Fencing El Verano Pasture for Horses and Stock
Ranch rail, paddocks and post-and-wire for El Verano land, plus privacy fences out back, all planned around County of Sonoma rules rather than the city next door.
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Is El Verano too far out for a fence estimate?
No. We give free estimates in El Verano and build horse and ranch fencing, deer fencing, wood privacy fences, metal fences and custom gates there, along with repairs. Since El Verano sits outside Sonoma city limits, County of Sonoma rules decide the heights and permits, and those differ from the city's in a few places.
El Verano takes its name from the Spanish for “the summer,” and like nearby Boyes Hot Springs, Fetters Hot Springs and Agua Caliente, it drew visitors to its hot springs resorts until the mid-1900s. Today it's an unincorporated community on the west side of the City of Sonoma.
Where is El Verano, and do we cover all of it?
On the west side of the City of Sonoma, in the Sonoma Valley, and yes, we cover all of El Verano's 95433 ZIP code. The old resort areas of Boyes Hot Springs, Fetters Hot Springs and Agua Caliente are nearby. Not sure whether a parcel is inside or outside city limits? Call us at (707) 396-8940.
Under County rules, side and rear fences inside a residential setback can be 6 feet, or 8 with lattice above, which leaves room for a privacy fence out back. “Open” here means at least 90% see-through, which matters for the 6-foot open-top option in a front setback.
Deep alluvial soils around the City of Sonoma support farming, and the County treats farm fencing differently from yard fencing. Ask Permit Sonoma how your parcel is zoned before choosing between a farm fence and a residential one, since the height and permit rules change with it.
Farm fence or yard fence: which does an El Verano parcel need?
Whichever the zoning supports, and sometimes both. Around the house, a 6-foot wood privacy fence along the back and sides, rising to 8 feet with lattice, is the most the County allows inside residential setbacks. Where there's pasture or stock, ranch rail, paddocks, corrals and round pens fit, along with post-and-wire deer fencing.
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What fence work in El Verano calls for a building permit?
A solid fence taller than 7 feet, or any fence taller than 10. Those permits come from Permit Sonoma, because El Verano is unincorporated County land. In a residential front setback, you can build 3 feet of fence, or 6 with an open top, with no permit at all. Details are on Permit Sonoma's fence page.
Before you build in El Verano:
- Reach Permit Sonoma at (707) 565-1900 or PermitSonoma@sonomacounty.gov, or visit 2550 Ventura Ave in Santa Rosa; applications go through its Application Portal.
- Plan side and rear fences inside a residential setback at 6 feet, or 8 with lattice or open fencing above. A solid front-setback fence from 3 to 6 feet needs Administrative Design Review.
- Keep every post at least 6 inches off public rights-of-way and easements, and leave mapped floodways (F1 zoning) unfenced.
- Use permits for fences ended with the County's December 2025 update. Outside the setbacks, zoning sets no height cap, though building permit limits still count.
El Verano FAQ
Is the City of Sonoma next door covered too?
Yes. We serve the City of Sonoma, just east of El Verano, where the city's own fence code applies inside its limits. Petaluma is on our list as well, along with the other towns on our service areas page. Each town's page lists its own heights and permit rules.
Got pasture or a backyard to fence in El Verano?
Whether it's a horse paddock or a backyard line, we'll walk it with you and talk through the County rules on site. Or call (707) 396-8940.