Short answer
In Elverson Borough (Chester County), a fence in the required front yard can be up to 4 ft tall and must be at least 1:1 open to solid (Zoning §290-1111). Side and rear fences can reach 6 ft for homes. Residential materials are wood, split rail, wrought iron, composite, chain link or a mix, unless the Zoning Officer approves another. Every new fence needs a borough permit; the residential application fee is $50.
The front-yard rule
Elverson's fence section says fences or walls built within a required front yard can't exceed 4 ft, and they have to be at least as open as they are solid. A spaced picket, split rail, wrought-iron style or chain link front fence can work. A solid board fence, even at 4 ft, can't. The borough's zoning goals talk about keeping a walkable town and protecting its historic and scenic character, and an open, low front fence is how that shows up on a street.
The full set of Elverson fence rules
| Rule | Elverson Borough |
|---|---|
| Front yard | 4 ft, at least 1:1 open |
| Side and rear, residential | 6 ft |
| Nonresidential | Up to 8 ft |
| Corner lots | Nothing between 30 in and 10 ft high in the triangle formed by the street lines and a line joining points 25 ft from their intersection |
| Street right-of-way and floodway | No fence or wall in either |
| Utility or drainage easements | Only where the easement agreement specifically allows it |
| Which side faces out | Posts and rails face the property being enclosed |
| Barbed or razor wire | Only on nonresidential security fences |
Elverson Zoning §290-1103 and §290-1111.
Vinyl and aluminum aren't on the list
Elverson's residential material list is wood, split rail, wrought iron, composite, chain link, or combinations of them. Vinyl isn't named, and neither is aluminum, though aluminum is commonly made to look like wrought iron. The code lets the Zoning Officer approve another standard residential material. If you want vinyl or aluminum, put the product on the application and expect the Zoning Officer to rule on it. We include the manufacturer's cut sheet so it's clear what's being installed.
Walls have their own list: decorative concrete block, brick, stone, or concrete with brick or stone veneer.
What doesn't need to follow the fence section
- Agricultural fences that hold livestock.
- Historic fences that go with a designated historic structure.
- Buried electronic pet fences.
- Fences screening utility equipment.
Ordinary repairs don't need a permit either. But a fence that's replaced in its entirety has to meet today's rules, so as we read it, an old solid front fence can't simply be rebuilt as it was.
How to get the permit
The code says no fence or wall may be built without filing a permit and getting borough approval. Elverson's residential zoning permit application fee is $50, non-refundable and credited toward the total permit cost, with the balance paid at pickup. Applications go by mail or drop-off to Borough Hall at 101 S. Chestnut St. on Route 82 (610-286-6420). The borough doesn't take them by email. Kraft Municipal Group serves as Zoning Officer, and where a property line is uncertain, the Zoning Officer can require a land surveyor to mark it at the owner's cost.
Is your 19520 address in the borough?
The Elverson ZIP code takes in Warwick and West Nantmeal townships, and edges of East Nantmeal, Honey Brook, Caernarvon, Robeson and Union. Those townships have their own codes. Out past the borough, French Creek State Park covers 7,730 acres of hunted forest, and gardens near it see heavy deer pressure, but deer fencing in a township follows that township's rules, not the borough's.
When we price an Elverson fence, we check the front-yard openness and material against §290-1111 first, then fill out the borough packet so it's ready to drop off at Borough Hall.
Common questions
Can I put a pool fence in my front yard in Elverson?
No pool can go there: pools 2 ft or deeper must be in the rear or side yard. Pool barriers follow the Building Code (UCC), and an above-ground pool with 4 ft sides is exempt from the fence rules if its access is removed or locked when not in use.
Do I need a survey for an Elverson fence?
Not always. If the property line is uncertain, the Zoning Officer can require a land surveyor to mark it at your cost.