Occidental's Horse and Ranch Fence Builder
Split-rail, pipe and post-and-wire fencing for paddocks and pastures, plus wood fences planned for a town that sees about 55 inches of rain a year.
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Can a Sebastopol fence crew take on Occidental land?
Yes. We build fences throughout the 95465 ZIP code, in downtown Occidental and on the rural land around it. The work includes horse and ranch fencing, deer fencing, wood fences, custom gates and repairs. Occidental is unincorporated, so Permit Sonoma sets the fence rules here, and a Scenic Resources district can add a review step.
Occidental gets about 55 inches of rain in an average year. That much water changes how posts should be set and drained, especially on a wood fence, so it's one of the first things we'd look at on your property.
What does our Occidental service area include?
The whole 95465 ZIP code, from downtown Occidental out to the rural parcels around it. Occidental is a small, rural town in west Sonoma County, and land here may fall under the County's farm and resource zoning instead of residential rules. To check a road or parcel, call (707) 396-8940.
The town started in 1876 as a stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad, and by 1877 six sawmills were running in the area. It's still small and rural today.
Parcels in a Scenic Resources (SR) district need Administrative Design Review for most fences, even in farm and resource zones that otherwise have no height limit. Qualifying farm fences are exempt, meaning split-rail, pipe or post-and-wire up to 8 feet, as are residential fences 3 feet or under. Split-rail and pipe are also common for horse fencing, so ask Permit Sonoma whether yours counts as a farm fence.
Rail, wire or wood: what suits an Occidental property?
Rail and wire do most of the work on acreage here. Split-rail or pipe fencing suits paddocks, corrals and round pens, post-and-wire keeps deer out of gardens, and a custom gate closes off the driveway. Nearer downtown, a wood fence makes sense, as long as the posts drain well in the rain.
Every service:
Is County approval needed for an Occidental fence?
Only when it's tall or sits in a Scenic Resources district. No building permit is needed unless a fence is solid and taller than 7 feet, or taller than 10 feet of any kind. Farm and resource zones have no height limit, but on SR parcels most fences need design review. The County's fence guidance has the details.
Before you build in Occidental:
- Before you build, ask Permit Sonoma how your parcel is zoned. The office takes calls at (707) 565-1900 and email at PermitSonoma@sonomacounty.gov, and its counter is at 2550 Ventura Ave, Santa Rosa.
- On a house lot, a side or rear fence can rise to 8 feet if everything above 6 feet is lattice or open; "open" means at least 90% see-through.
- No fence may stand in a mapped F1 floodway, and every fence keeps at least 6 inches clear of public rights-of-way and easements.
- On Scenic Resources (SR) parcels, plan on design review for most fences; qualifying farm fences and residential fences 3 feet or under are the exceptions.
Occidental FAQ
From Occidental, which other County towns do we reach?
Graton, Forestville and Bodega Bay all follow County of Sonoma fence rules, the same as Occidental. Bodega Bay adds Coastal Zone permits on top of that. Each has a page below with its own limits, and our service areas page lists every city and town we cover.
Paddocks, pastures or a garden near Occidental?
Acreage, animals, gates: give us the outline and we'll plan a visit to the property. Or reach Gil at (707) 396-8940.