Brighton fence rules and permits

A plain-English guide for Brighton, Colorado homeowners. Always confirm with the city before work starts. Rules change.

Do you need a permit?

Depends. Brighton's Community Development Department handles building permits and zoning review. A fence on public property or in the public right-of-way needs a permit from the City Manager. Height, setback and corner sight rules apply to every fence, and pool fences must meet the city's pool enclosure rule. Call the department before you build.

Who to ask: City of Brighton Community Development, 500 South 4th Avenue (website)

The rules

• Front yard fences (in front of the front building line, or within 3 feet of a sidewalk) can be 3 feet high if solid, or 4 feet high if at least 50% open.
• Side and rear yard fences can be up to 6 feet high when they sit behind the front building line.
• Height limits include any retaining wall or berm the fence sits on. The city Director can grant exceptions in some cases.
• Fences must sit at least 18 inches from a public right-of-way. On a side street, they must be at least 3 feet from the sidewalk unless built to the front fence height rules.
• Fences, walls and screens must stay out of the corner sight distance area, or be no more than 3 feet high there. The size of the area depends on the street speed, from 105 feet at 15 mph up to 425 feet at 50 mph, measured along the cross street.
• Where a lot backs onto a park, open space, trail or landscape tract, the fence along that line must usually be open 3-rail fencing no more than 4 feet high. Wire mesh can be added inside to keep pets in.
• Barbed wire and electric fences are allowed only for farm use in A/E and A/R districts, or for security on industrial lots. They are not allowed as ordinary house fences.
• A swimming pool must be fully enclosed by a fence at least 6 feet high with no openings a child can pass through.
• Gates and doors in a pool enclosure need self-latching devices on the top and inside.
• No swimming pool can sit in a required front yard.
• Wading pools no deeper than 14 inches do not need fencing.
• A fence on city property or right-of-way needs a permit and the City Manager reviews whether it creates a hazard.

HOAs

Many Brighton subdivisions have an HOA, and many newer ones sit in a metro district. Check your HOA covenants before you pick a fence.

Call before you dig

Colorado 811: dial 811. State guidance says call at least 2 business days before you dig, and many utilities and Denver Water advise 3 business days. The call is free.

Local conditions

Brighton is on the high plains with cold winters and hot summers. Snow, wind and freeze-thaw swings all affect a fence.

• The January average low is about 16 degrees and the July average high is about 90 degrees.
• Brighton gets about 34.5 inches of snow and 14 inches of precipitation a year.
• Front Range frost depth is often put at 30 to 36 inches. Ask the city or your contractor for the exact depth for your lot.
• Clay soil that swells when wet is common in northern Colorado, so post depth and drainage matter.

Good to know

• Brighton had 40,083 residents in the 2020 census.
• Brighton is the county seat of Adams County.
• Prairie Center is a mixed-use area of more than 2,000 acres planned for about 3,000 homes and about 2 million square feet of retail and commercial space.
• Community Development is at 500 South 4th Avenue and handles building permits and contractor licensing.
• The city's permit sheet says you may still face zoning setbacks and height rules even when a building permit is not needed.
• Brighton uses the 2021 International Residential Code for building permits.