Short answer
Exeter Township's fence section (Zoning §390-42) doesn't set a single height cap for residential fences. It requires any fence or wall taller than 10 ft, other than a retaining wall, to sit at least 5 ft from a lot line, which means fences up to 10 ft can go on or near the line. Fences must stay out of the street right-of-way and the clear sight triangle, and permanent fences need a zoning permit.
How Exeter's rule works
Most townships in our area say "no fence over 6 ft" and stop there. Exeter's §390-42 is built the other way. Fences, walls and hedges may go within required yards. The height control is a setback: anything over 10 ft has to be at least 5 ft from a lot line. Retaining walls are left out of that rule.
Compared with the Montgomery County townships we work in, where 6 ft is the norm and Pottstown Borough holds front yards to 4 ft, that's generous. It's why Exeter homeowners can put up an 8 ft deer fence around a garden without a variance, as far as the fence section is concerned.
What still limits a fence in Exeter
| Rule | Exeter Township |
|---|---|
| Fence or wall over 10 ft | At least 5 ft from a lot line (retaining walls excluded) |
| Street right-of-way | No fence, wall or hedge inside it |
| Corner lots | Clear sight triangle of 75 ft from the centerline intersection (150 ft on arterial highways), open from 2.5 ft to 10 ft |
| Materials | Wood, chain link or similar materials approved by the Zoning Officer, built in a workmanlike manner |
| Pools | Permanent barrier at least 4 ft high, no opening over 4 in, locked gate |
| Permit | Zoning permit for permanent fences; temporary snow and construction fences exempt |
Zoning §390-29, §390-42, §390-43, §390-83.
The sight triangle is the rule that actually shortens fences on corner lots. Anything between 2.5 ft and 10 ft above the street grade is out inside it, so a corner fence has to stop short or drop below 2.5 ft near the intersection. On an arterial highway the legs are 150 ft, which covers a big piece of a corner yard.
The materials line is worth a look too. The code names wood and chain link and lets the Zoning Officer approve similar materials. Vinyl and aluminum are everyday residential fences, but they aren't named; we list the product on the permit application so the Zoning Officer can approve it.
Just because 10 ft is allowed doesn't make it a good idea
A tall solid fence is a sail. Exeter is in Berks County, which Penn State's Housing Research Center rates at an Air Freezing Index of 2,000, against 1,500 or less for Montgomery and Chester. That's a colder design climate, and frost heave works on fence posts the same way it works on footings. A tall fence needs deeper, heavier posts, closer spacing, and often concrete sized for wind as well as frost.
Part of the township also sits on limestone. The Exeter Commons shopping center has had repeated sinkholes, including a larger one in summer 2010, a year after the center opened. If your yard has depressions or soft spots, check the state's PaGEODE karst map before planning long post runs; see our page on sinkholes and fence posts.
Applying for the permit
Exeter's permit section requires a permit for permanent fences. The application needs a to-scale lot map showing lot size, every lot-line dimension and the exact location of existing and proposed buildings, fences and structures (§390-83A(2)(a)). Fees are set by Board of Supervisors resolution and are paid before the permit is issued. We didn't find the current amount.
One more check: the 19606 ZIP code covers Exeter, Lower Alsace and Mount Penn, which have separate codes, and some Birdsboro, Douglassville and Oley addresses are in Exeter too. Confirm your municipality before you design to Exeter's rules. We'll do that, draw the lot map, and size the posts for the height you choose.
Common questions
Can I put an 8 ft privacy fence on the property line in Exeter?
The fence section allows it, since only fences over 10 ft need the 5 ft setback. HOA covenants, deed restrictions and the sight triangle can still limit you, and we confirm with the Zoning Officer before building.
Is there a different limit in the front yard?
We didn't find a separate front-yard height in §390-42. The right-of-way ban and the corner sight triangle are what limit front fences.
Do I need a permit for a snow fence?
No. Temporary snow fences and construction fences are exempt from the permit requirement.