Wrought Iron Fence in Lancaster, CA

Iron is a common answer for a Lancaster front yard, because it marks the line and keeps the view. Inside city limits, Lancaster Municipal Code 17.08.130.D holds a fence in the front yard setback to 4 feet. The same 4 feet covers the corner lot side yard setback, and 6 feet is allowed within the side or rear setback.

A pool changes the math. California Health and Safety Code 115923 wants a barrier at least 60 inches tall. A pool behind the house sits under the 6 foot side and rear figure, which clears that with room left over. A barrier that has to run through the front yard setback is another story, since 60 inches is taller than 4 feet. Section 17.08.130.E lets a director's review add up to 25 percent, and 4 feet plus a quarter comes to 60 inches on the nose, so the review is the route if it is approved.

The rest of the barrier rule is about climbing and the gate. No more than 2 inches of clearance at the bottom. No gap that passes a 4 inch sphere. No handhold or foothold on the outside face. The access gate opens away from the water, closes and latches by itself, and the latch sits no lower than 60 inches. Section 115922 adds that when a building permit is issued for a new pool or a remodel at a private single family home, the pool needs at least two of seven drowning prevention features, and the fence is only one.

Height is read from the ground at the fence. Section 17.08.130.C runs from finished grade at the base to the top edge of the material. On a sloped yard, stepped panels each get their own reading and leave a wedge under every step. A pool barrier gets raked to follow the grade instead, because those wedges break the 2 inch rule.

Our standard panel is 3/4 inch square pickets in 1.5 inch channel rail, about 4 inches on center, which leaves a clear gap near 3.25 inches. That already stops a 4 inch sphere, so a pool does not force closer pickets. Line posts are 2.5 inch square up to 6 feet of panel. Gate posts step up with the leaf, out to 4 inch square.

On county ground beside the city the numbers shift. LA County Code 22.110.070 allows 3.5 feet in a required front yard and 6 feet in the interior side and rear yards. A front yard iron fence planned to the city figure would stand half a foot over there.

Sprinkler spray and sun work on iron from the bottom up, starting at cut ends and welds. Galvanizing goes under the color, roughly 45 to 75 microns of zinc on common fence tube under ASTM A123, then an AAMA 2604 class powder. The thermal prep in ASTM D7803 comes between them so the zinc does not pinhole the powder.

This work runs out of our shop on Division Street in Lancaster. Read the full wrought iron fence details, or call (818) 220-8704 and we will come out.