Short answer
Boyertown Borough, Colebrookdale Township and Pike Township share one joint zoning ordinance. In a residential front yard, a fence can be up to 4 ft and must be an open type, at least 1:1 open to solid. Everywhere else the limit is 6.5 ft, or 10 ft around a tennis court (§403). Colebrookdale alone adds a 2 ft setback from lot lines unless the neighbor signs off. All three require a zoning permit.
One ordinance for three municipalities
Since November 2010, the Boyertown Borough and Colebrookdale and Pike Townships Joint Zoning Ordinance has covered all three. Colebrookdale wraps around the borough on three sides, and Pike is a rural township of about 14 sq mi nearby, so a Boyertown mailing address in the 19512 ZIP can be in any of them. It can also be in Douglass Township (Berks) or Earl Township, which are not part of the joint ordinance and have their own rules.
The heights side by side
| Where the fence goes | Boyertown Borough | Colebrookdale Twp | Pike Twp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required front yard (residential) | 4 ft, open type | 4 ft, open type | 4 ft, open type |
| Everywhere else | 6.5 ft | 6.5 ft | 6.5 ft |
| Around a tennis court (outside the front yard) | 10 ft | 10 ft | 10 ft |
| Setback from lot lines | None required; 1 ft recommended | 2 ft, unless the neighbor signs a waiver | None required; 1 ft recommended |
| Corner lots | Front-yard rules on both streets | Front-yard rules on both streets | Front-yard rules on both streets |
Joint Zoning Ordinance §403 and §803.
"Open type" in the front yard means picket, wrought iron, vinyl post, chain link or split rail, with at least as much open area as structure. The Zoning Officer can approve a taller front fence to contain animals or deal with a specific hazard. Note the 6.5 ft figure: that's half a foot more than most townships around Pottstown allow, which gives room for a 6 ft panel set slightly off the ground.
Corner lots get a break behind the house
On a corner lot, every yard that touches a street counts as a front yard (§803.B.1), so the 4 ft open-fence rule applies along both streets. The ordinance makes one exception: a fence that only extends behind the rear of the house may be up to 6.5 ft along one of the streets. That lets a corner-lot owner enclose a private back yard on the side street. Keep the clear sight triangle open between 2.5 ft and 10 ft above the ground at the intersection (§803.C).
Colebrookdale's 2 ft setback
In Colebrookdale Township, a fence must sit at least 2 ft from any lot line unless the primary owner of record of the neighboring lot gives a written, signed statement that they don't object to it being on the line. That waiver also covers a later replacement fence. In the borough and Pike, the ordinance only recommends a 1 ft setback, to leave room for maintenance and in case the lot line isn't where everyone thinks it is.
Material rules
- Barbed wire can't be part of a fence around a home in a residential district.
- Electric fences are only for containing farm animals, and must be low intensity.
- In the ordinance's TC, GR and GR/O districts, a design guideline says to avoid chain link in front yards and encourages picket or ornamental fences (§313.L). We haven't confirmed which Boyertown blocks are in those districts.
- Household pool fences follow the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, and pools can't go in the minimum front yard.
Permits and who issues them
The joint ordinance requires a zoning permit before a structure is erected or placed. Boyertown's application has a "Fence" box and asks for a plot plan showing all structures and their distances to the property lines. The borough's 2019 fee resolution, the latest we found posted, lists $35 for fences no more than 6 ft tall; confirm the current fee. The borough website names LTL Consultants (610-987-9290) for permits, while the county's 2024 directory lists a different zoning officer, so call the borough to confirm who takes the application. Colebrookdale's application is on its Permits & Forms page and goes to LTL Consultants; the township office is 610-369-1362. We couldn't reach Pike's site for its process or fee.
Build for the colder side of the county line
Boyertown sits at about 407 ft, in USDA zone 6b, while Pottstown, 200 ft lower, is 7a. Penn State rates Berks County at an Air Freezing Index of 2,000, against 1,500 or less in Montgomery County. Around Boyertown that means deeper post holes, and in the Reading Prong ridges you may hit gneiss rubble on the way down. We size posts for the frost and the ground, not just the height.
Common questions
Is the fence fee the same in Colebrookdale and Pike?
We only found the borough's fee. Colebrookdale's 2026 fee schedule wouldn't open for us, and Pike's site was unreachable, so ask each office.
Can I have an electric wire on my dog fence in Colebrookdale?
The joint ordinance limits electric fences to containing farm animals. A buried electronic pet containment system is a different thing; ask the Zoning Officer.
Does Bechtelsville or Bally follow this ordinance?
No. Those are separate boroughs outside the joint ordinance.