locked whenever the pool is unguarded(§ 11-2.12). The pool itself must sit at least 10 feet from any property line and no nearer the street than the front wall of the dwelling (§ 11-2.10), and pools as an accessory use also conform to the setbacks at § 1008(a)(5). Alongside the borough rules, § 11-2.13 applies the state Uniform Construction Code and the Board of Health ordinances — where they conflict, the more restrictive provision governs. A pool fence also needs zoning approval plus a State of NJ construction permit(Borough Building/Zoning/Engineering Department).
Floodway fences (Ch. XXI, § 801.4). 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 and stockade fences fail there too. A pool-enclosure fence that meets the construction code but not the floodway openness rule needs a variance.

Town reference: Borough of Mountainside Code, Ch. XXII, § 1003 (Municipal Code Online) — fences at (u), street lines at (n), visibility at (m); pools at Chapter XI, §§ 11-2.10–11-2.13; fee schedule at Chapter XXIII, § 23-13; floodway fences at Chapter XXI, § 801.4; pool-fence permits through the Borough Building/Zoning/Engineering Department.

Fencing Mountainside Properties

Mountainside design starts with the lines that cannot be crossed: nothing solid forward of the rear front-yard line — in front of the house, only an open fence of four feet or less — nothing within six inches of a property line, and nothing within three feet of a street side line on a residential lot. A run that parallels the house needs its own check: any fence over four feet running parallel to the building must stand at least its own height away from that wall, so a six-foot fence needs six feet of separation before it can be promised (§ 1003(u)(2)). Behind those lines the borough is workable: six feet of solid privacy in the side and rear yards, finished side facing out, on a zoning permit supported by your survey. The lots that need planning are corner lots — treated as having two frontages, so the street-side run along the second street is held to the same open-and-four-feet standard as the front until it passes the front-yard line, the street-side inset is three feet rather than six inches, and inside the corner sight triangle nothing may stand over two feet(§ 1003(m)(1)) — and lots in a regulated floodway, where solid, chain link and picket fences do not meet the openness rule at all.

Pools follow the borough's own barrier rules on top of the permit track: a pool fence takes zoning approval plus a State construction permit, and the enclosure must be a substantial fence at least four feet high with a locking gate that stays locked when the pool is unguarded (§ 11-2.12), while the pool itself sits at least ten feet from every property line (§ 11-2.10). The state construction code applies alongside, and the more restrictive rule governs (§ 11-2.13). During a free estimate we walk the lot with you, mark the rear front-yard line, the six-inch inset off each property line and the three-foot inset off any street line, check the house-separation, corner and flood conditions, 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 at permit time.

Fence Styles for Mountainside Homes

White Vinyl Privacy Fencing

White vinyl privacy fencing is Mountainside's standard backyard fence: our six-foot panels sit exactly at the § 1003(u)(1) residential cap in side and rear yards, and vinyl's finished face on both sides makes the borough's finished-side rule (§ 1003(u)(6)) straightforward. Three Mountainside rules shape the layout: the run stands at least six inches inside the property line(§ 1003(u)(1)) — three feet inside a street side line in a residential zone (§ 1003(n)) — no part of a solid run may extend forward of the rear front-yard line(§ 1003(u)(4)), and where a six-foot run parallels the house it needs six feet of separation from the wall (§ 1003(u)(2)). In front of the house, only an open design up to four feet is allowed, and inside a corner sight triangle the limit drops to two feet (§ 1003(m)(1)).

Black Aluminum Fencing

Black aluminum fencing works in Mountainside two ways: as an open yard fence — its open design is the kind § 1003(u)(4) allows forward of the front-yard line at up to four feet — and around a pool, where the borough's own rules set the floor: a substantial enclosure at least four feet high, built so a child cannot get beneath or through it, with a gate that locks and stays locked when the pool is unguarded (§ 11-2.12), permitted through zoning approval plus a State construction permit, with the state construction code applied alongside (§ 11-2.13). Our aluminum pickets are spaced 3.75 inches apart, and compliance is judged on the complete installed barrier — height, openings, gates and latching hardware together — never on the panel alone. Our standard 54-inch pool-barrier fence clears the borough's four-foot minimum and sits comfortably under the six-foot residential cap (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 in side and rear yards, behind the front-yard line, six inches off the property line and three feet off a street side line. Wood picket and board fences do the same work in a traditional material. Post-and-rail and split-rail are the designs Mountainside's own text names as open types — they are the fences that may run forward of the front-yard line at up to four feet, and the ones the floodway chapter names as able to pass floodwater. Chain link is expressly contemplated by the borough — § 1003(u)(4) names chainlink as an open type allowed in front of the house — with one caution: the floodway chapter names chain link as a fence that fails the floodway openness rule, so keep it out of a regulated floodway. We price these styles after reviewing your footage, gates and terrain.

Fence Installation Prices in Mountainside

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). In Mountainside, read the specials against the code: the six-foot vinyl price is for runs in side and rear yards, behind the rear front-yard line — forward of that line the borough allows only open fences up to four feet (§ 1003(u)(4)), inside a corner sight triangle the cap is two feet (§ 1003(m)(1)) — every run is laid out at least six inches inside the property lines(§ 1003(u)(1)) and three feet inside a street side line(§ 1003(n)), and a six-foot run parallel to the house needs six feet of separation from the wall (§ 1003(u)(2)) — so a six-foot fence is quoted for the layout your lot actually allows. The aluminum pool price is for a barrier permitted through zoning approval and a State construction permit, meeting the borough's own pool rules — at least four feet, child-resistant, locking gate (§ 11-2.12) — with compliance judged on the complete installed fence. Every Mountainside fence starts with the permits: the codified fee schedule lists a $100 fence permit for fences four feet or higher(§ 23-13), while the borough's webpage and application form show different amounts — the total permit cost is confirmed with the borough when you apply, and a current survey showing the fence location goes with the application.

See our fence installation deals for current terms.

Fence Materials for Mountainside 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 — a zoning permit (§ 1003(u)(1)) with a copy of your survey showing the fence placement, and remember the layout rules before you dig: six inches off every property line, three feet off any street side line, nothing over two feet inside a corner sight triangle, a fence's own height of separation where a tall run parallels the house, and nothing solid forward of the rear front-yard line. One caution before you buy: if any part of your lot sits in a regulated floodway, solid privacy, chain link and picket fences do not meet the borough's floodway openness rule (Ch. XXI, § 801.4) — 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 Mountainside

How tall can a fence be in Mountainside?

Six feet in a residential zone — "no fence or wall shall exceed 6 feet in height in a residential zone nor 8 feet in height in nonresidential zones" (§ 1003(u)(1)). In front yards the limit is lower: forward of the rear front-yard line, only an open-type fence of four feet or less is allowed (§ 1003(u)(4)).

Can I put a fence in my front yard?

Only an open one, and only up to four feet. "Fencing shall not be allowed to extend beyond the rear front yard line of any building unless the fence is of an open type such as a split rail or chainlink, or any other fence at least 51% open, and such fence does not exceed four (4) feet in height" (§ 1003(u)(4)). A solid privacy fence cannot run in front of the house. The one exception in the text is for lots under construction or after demolition, where the Construction Official may permit six-foot perimeter fencing for public safety.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Mountainside?

Yes. "A zoning permit in a form approved by the Zoning Official is required for the construction of any fence 6 feet or less in height" (§ 1003(u)(1)) — and since six feet is the residential cap, that covers every home fence. The application must include a current property survey specifying measurements and the fence location. On fees, the borough's own sources conflict: the codified fee schedule lists a fence permit at $100 for fences four feet or higher(§ 23-13) and no separate zoning-permit line, while the borough webpage states $50 and the current application form states $75 — so confirm the total with the borough when you apply. A fence around a swimming pool takes more: zoning approval and a State of NJ construction permit.

I have a corner lot — what changes?

Three things. Your lot is treated as having two frontages(§ 1003(j), applied in § 1003(u)(4)), so the front-yard rule runs along both streets: along the side street, a fence forward of the front-yard line must likewise be an open type of four feet or less, and the borough's fence regulations require a corner fence to be set back beyond the established front yard along any street frontage. The street-side inset is three feet, not six inches (§ 1003(n)). And inside the corner sight triangle — measured 75 feet along local-road centerlines, 400 feet along a county road and 500 feet along a state highway — no fence, wall, hedge or other obstruction may exceed two feet(§ 1003(m)(1)). Behind the front-yard line on both streets, the six-foot side/rear standard applies.

What are Mountainside's pool fence rules?

Mountainside has its own pool rules in Chapter XI, applied alongside the state code. Every pool must be enclosed by a substantial fence at least four feet high, built so a child cannot gain access beneath or through it, and the gate must have locking facilities and stay locked whenever the pool is unguarded(§ 11-2.12). The pool itself must sit at least 10 feet from any property line and no nearer the street than the front wall of the house (§ 11-2.10). Section 11-2.13 also applies the state Uniform Construction Code and the Board of Health ordinances — where they conflict with the borough rules, the more restrictive provision governs. Permits: a pool fence requires zoning approval and a State of NJ construction permit, and the enclosure still answers to the borough's general fence rules — six feet maximum in a residential zone, six inches off the property lines, three feet off a street line. Solanos Fence's standard pool fence is a 54-inch black aluminum barrier with pickets spaced 3.75 inches apart — above the borough's four-foot floor — and compliance is judged on the complete installed barrier, gate and locking hardware included.

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

In a regulated floodway, Mountainside's flood chapter (Ch. XXI, § 801.4) requires 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 or stockade fence. A pool fence that meets the construction code but not the floodway openness rule needs a variance.

Do you offer payment plans?

No, we don't offer payment plans.

Request a Free Fence Estimate in Mountainside, 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 Mountainside'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