Short answer: Willistown Township, east of West Chester, PA, regulates fences and walls in its zoning code (§ 139-105), so call the township before planning height or placement. On many Willistown properties the bigger question is a conservation easement, which can limit where fencing goes. Read the easement first, confirm township rules second, then design the fence.
Willistown is estate country: long drives, open fields, woodland, horse properties and a large share of land protected from development. Fencing here is less about screening a neighbor and more about managing land: keeping horses in, keeping deer out, and marking the entrance. 76 FENCE West Chester works in Willistown as part of our West Chester, PA service area, and the most useful thing we can offer on this page is an order of operations.
- Township code: § 139-105 “Fences or walls” — we could not confirm its current text, so check heights and permits with the township
- Preserved land: conservation easements are common and may restrict structures, including fences
- Deer: exclusion fencing generally needs to be about 8 ft, often above residential height limits
- Typical styles: black or white board, split rail with mesh, deer mesh, automatic entrance gates
- Utilities: PA One Call does not mark private lines to barns, wells, gate operators or lighting
Why read the easement before calling a fence company?
Because an easement can decide whether a fence is allowed at all in part of your property, and no township permit overrides it. Easement terms vary from one parcel to the next.
Some easements protect open views or farmland and say little about fencing; others limit new structures in defined areas. If the language is unclear, ask the organization that holds the easement before committing to a layout. Our conservation easement fencing guide lists the clauses to look for.
Which fence goes where on a Willistown property?
Think in zones moving out from the house. Each zone has a different job, and the fence should change with it.
| Zone | Job | Common choice |
|---|---|---|
| Terrace, pool, garden | Safety, deer exclusion, a finished look | Black aluminum or ornamental steel; tall black mesh around gardens |
| Lawn and dog yard | Contain pets without blocking views | Split rail with welded wire, or black vinyl-coated chain link along woods |
| Paddocks and fields | Hold horses, mark boundaries | Three- or four-board, painted black or white |
| Drive entrance | Control access, frame the approach | Swing gate between pillars, manual or automatic |
Black board fencing is a familiar sight in hunt country around here, and it suits large fields because it fades into the landscape and does not show weathering the way white paint can. White board reads more formal near a barn or house. Either way, the quality of the posts and the line of the top board matter more than the color. Our horse fence page covers board spacing, and split rail vs. board compares upkeep.
How do you keep deer out of a Willistown garden?
With a tall enclosure around what you are protecting, not the whole property. Deer exclusion fencing generally needs to be about 8 feet high, and most residential codes around West Chester, PA cap side and rear fences lower, so check with the township first.
Black polypropylene or steel mesh on tall posts is the usual material, because it nearly disappears against woods. Gates need the same height and a tight bottom. See deer fences and the deer fence height guide.
Do long fence runs need special planning?
Yes: on a run of hundreds of feet, upkeep and access matter more than the price of the first panel.
76 FENCE’s typical lifespan guidance is 15 to 20 years for wood and 20 to 30-plus for metal, with wood re-treated every 2 to 3 years. On a long board line, that maintenance adds up, so think about who will paint or stain it and how they will reach both sides. Leave room for a mower along the fence, and plan gates at every point where equipment needs to cross.
What should an entrance gate do?
Open wide enough for every vehicle that will use it, including horse trailers, delivery trucks and emergency vehicles, and close reliably in winter.
Swing gates suit most estate drives; the opening, slope of the drive and where the gate can swing all drive the design. Our automatic gates service covers operators, safety sensors and access controls.
Rules differ nearby: East Goshen leans toward HOA communities, while Westtown requires a permit once a fence runs past 40 feet. See the fence permit guide for more.
Rules change, so confirm with the township — when you hire us, we pull the permit.
Walk the fence line with us.
A free on-site estimate in West Chester, PA and the surrounding townships. We check the rules for your street, handle the permit and HOA paperwork, and call PA One Call before we dig.
Sources & references
- Willistown Township Code, Ch. 139 Zoning (ecode360)
- WeConservePA: deer management library
- PA One Call System
Codes and ordinances change. This page is general information, not legal advice; confirm requirements with your municipality.