Fence Installation in Westtown Township, West Chester, PA

Most townships around West Chester, PA decide whether you need a fence permit by height. Westtown, south of the borough, adds length. Section 170-1505 of the township code ties the permit to fences exceeding 40 ft in setback areas, so a short privacy screen and a full backyard enclosure can land on opposite sides of the rule. 76 FENCE West Chester measures the run first, then tells you which side of that line you are on.

• Permit: Installation or replacement of fences over 40 ft long in setback areas, plus every pool enclosure fence (§ 170-1505).
• Front setback: Open fence only, 5 ft max (walls 4 ft), at least 10 ft from the future right-of-way.
• Other setbacks: 6 ft max; decorative post tops may bring the total to 7 ft.
• Good side out: The smoother or more finished side faces the abutting lot or public road.
• Not on homes: Barbed wire, razor wire, spikes and electric fencing are prohibited on residential lots.

Will your Westtown fence project need a permit?

If the fence is longer than 40 ft and stands in a setback area, or if it encloses a pool, yes. The examples below show how that usually plays out; the code lists some exceptions, so we confirm each case with the township.

The township also notes that the property owner is responsible for locating the property line and that a survey may be required. If your corner pins are missing, read do you need a survey before a fence.

Which side of the fence faces the neighbor in Westtown?

The smoother or more finished side faces the abutting lot or the road. Posts and rails go on your side.

For a dog-ear or board-on-board wood fence, that means you look at the backer rails and your neighbor sees the clean face. If you would rather see a finished face too, pick a style that is the same on both sides, such as shadowbox or most vinyl privacy panels. Our good-side guide compares the townships that write this into code.

Front yards: open, 5 ft, and back from the road

A fence in Westtown’s front setback area has to be an open style, can be up to 5 ft tall, and must sit at least 10 ft from the future right-of-way, which may be farther back than today’s road edge. Each street frontage also needs at least one operable gate 3 ft wide. A 4- or 5-ft aluminum or picket fence with a walk gate covers all of it. See front-yard fences.

What are the pool fence rules in Westtown?

Every pool enclosure fence needs a township permit, and the code calls for a continuous barrier that complies with pool code (§ 170-1611).

That barrier follows Pennsylvania’s adopted pool rules: a minimum height, limits on gaps and openings, and self-closing, self-latching gates. Aluminum is the most common choice because it meets those rules without blocking the view of the water. Our PA pool fence code guide lists the measurements, and pool fences covers the options.

What fences suit Westtown properties?

Westtown mixes HOA neighborhoods with larger lots and open land around Westtown School, the Quaker school that dates to 1799. That range calls for different fences on different parcels.

Westtown borders the borough to the north and Thornbury to the south, where every fence needs a permit and must sit 6 inches off the line. East Goshen also requires good side out. The full comparison is in our West Chester fence permit guide.

Rules change, so confirm with Westtown Township before you build. When you hire us, we pull the permit.