Short answer
Douglass Township in Berks County caps fences and walls at 6 ft in any yard (Zoning §27-715.1), and nothing may stand in the street right-of-way. We found no separate front-yard limit in the section we read. Chain link is allowed only with a landscaped screen that keeps the fence itself out of view from neighbors and the street. Pools need a fence at least 4 ft high with gaps of 2 in or less and locking gates. The code requires zoning permits for structures, but we didn't find fences named.
Two Douglass Townships, two codes
Douglass Township (Berks County) and Douglass Township (Montgomery County) share a name and sit side by side across the county line, and their fence rules are different. This page covers the Berks township, one of the main municipalities in the Boyertown 19512 ZIP, which also reaches into Douglassville 19518. Gilbertsville 19525 addresses belong mainly to the Montgomery County township and New Hanover. If your tax bill says Montgomery County, you're in the other one. Our address guide sorts it out.
The rules
| Rule | What the code says |
|---|---|
| Front yard | No separate front-yard limit; the 6 ft cap applies, and nothing may sit in the right-of-way |
| Side and rear yards | 6 ft (§27-715.1B) |
| Corner lots | Clear sight triangle 75 ft from the centerline intersection, 150 ft where collector or arterial streets meet, open from 2.5 ft to 10 ft (§27-716) |
| Placement | Within and along the edge of any required yard; never within or encroaching on the right-of-way |
| Walls | Walls over 4 ft must be designed by a registered engineer |
| Exempt from the 6 ft cap | Decorative retaining walls, and security fences for nonresidential uses |
| Pools | Fence or wall at least 4 ft high, gaps no more than 2 in, locks on gates (§27-720) |
| Prohibited | Barbed wire except for agriculture; chain link without a landscaped screen |
| Permit | Zoning permit for any structure (§27-1002); fences not named |
Source: Douglass Township (Berks) Zoning Chapter 27, read October 2026.
Is chain link allowed in Douglass Township, Berks?
Only with landscaping. The code permits a cyclone fence solely in conjunction with a landscaped screen, so the fence itself isn't visible from any adjacent property or street. That is a high bar: a few shrubs spaced along the line won't do it. It works best on a back line where there's room for a full evergreen hedge. For a dog run along the street side, a different material is usually the better call. Our chain link question covers options.
Retaining walls and sloped lots
On a sloped lot, a fence line often meets a grade change. Decorative retaining walls aren't held to the 6 ft fence cap, but any wall over 4 ft has to be designed by a registered engineer. If a project pairs a wall with a fence on top, we plan the wall height and the fence height together and bring in an engineer when the wall crosses 4 ft.
Pools
Two sections apply. §27-720 requires a pool to be completely enclosed by a fence or wall at least 4 ft high, with no more than 2 in between vertical and horizontal members and a lock on every gate. §27-702.2A separately requires a permanent fence at least 4 ft high around in-ground pools 18 in deep or more. Above-ground pools taller than 4 ft need no separate enclosure if the ladder is removed or locked at least 4 ft up. Pools and their equipment stay out of the front-yard and side-yard setbacks and at least 10 ft from the rear lot line.
Wind on the Boyertown side
Straight-line winds up to about 70 mph reached toward Boyertown and the north side of Gilbertsville during the July 1, 2025 storm that produced an EF-0 tornado in neighboring Amity. It's a reminder that a 6 ft solid fence on an open lot needs deep, well-set posts. See our wind question for material choices.
Permits and gaps
The zoning code says no one may erect, alter or add to a structure without a zoning permit from the Zoning Officer, apart from normal maintenance and repairs (§27-1002), and it defines a structure broadly. It doesn't name fences, and we found no township permit page, form or fee. We ask the Zoning Officer before every job and file if a permit is needed.
- Front-yard rules: the ecode360 page was cut off near the end, and we saw no separate front limit in §27-715.
- No rule found on finished side, easements or electric fences.
We read Douglass Township's zoning chapter in October 2026. Codes change, and we confirm with the township before every install. See our Boyertown page for neighboring municipalities.
Common questions
Is Gilbertsville in Douglass Township, Berks?
Gilbertsville addresses are mainly in Douglass Township (Montgomery County) and New Hanover Township. The Berks County Douglass Township is mostly Boyertown and Douglassville addresses. Check your tax bill for the county.
Can my front-yard fence be 6 ft in Douglass Township, Berks?
The code we read sets no separate front-yard limit, so the 6 ft cap applies, but the fence must stay out of the right-of-way and the corner sight triangle. We confirm with the township before building one.