Do Fence laws make sense?

[turnkey4099]

Here in cattle country - you must fence your property to keep your animals on your property. I would imagine sharing the expenses would make sense where two cattle owners have a common property line.

In parts of Idaho and Montana where open range laws apply one must fence their property to keep animals OUT.

 

[oosik]

Same in this part of the country also. Somebody posts those yellow "open range" warning signs. In those parts of the country it would often appear that nobody fences any property.

 

[YLee Kioti]

Well this has been informative.
When we moved on to our property, our neighbor made it known that the fence, which divides his and our property is 'his' fence.
I've kept that in the back for future reference. He has two paints that graze so the wire is on his side.
It's in very bad shape probably original maybe 40 years old, the cedar posts are all but crumbling.
I know he will be a happy camper to know that 'our' property survey markers are inside 'his' fence.
So when He decides to replace the fence I know he will pitch a fit to see the markers are about one foot inside the existing fence.
So when his wife's uncle passes away and they sell the property I can see this being a point of contention.
Until then, I'll continue reading and learning from you folks!

 

[radios1]

I'm sure this law has not been to the Supreme Court yet, but it's the weirdest, and most unjust law I ever heard of!.. why should YOU be responsible for the wishes of an adjoining landowner??. do you have to pay half of the cost of the cattle, and feed for them, and other expenses they require, too??.. maybe you're just lucky he don't want to build a multi million dollar mansion on the property too, and you'd be required to pay half of that cost!!..

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Hmmm

 

[prof fate]

AFAIK pennsylvania has no overall fence law. It varies by town...and can be damned near anything.

When I lived 'in town' in anohter county ANY fence needed a permit - max height in front yard was 4', back yard, 6', and the nice side of the fence had to face the neighbor. nd there was a property line setback depending on the width of your lot and height of the fence.

I'm in a different county, more rural/suburban..NO fence laws. Whatever you want whereever you want...want a 15' fence and have the ugly side face out? Go for it.

I want a pole barn...they outlawed outbuildings with a bigger footprint than your house about 8 years ago. So I'm a thinking...a 16" metal fence...in a rectangle...and maybe in a few years I'll put a roof on my fence!

Odd rules..need a permit to build a porch, but you can enclose a porch without one...SOOOO...same concept, right? LOL

 

[Walter L]

Why not build your fence 2ft inside of your land line , that is what my father did years ago on 300 acres and was never a problem for anyone.

 

[MossRoad]

Why not build your fence 2ft inside of your land line , that is what my father did years ago on 300 acres and was never a problem for anyone.

Because in Indiana, the law says the fence has to be on the property line, and, unless there is a written agreement stating otherwise that is signed by BOTH property owners stating something like they have an agreement to NOT put the fence on the property line, the fence becomes the property line and you loose 2' of property if it stays there for something like 5 years.

 

[ultrarunner]

We had many encroachers on the folks property... a residential subdivision abuts on two sides. Most put their fences where they pleased.

It was often an irritation but Dad fixed all of that when he sold off the part that abuts almost all of the subdivision property to the city...

People would actually dump out their back yard and call the city to have the Property Owner clean it up... now they can call the city to clean it up and the city will fine them for dumping...

The old barb wire fence with square nails and redwood posts is all but gone now... the city has a blanket prohibition on barb wire... no installs or repairs.

Not sure what Mom will end up doing with the remaining land... there are several parcels adding up to 6 acres and the voters just passed a law last week subjecting vacant property to a $6,000 per parcel additional tax on top of the property tax and 27 existing special assessments... the property is our backyard with open space and garden/fruit trees... so now we get to find out what the definition of vacant is...

Tried to combine some of the lots but there are on different pages of the Assessor Book... so no simple lot line adjustment.

 

[turnkey4099]

Well this has been informative.
When we moved on to our property, our neighbor made it known that the fence, which divides his and our property is 'his' fence.
I've kept that in the back for future reference. He has two paints that graze so the wire is on his side.
It's in very bad shape probably original maybe 40 years old, the cedar posts are all but crumbling.
I know he will be a happy camper to know that 'our' property survey markers are inside 'his' fence.
So when He decides to replace the fence I know he will pitch a fit to see the markers are about one foot inside the existing fence.
So when his wife's uncle passes away and they sell the property I can see this being a point of contention.
Until then, I'll continue reading and learning from you folks!

Your 1' of property by now is probably his if he wants to file on it. Use must be "open and notorious" and the land owner (you) must have done nothing about it. Depends on the various states how many years it has to continue. In Washington it was 7 years. I got an abandonded school grounds on that condition. In your case it may not applyi as some places a fence line that has been long established can become the legal boundary.