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Department of Community and Economic Development
Planning Division
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY/CODE INTERPRETATION
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY/CODE INTERPRETATION #: CI-187 MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION: RMC 4-4-040, Fences, Hedges, and Retaining Walls
REFERENCE: RMC 4-5-060, Construction Administrative Code SUBJECT: Permit Requirements for Fences
BACKGROUND: Currently, Renton Municipal Code (RMC) 4-8-040.B.5.a states “[a] fence
taller than seven feet (7’) shall require a building permit or a written
exemption from the Building Code.” A second construction code Section
105 – Permits under RMC 4-5-060E.2.c.ii states that permits shall not be
required for the following building work “[f]ences not over six feet (6')
(1,829 mm) high” thus exempting fences from requiring a permit if they
are under six feet (6’) tall. These two (2) code sections are not congruent
and can cause confusion regarding what fence height threshold triggers
the requirement for a building permit. Updating the code language would
resolve the conflicting code sections.
DECISION: Amend RMC 4-8-040B.5.a to state fences taller than six feet (6’) shall require a building permit.
JUSTIFICATION: In order to maintain consistency among these two separate code sections,
the fence heights describing the threshold for requiring a building permit
need to match. The current development standard RMC 4-8-040B.5.a
inconsistently describes the trigger for a building permit, as it relates to the
construction administrative code, and therefore is the proposed section to
amend to provide consistency.
ADMINISTRATOR APPROVAL: _______________________________________ Gina Estep EFFECTIVE DATE: September 27, 2024
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BINDING: Under principles of judicial finality, administrative code interpretations
that are not timely appealed are binding. This binding decision is a formally
adopted interpretation of existing Renton Municipal Code. APPEAL PROCESS: To appeal this determination, a written appeal--accompanied by the required filing fee--must be filed with the City's Hearing Examiner (1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057, 425-430-6515) no more than 14 days from the date of this decision. Your submittal should explain the basis for the appeal. Section 4-8-110 of the Renton Municipal Code provides further information on the appeal process. DISCLAIMER: Excerpts from the Renton Municipal Code shown below may not contain the most recently codified text. In such instances, code amendments implemented through this Administrative Code Interpretation shall be construed to affect the current code and past/future Administrative Code Interpretations not yet codified in the same manner as shown below. Should any conflicts result the Administrator shall determine the effective code.
CODE
AMENDMENTS
NEEDED TO
IMPLEMENT DETERMINATIONS: RMC 4-4-040B.5.a “a. Fences: A fence taller than sevensix feet (76') shall require a building permit or a written exemption from the Building Official.” STAFF CONTACT: Ashley Wragge, x7314