Fence rules and fence contractor in Trumbull County, Ohio

Trumbull County leaves fence rules to the local level

The county planning page says zoning in Trumbull County is handled at the local level. There is no county-wide zoning in effect, and the Planning Commission has no authority over local zoning. For a fence, that means the county will not issue your permit or set your height limit. The answer comes from the township zoning inspector, or from the city or village if your property is inside one.

Warren is the county seat. The county borders Mercer and Crawford counties in Pennsylvania, so a fence line near the state line may stand under a different set of laws from a fence a short distance away. Solid Rock Fencing is based at the north end of the county in Bristolville, in Bristol Township, and builds farm, horse, privacy, picket, wire and chain link fence in Ohio and Pennsylvania. We do not publish a list of counties we cover. The FREE estimate call confirms whether we reach your property, wherever it is.

Who to call depends on where the fence goes

The right office is whichever local government covers the parcel. The county keeps a Directory of Public Officials that lists township zoning officials, and the planning office can point you to the right door. Offices change hands, so confirm names and phone numbers when you call. This is general information, not legal advice.

Four unzoned townships still have things to check

Brookfield, Mecca, Mesopotamia and Vernon townships have no zoning, so there is no township zoning resolution to limit fence height or require a site plan. That does not make the land FREE of rules. A fence still has to respect the road right-of-way, utility easements, deed restrictions, a homeowners association if there is one, and the property line. Ohio's partition fence law and the call-before-you-dig law apply in these townships just as they do elsewhere.

• Confirm with the township office that no zoning resolution applies, since boundaries and resolutions can change.
• Ask the county road authority or the township which agency owns the road in front of your property, because that decides how close a fence can sit.
• Check your deed and any recorded plat for easements and restrictions.
• Call 811 before digging. The notice is FREE and required by law.
• Talk to your neighbor early. A written agreement under ORC 971.04 is filed with the county recorder and runs with the land.

Brookfield and Vernon are among the townships near the Pennsylvania line. If you are in one of these two, your fence may be close to a Pennsylvania municipality with its own zoning rules. Mecca Township sits next to Bristol Township, where Solid Rock Fencing is based. Mesopotamia is in the north of the county.

What township zoning can cover

In a township that does have zoning, Ohio law lets trustees regulate by zoning resolution the location, height, bulk and size of buildings and structures, and yard and setback lines (ORC 519.02). OSU Extension lists a fence among the projects that typically need a township zoning permit, with a site plan showing setbacks. What the resolution says about fences specifically is up to each township.

Farm country and Amish country in the north

Trumbull County's Amish country lies in the north, around Mesopotamia, where the county tourism site lists a general store and a tour operator. Ohio Magazine ties Mesopotamia residents to the Middlefield community across the line in Geauga County. For fence work, this is a reminder that much of the northern county is working farmland where pasture, horse and field fence are everyday jobs. Our owner was raised Amish, and the work is built on Amish craftsmanship, but we do not claim any particular community as ours.

Mesopotamia Township is one of the four townships with no zoning. If you farm there, the questions are less about permits and more about line fence, livestock containment and how a fence stands up to animals. Horse owners should read the horse fence page, and cattle and sheep owners the farm and ranch fence page.

Livestock law matters on Trumbull farms

Ohio expects keepers of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas, alpacas and poultry to keep them from running at large on a public road or unenclosed land (ORC 951.02). An owner who negligently lets livestock run at large is liable for the damage they cause on another's premises (ORC 971.18). OSU Extension notes that maintained fences, locked gates and regular checks are the kind of reasonable precautions an owner can point to.

That is the practical reason to care about the gate that does not latch and the corner post that has started to lean. A fence in poor repair is a liability, not only an eyesore. Fence repair is often the right first step, and gate work is where many escapes begin.

Working near the Pennsylvania line

A fence on the Ohio side of the line follows Ohio rules. A fence on the Pennsylvania side follows Pennsylvania rules, and zoning there is set by each municipality, not the county. Mercer County Regional Planning Commission reports that 30 of 48 Mercer County municipalities have zoning. Crawford County zoning is municipal too, so check with each municipality. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code exempts residential fences no more than 6 feet high from UCC permits, though a municipality can still require its own zoning permit. Read more on the Mercer County and Crawford County pages.

Mistakes to avoid in Trumbull County

• Assuming the county has a fence rule. It does not, so the township or city is the office to call.
• Assuming that no zoning means no rules. Easements, rights-of-way and deed restrictions still apply.
• Using a mailing address to decide the jurisdiction. Township and city boundaries do not follow post office names.
• Building a line fence without talking to the neighbor. Ohio's partition fence law gives you a path, but a written agreement is cheaper than a dispute.
• Choosing fence by price per foot without thinking about gates and corners, which carry most of the load.

1. Find your jurisdictionUse your tax bill or call the Planning Commission at (330) 675-2480 to confirm township, city or village.
2. Call the local zoning contactAsk the questions in the table above and write down the answers.
3. Call 811 or confirm your contractor willOHIO811 requires at least two working days of notice and allows up to 16 calendar days.
4. Call us for a FREE estimate(440) 241-4312. We confirm we reach the property and walk the line.

Questions we hear