Short answer
Upper Pottsgrove Township lists fences among projects that need a permit. Its zoning code (§350-22) doesn't allow a fence or wall over 6 ft in any required yard unless the part above 4 ft is at least 50% open, so a solid privacy fence tops out at 6 ft. Near intersections, nothing over 3 ft may stand in the sight area measured 75 ft from the corner, and every yard of a corner lot that faces a road counts as a front yard.
Upper Pottsgrove sits north of Pottstown borough along Route 100, with the villages of Cedar Grove, Halfway House and Little Oley. About 5,900 people lived here at the 2020 census, up from 5,300 in 2010. The fence code itself is short; the places it gets strict are corner lots and the approaches to intersections.
Upper Pottsgrove fence rules in one table
| Rule | What the code says |
|---|---|
| Front yard | No separate front-yard number. The general rule applies: over 6 ft only if the part above 4 ft is at least 50% open |
| Side and rear yards | Same rule: solid up to 6 ft; taller only with the section above 4 ft at least half open (§350-22) |
| Corner lots | Every yard that abuts a road is a front yard (§350-32) |
| Intersections | Nothing over 3 ft in the sight area bounded by the street centerlines and a line joining points 75 ft from the intersection (§350-16) |
| Exempt | Retaining walls and the walls of permitted buildings |
| Pools | At least 10 ft behind the back of the house and 10 ft from side and rear lot lines; separate pool permit |
| Prohibited materials | None listed in the zoning chapter |
| Permit | Yes. The township FAQ lists fences |
Source: Upper Pottsgrove Zoning Chapter 350 and the township FAQ, read October 2026.
How tall can a fence be in Upper Pottsgrove?
For a typical backyard, 6 ft of solid board, vinyl or composite is the working limit. The code is written as a trigger rather than a flat cap: once a fence goes over 6 ft, everything above the 4 ft mark has to be at least half open. Lattice-topped privacy panels and some deer-fence designs are built to meet that kind of rule. The section doesn't name a maximum for an open-topped fence, so if you want to go past 6 ft we ask the zoning office first.
The height rule applies inside the yards the zoning chapter requires, which is where nearly every residential fence ends up.
Can I fence a corner lot in Upper Pottsgrove?
Yes, but two rules stack up on a corner. First, every side of the lot that faces a road is treated as a front yard. Second, near the intersection itself, a triangle measured 75 ft back from the corner along each street has to stay clear above 3 ft. On a corner lot, the corner of a 6 ft privacy layout is usually the part that has to change: we pull it back or drop to an open 3 ft section through the sight area. The code's description of that triangle is short, so we confirm the exact measurement with the township on every corner job.
Pools
A private pool has to be detached, at least 10 ft behind the rearmost part of the house as seen from the street, and at least 10 ft from side and rear lot lines (§350-19, §350-20.F). The township uses a separate Swimming Pool Permit Application. The zoning chapter doesn't give a barrier height; the pool barrier is reviewed under the state building code, and we build to the 48 in pool-code standard described on our pool fence page.
Getting the permit
- Download the Building/Zoning Permit Application from the township's Forms and Permits page.
- Attach a scale plan showing the fence relative to property lines and road lines.
- Return it with the fee to the Township Office at 1441 Laura Lane, Pottstown (610-323-8675). The Building Inspector quotes the fee after reviewing the project.
- Allow up to 15 business days for review. We didn't see an online portal.
Which addresses fall in Upper Pottsgrove
Most of the township has Pottstown 19464 addresses, and a slice falls in Gilbertsville 19525. Neither name tells you the township, and neighboring Lower and West Pottsgrove have different fence codes. See our Pottstown and Gilbertsville pages.
Gaps in what we could verify
- The fence permit fee (the 2025 fee schedule PDF wasn't readable).
- Rules on which side faces out, easements, barbed wire and electric fences: none found in the zoning chapter.
- A pool-barrier height in the township code.
Checked against Upper Pottsgrove's zoning chapter and FAQ in October 2026. The township can amend these at any time, so we confirm with the zoning office before we set a post.
Common questions
Does Upper Pottsgrove have a separate front-yard fence height?
Not in §350-22. The same 6 ft solid limit covers every required yard. Corner lots and the 3 ft intersection sight area are what usually lower a front fence.
How long does the permit take?
The township allows up to 15 business days to review a building or zoning permit.