Muskegon Charter Township is the largest township next to the city, with 17,596 residents at the 2020 census and about 23.8 square miles. It borders the City of Muskegon to the southwest and North Muskegon to the west, and M-46, M-120 and US 31 run through it. Its residential fence rule is Ordinance 15-14, which amended Section 58-66 and took effect October 8, 2015.
What the ordinance covers
The rule applies to fences and hedges in residential zones. The ordinance text we read doesn't address commercial or industrial lots. Acceptable materials are ornamental metal, weather-resistant or treated wood, chain link, or another high-quality durable material, and fences have to be kept in good repair.
Heights and placement
| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| Front yard | 3 ft, or 4 ft if open (chain link, picket) |
| Rear yard | 6 ft |
- Property line: a fence may be placed on the lot line, but outside any public right-of-way.
- Visibility: a fence can't obstruct traffic vision at corners and driveways.
- Finished side: the finished side must face outward, toward abutting lots and rights-of-way.
- Barbed wire: prohibited unless the Planning Commission approves it as part of a special use.
Corner lots
On a corner lot, each street-facing yard counts as a front yard. That is stricter than the City of Muskegon, which has allowed 6 feet along a secondary street side since 2018, and stricter than Ferrysburg, which allows 6 feet there. If your lot has two street frontages, ask the township's Zoning Administrator to confirm which yard is which before you design the layout.
Permits and fees
The ordinance is a zoning rule. We looked at the township's building department and planning pages and found no fence permit procedure or fee, so we won't state one. Contact the building or zoning office before work starts. The township's deck handout, which isn't a fence rule, shows the kind of detail its inspectors check: footings at least 42 inches below grade, with 24 inches possible on Group I soils if requested in writing.
Frost and sand
Michigan's residential code sets a 42-inch footing depth for buildings, though a building official can modify it for freezing degree days, soil, or groundwater. That rule is for foundations and decks, not fences. Ask your installer how deep they set posts and why. Our wood fence page explains what we could and couldn't verify about post depth.
Wood and chain link costs
HomeGuide puts a wood fence at $20 to $50 per linear foot installed, and Angi's range for wood is $10 to $45. At HomeGuide's rates, 150 feet works out to roughly $3,000 to $7,500. Compare quotes line by line: gate hardware, post material and the haul-off of an old fence change the number more than the board style does.
Neighbors
North Muskegon, just west, has its own permit and a 2-foot limit on solid front fences; see North Muskegon. See the privacy fence page for the City of Muskegon's rules and the county permit comparison for all of them.
What to confirm
We read Ordinance 15-14 as posted by the township. We didn't see the township's current code, so later amendments are possible. Ask the zoning office to confirm.
Sources, checked October 26, 2026: Muskegon Charter Township Ordinance No. 15-14 (amending Sec. 58-66, effective Oct. 8, 2015); Muskegon Charter Township building department and planning and zoning pages; Muskegon Charter Township Deck Handout (2025); Mich. Admin. Code R 408.30522; HomeGuide wood fence cost guide; Angi fence installation cost guide (Oct. 13, 2026); Wikipedia, Muskegon Township, Michigan (2020 census).