Fence rules in Los Altos Hills
- Maximum 6 feet for all fences (sports-court fencing to 10 feet beyond the setback line is the one exception).
- No fences in road rights-of-way or pathway easements — with a mailbox-post exception that itself needs an encroachment permit.
- Solid fences and walls at intersections: 3 feet maximum in the visibility area.
- Neighbor notice is required for fences that remove screening vegetation, solid fences that affect views, walls over 1,000 linear feet, and similar cases — view impact is a formal consideration here, not a courtesy.
- Wildlife-friendly, visually open construction and natural materials are the town's stated preference.
What this means for repairs
In-kind repair of an existing fence sidesteps the notice-and-review machinery entirely — you're maintaining what's already established, not proposing anything. On Hills lots the terrain does most of the damage: posts on slopes take uphill runoff at the base, long runs settle unevenly, and open-style fences — the type the town prefers — fail post by post, which keeps repairs local and staged rather than all-at-once.
Send photos through the form — post bases, the run with its slope, anything leaning — and get a repair estimate range before anyone drives up.
Sources: Los Altos Hills Municipal Code §10-1.507. Rules change — verify with Los Altos Hills Planning before major work.