Fence Installation in Summit, NJ

Summit sits on the Watchung ridge in western Union County — older homes on landscaped lots, a busy downtown, and some of the most detailed fence rules in the county. Two things set Summit apart. First, it is a seven-foot town: side and rear fences may rise a full foot higher than the six-foot cap in most neighboring towns. Second, Summit's fence section governs " any fence, wall or wall-like structure, including shrubs, hedges and the like" — in Summit, your hedge is legally a fence, with its own height and curbline rules.

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

Summit's Fence Rules: § 35-14.1K

Summit regulates fences in § 35-14.1K of its Development Regulations Ordinance (Chapter 35). A zoning permit is required for all fences before construction (§ 35-14.1K.2). The main rules:

Seven feet in side and rear yards (§ 35-14.1K.5a). "Fences shall have maximum height of seven feet above grade" for side and rear yards — and a fence plus any retaining wall under it may not exceed 10 feet combined (§ 35-14.1K.5b).
Four feet in front yards (§ 35-14.1K.5a(1)–(2)). Within any front yard, fences may not exceed four feet. Only an open fence up to four feet may be installed right up to and along the front property line — and even that fence remains subject to the right-of-way, sight-triangle and curbline limits below; a solid fence, wall, hedge or shrubbery within five feet of the front property line may not exceed 30 inches (measured above the top of the curb or the center line grade of the road).
Keep off the street (§ 35-14.1K.6a). No fence may be built "within the dedicated public right-of-way, nor within a required sight triangle, nor in any case within 10 feet inside the curbline of any public thoroughfare nor within 25 feet of the intersection point of the curblines of two streets." That curbline rule can reach a side-yard run that runs along a street, not just front-yard fences. No fence may be built so as to constitute a hazard to traffic or safety (§ 35-14.1K.6b).
Types and openness (§ 35-14.1K.4). Summit classifies fences as Solid (90% or more solid — its table lists Panel fences, including vinyl privacy, and stockade), Semi-Open, and Open (up to 25% solid — its table expressly lists chain-link and metal vertical rail fences as Open). Translucent, transparent or clear plastic is not permitted.
Finished side out (§ 35-14.1K.6c). "The face or finished side of a fence or wall shall face the adjacent property." Barbed wire, metal spikes, electrified conductors and other dangerous materials are prohibited (§ 35-14.1K.6d). Decorative split-rail at front property corners is exempt except in the right-of-way and sight triangles (§ 35-14.1K.6e).
Corner lots: both street yards are front yards (§ 35-9.10C.1). "Every yard of a corner lot which abuts a street shall be considered a front yard" — so the four-foot cap applies along both street frontages, sight triangles must be maintained (§ 35-9.10C.5), and there is no rear-yard requirement on a corner lot.
Hedges are fences here (§ 35-14.1K.1 and K.8). The section covers "shrubs, hedges and the like." Plantings within 10 feet of the curbline or the right-of-way, or within 25 feet of a curbline intersection, must be kept to 30 inches where public safety requires; if an owner does not cut after notice, the City may cut and charge the cost against the property.
Permits and fees (§ 35-14.1K.2; Ch. 14). Every fence needs a zoning permit first — the fee is $50 for a fence (Ch. 14, Schedule of Fees). A construction permit is also required for a fence subject to the Uniform Construction Code — pool-barrier fences and fences over six feet — and the construction fee schedule lists $100 for fences (§ 14-1.2).
Pools: the City points to the state code (§ 35-14.1K.7; § 35-9.9P.5). Summit sets no numeric barrier rule of its own: "Every private swimming pool shall have a fence enclosure which complies with the Uniform Construction Code," and pool fences must meet the height requirements of the chapter and the UCC. Pools themselves are rear-yard only and at least 15 feet from any side or rear lot line (§ 35-9.9P.1), may not sit in either street front yard of a corner lot (§ 35-9.9P.2), and solid enclosures must screen pool equipment within six feet year-round (§ 35-9.9P.6).
Older and historic homes — a $50 verification, advice only. Summit's zoning application asks whether the structure was built before 1926 or the property is in a historic district; the City's own FAQ describes the same trigger as a home built prior to 100 years ago. If either applies, the application goes through Historic Site Verification under § 35-20 — a $50 fee (§ 14-1.3). Per the City's own guidance, the Historic Preservation Commission's comments are a recommendation the applicant may consider — the review cannot deny the project.
One small exception zone. In the RAH-1 zone (13 lots on Block 1405), fences are permitted in rear and side yards only and side-yard fences may not exceed four feet (§ 35-13.9C.3).

City reference: City of Summit Code, § 35-14.1K(ecode360 library SU4097); pools at § 35-9.9P; corner lots at § 35-9.10C; fees in Chapter 14.

Fencing Summit Properties

Summit gives a backyard fence more headroom than any of its neighbors — seven feet in the side and rear yards — but it polices the street side harder than most towns. The checks that shape a Summit job: the four-foot front cap, with solid fencing near the front line held to 30 inches; the 10-foot curbline rule, which applies to any run along a street, including the side run of a corner lot where both street yards count as front yards; and the permit sequence — a $50 zoning permit for every fence, with a construction permit added for pool barriers and fences over six feet. Older homes add one step: a structure 100 or more years old (the application asks "before 1926") or a historic-district property goes through the $50 Historic Site Verification, which is advisory and cannot stop the fence.

Pools follow the state barrier standard, because Summit wrote no numbers of its own — the design work is the Uniform Construction Code barrier inside Chapter 35's height limits, with the pool itself set 15 feet off the side and rear lines. During a free estimate we walk the lot with you, check the curbline and intersection setbacks on street-side runs, flag any historic-verification trigger, and confirm whether a pool is involved before we talk about styles. Anything not settled above is confirmed per property at permit time.

Fence Styles for Summit Homes

White Vinyl Privacy Fencing

White vinyl privacy fencing is a "Panel" fence in Summit's type table — classed Solid — and Summit's seven-foot side/rear ceiling (§ 35-14.1K.5a) means our standard six-foot panels sit a full foot under the cap, a luxury most towns don't allow. In a front yard the cap is four feet, and a solid fence within five feet of the front line is held to 30 inches, so front-yard designs are open styles. On a corner lot, both street sides are front yards — the privacy run belongs in the interior side and rear yards. Vinyl presents a finished face on both sides, which makes meeting the finished-side rule straightforward.

Black Aluminum Fencing

Black aluminum fencing is an "Open" fence in Summit's table (metal vertical rail, up to 25% solid). For pools, Summit's code defers to the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (§ 35-14.1K.7), and our 54-inch pool-barrier style is built to those numbers: over the UCC's 48-inch minimum height, with 3.75-inch picket spacing inside the four-inch opening limit. A pool-barrier fence needs a construction permit in addition to the zoning permit, and compliance is judged on the complete installed barrier, gates included. Remember the equipment rule: a solid enclosure must screen pool equipment within six feet — an open aluminum fence alone does not do that screening, so equipment placement is part of the pool-fence plan.

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

WPC composite fencing in black, teak or gray is a solid fence like vinyl: up to seven feet in side and rear yards, four feet in front — and, being solid, no more than 30 inches within five feet of the front property line (§ 35-14.1K.5a(1)). Wood picket is the traditional Summit front-yard fence within the four-foot cap, and decorative split-rail at front corners is expressly exempted (outside the right-of-way and sight triangles). Post-and-rail suits Summit's larger ridge lots. Chain link is expressly listed as an Open fence in § 35-14.1K.4 and is permitted for homes — the only chain-link ban found in Summit's code is in the nonresidential PROD campus zone. We price these styles after reviewing your footage, gates and terrain.

Fence Installation Prices in Summit

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 Summit, read the specials against the code: the six-foot vinyl price applies to side and rear yards, where Summit's cap is actually seven feet — front yards, and both street sides of a corner lot, are capped at four feet. The 54-inch aluminum pool style fits Summit because the City applies the state construction-code barrier, which the style is built to meet; a pool fence also needs a construction permit. Every Summit fence starts with the $50 zoning permit.

See our fence installation deals for current terms.

Fence Materials for Summit DIY Projects

Installing it yourself? Our Fairfield shop stocks white vinyl panels and posts, black aluminum panels and posts, and WPC packages. Bring your measurements — and if any run sits along a street, measure from the curbline as well as the property line, because Summit's 10-foot curbline rule can decide where a fence may stand. The $50 zoning permit comes first, and pre-1926 and historic-district homes add the verification step. Call ahead to confirm stock and pickup.

Browse fence materials for sale.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fences in Summit

How tall can a fence be in Summit?

Seven feet in side and rear yards (§ 35-14.1K.5a) — a foot higher than most neighboring towns — and four feet in a front yard. A fence on a retaining wall may not exceed 10 feet combined. In the small RAH-1 zone (13 lots on Block 1405), side-yard fences are capped at four feet.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Summit?

Yes — a zoning permit for all fences, obtained before construction (§ 35-14.1K.2); the fee is $50 for a fence. A fence subject to the Uniform Construction Code — a pool-barrier fence, or a fence over six feet — also needs a construction permit; the fee schedule lists $100 for fences (§ 14-1.2).

I have a corner lot — what changes?

Every yard that abuts a street is a front yard (§ 35-9.10C.1), so the four-foot cap runs along both streets, and sight triangles must be maintained. On any street side, no fence may sit within 10 feet inside the curbline or within 25 feet of a curbline intersection (§ 35-14.1K.6a).

What are Summit's pool fence rules?

Summit sets no barrier numbers of its own: every private pool must have "a fence enclosure which complies with the Uniform Construction Code" (§ 35-14.1K.7), and pool fences must also meet Chapter 35's height rules (§ 35-9.9P.5). In practice that is the state barrier standard — at least 48 inches high with openings a four-inch sphere cannot pass — inside Summit's yard caps. The pool itself must be in the rear yard, at least 15 feet from side and rear lot lines, and a pool-barrier fence needs a construction permit.

Does Summit really regulate hedges as fences?

Yes. Section 35-14.1K covers "any fence, wall or wall-like structure, including shrubs, hedges and the like." Hedges and plantings within 10 feet of the curbline or the right-of-way, or within 25 feet of an intersection of curblines, must be kept to 30 inches where public safety requires — and if the City has to cut after notice, it can charge the cost against the property (§ 35-14.1K.8).

My home is 100 or more years old, or in a historic district — what changes?

Your zoning application goes through Historic Site Verification under § 35-20, for a $50 fee. The application form asks whether the structure was built before 1926; the City's FAQ describes the same trigger as a home "built prior to 100 years ago." The Historic Preservation Commission reviews and comments, but per the City's own guidance the review is a recommendation only — it cannot deny or stop your fence.

Do you offer payment plans?

No, we don't offer payment plans.

Request a Free Fence Estimate in Summit, 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 Summit'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