By-laws contained in this section have been prepared for reference purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information; however it is not to be used in place of actual by-laws.
Actual by-laws can be obtained at the following locations:
City ArchivesA by-law of the City of Ottawa respecting the erection, height and maintenance of fences. The Council of the City of Ottawa hereby enacts as follows:
In this by-law,
“Agricultural operation” means an agricultural, aquacultural, horticultural or silvicultural operation that is carried on in the expectation of gain or reward,
“Building” means any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy,
“City” means the municipal corporation of the City of Ottawa or the geographic area as the context requires,
“Corner lot” means a lot situated at the intersection of two or more streets or at the intersection of two parts of the same street which parts have an interior angle of intersection of not more than one hundred and thirty-five (135) degrees,
“Council” means the Council of the City of Ottawa,
“Director of By-law Services” means the person in the office of Director of By-law Services in the Department of Emergency and Protective Services, or authorized assistants,
“Erect” includes alter, construct, place, relocate and any work preparatory to erection, and “erection” has a corresponding meaning,
“Fence” means any freestanding structure, wall or barrier other than a building, erected at grade for the purpose of delineating the boundaries of a property, restricting ingress to or egress from a property, providing security or protection to property, and does not include a hedge,
“Gate” means any swinging or sliding barrier used to fill in or close an access in a fence,
“Grade” means the elevation of the finished level of the ground adjoining the fence exclusive of any artificial embankments or berms;
“Graffiti” means one or more letters, symbols, etchings, figures, inscriptions, stains howsoever made or otherwise affixed to a property or other markings that disfigure or deface a property but does not include a mural sign permitted in accordance with By-law No. 2005-439, the Permanent Signs on Private Property By-law; (By-law No. 2008-3)
“Highway” means a common and public highway and includes any bridge, trestle or viaduct or other structure forming part of the highway and except as otherwise provided includes a portion of a highway;
“Lot” means all contiguous land under one ownership;
“Lot line” means the boundary of a lot;
“Lot line, front” means;
“Lot line, rear” means the lot line furthest from and opposite the front lot line,
“Lot line, side” means a lot line other than a front lot line or a rear lot line,
“Non-residential property” means land used for other than residential purposes and includes land used for both residential and other purposes,
“Old municipality” means the old municipalities of the City of Cumberland, the City of Gloucester, the Township of Goulbourn, the City of Kanata, the City of Nepean, the Township of Osgoode, the City of Ottawa, the Township of Rideau, the Village of Rockcliffe Park, the City of Vanier and the Township of West Carleton, and “old municipalities” has a similar meaning,
“Person” means an individual, firm, corporation, association or partnership,
“Pool Enclosure By-law” means the Pool Enclosure By-law of the City of Ottawa, being By-law No. 2013-39, as amended, and any successor by-law thereto; (Bylaw No. 2013-83)
“Principal building” means the building in which the principal use of the lot is conducted,
“Residential property” means land used for residential purposes and includes vacant land abutting residential property,
“Salvage yard” means land used for saving and utilization of waste paper, scrap metal, vehicles, appliances or other materials,
“Urban arterial” means the highways designated as arterial on Schedule “E”, Urban Road Network, to the City of Ottawa Official Plan as adopted by City Council in May 2003,
“Visibility triangle” means the area within a triangle formed by measuring a prescribed distance along two specified intersecting lines and a third line joining the terminal points of the two measured lines,
“Yard” means any open space located between the nearest point of a building and a lot line,
“Yard, front” means a yard extending across the full width of a lot between the front lot line and the nearest point of the principal building on the lot,
“Yard, rear” means a yard extending across the full width of the lot between the rear lot line and the nearest point of the principal building on the lot,
“Yard, side” means a yard extending from the front yard to the rear yard between the side lot line and the nearest point of the principal building on the lot.
This by-law includes the Schedule annexed hereto, and the Schedule is hereby declared to form part of this by-law.
It is declared that if any section, subsection or part or parts thereof, be declared by any Court of Law to be bad, illegal or ultra vires, such section, subsection or part or parts shall be deemed to be severable, and all parts hereof are declared to be separate and independent and enacted as such.
The height of a fence at any given point shall be measured from the grade at the base of the fence, as follows:
Subject to Section 5, on residential property no person shall erect a fence or cause a fence to be erected that is higher than;
Despite Section 6, where a residential property abuts an urban arterial highway described in Schedule “A” annexed to this by-law and where the grade level at the crown of the highway is higher than the grade at the base of the fence, the maximum height restriction with respect to that portion of fence immediately contiguous to the highway shall be measured from the crown of the highway to the top of the fence, but in no event shall such portion of the fence immediately contiguous to the highway exceed a height of three metres (3 m) in a yard, rear or yard, side as measured from the base to the top of the fence.
On non-residential properties, no person shall erect a fence or cause a fence to be erected that is higher than three metres (3 m).
Despite Section 6, where it is considered necessary for the health or safety of the public, the Director of By-law Services may permit the construction of a fence higher than the height specified in the by-law on residential property provided that the height of the fence does not exceed three metres (3 m) and the height of the fence is necessary to ensure public safety.
Every person who erects a fence or causes a fence to be erected shall keep such fence,
No person shall erect a fence or cause a fence to be erected,
No person shall erect a fence or cause a fence to be erected on City property, including any public highway.
No person shall erect a fence or cause a fence to be erected unless the fence is constructed and finished in such a manner so as to present the finished side thereof, as determined by the Director of By-law Services, toward the public street and the neighbouring properties.
Despite paragraph (a) of Section 14, where required for the safety or protection of nonresidential property, the portion of any fence above two hundred and fifty centimetres (250 cm) may be wholly or partially constructed of barbed wire.
Every person, when necessary, shall: a) remove graffiti on the exterior surfaces of fences; or (By-law No. 2008-3) b) refinish the surface of the fence. (By-law No. 2003-526)
No person shall erect or cause to be erected, on residential property or on lot lines of non-residential property abutting residential property, a chain link fence that is not vinyl or powder coated.
Section 9 does not apply to a fence erected upon or abutting land which is used for a railway right-of-way, or for hydro, telephone or utility installations, or for public work installations which are hazardous to the public.
Sections 6 and 9 do not apply;
Section 6 and Section 9 do not apply to a fence erected to enclose a tennis court and any other public recreational facility, provided that the fence is of chain link construction.
Section 23
The provisions of this by-law do not apply to a fence erected on lands used for an agricultural operation.
Nothing in this by-law shall prevent the continued use and maintenance of a fence if such fence was lawfully erected in conformity with the provisions of a fence by-law of an old municipality prior to the effective date of this by-law.
Any exemptions approved under a fence by-law of an old municipality continue in force and shall be deemed to be issued under this by-law for regulatory and enforcement purposes.
No person shall erect, own, or maintain, or cause or permit the erection or maintenance of any fence on private property in the City that does not comply with this by-law and any other applicable law.
Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of this by-law is guilty of an offence.
Every person who is convicted of an offence is liable to a fine as provided for in the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chap. p. 33, as amended.
When a person has been convicted of an offence under this by-law,
This by-law shall be enforced by the Municipal Law Enforcement Officers of the City.
The following by-laws or portions of by-laws of the old municipalities are repealed:
This by-law may be referred to as the “Fence By-law”.
This by-law shall come into effect on January 1, 2004.
ENACTED AND PASSED this 24th day of September, 2003.
CITY CLERK | MAYOR
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