Short answer
Yes. Amity Township (Douglassville area, Berks County) allows chain link, called a cyclone fence in its code, only if it's adequately screened from the view of adjacent properties with a high-intensity buffer planting (Zoning §32-916(d)). Fences in Amity are also capped at 4 ft in the front yard and 6 ft elsewhere, and a zoning permit is required before the fence goes up.
The planting rule in Amity's code
Amity's fence section, §32-916, says cyclone fences "are permitted provided they are adequately screened from the view of any adjacent properties" with a high-intensity buffer planting. Shrubs or evergreens have to do real screening, not a token row of perennials. The code's test is the view from neighboring properties.
The section we read doesn't define "high-intensity buffer planting" by species, size or spacing. Other parts of the township code may; we didn't confirm that. Because proposed fences in Amity are reviewed by the Zoning Officer or Planning Commission, sketch the planting on your permit drawing and let the township tell you if it's enough.
How Amity compares with Douglass Township next door
Douglass Township (Berks) has a similar rule but words it more broadly, requiring that the chain link not be visible from any adjacent property or street. Amity's text, as we read it, talks about adjacent properties. Both towns cap fences at 6 ft, but Amity adds a 4 ft front-yard limit (§32-916(e)) that we didn't find in the Douglass section.
Amity's fence rules in one table
| Rule | Amity Township |
|---|---|
| Front yard | 4 ft maximum |
| Side and rear yards | 6 ft maximum; security fences and decorative retaining walls exempt |
| Street right-of-way | No fence, wall or hedge in or encroaching on it |
| Corner lots | A front-yard depth on each street side (§32-915); sight triangle 150 ft along the through street and 40 ft back on the stop street, clear from 3 ft to 10 ft |
| Chain link | Only with a high-intensity buffer planting screening it from adjacent properties |
| Barbed wire | Agriculture only, or on top of nonresidential security fences over 6 ft |
Amity Zoning §32-915, §32-916, §32-917.
On a corner lot, the 150 ft sight triangle is large. Measured along the through street (the one without the stop sign), it can rule out tall planting near the corner, which makes screening a chain link fence there harder. Plan the fence line and the shrubs together.
Choosing plants that can screen a fence
We install fences, and we'd rather you plan the screen with someone who knows plants for your soil. A few practical points from the fence side:
- Leave room for mature width so the shrubs don't push on the fabric or grow through it.
- Black vinyl-coated chain link reads as a shadow behind evergreens; galvanized stays visible longer.
- Keep plantings out of the street right-of-way, where the code bars hedges as well as fences.
- Remember wind. A July 2025 EF-0 tornado with 70 mph peak winds ran through Amity from Weavertown Lane toward Boyertown Pike. Chain link lets wind through; a dense evergreen row in front of it catches the wind instead of the fence.
Pool barriers in Amity
If the chain link is for a pool, a second set of rules applies. A pool 24 in deep or more and at least 100 sq ft must be completely enclosed by a fence or wall at least 4 ft high, with no gap over 2 in between members and locks on every gate (§32-921(c)). Standard residential chain link mesh won't meet a 2 in limit. That's one reason aluminum is a common pick for Amity pools: it skips the screening question. Aluminum runs about $50 to $85 per foot, compared with $30 to $45 for 4 ft chain link before any planting.
The permit
Amity's code says no structure may be erected or altered until the Zoning Officer issues a zoning permit, with normal maintenance and repairs excepted. Apply on the township's zoning permit application. We didn't confirm the fee. We'll draw the fence and the screen on one plan so the township reviews them together.
Common questions
Can I use an existing hedge as the screen?
If it already hides the fence line from the neighbor's side, it may satisfy the rule. Show it on the permit plan and let the Zoning Officer decide.
Does a chain link dog kennel need screening?
The rule covers cyclone fences without listing exceptions for kennels in what we read. Ask the township before buying a kit.