{"id":"wa-local:rockingham-city-of-fencing-local-law-2020","name":"Fencing Local Law 2020","slug":"fencing-local-law-2020","collection":"local_law","jurisdiction":"wa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":438859,"registerId":"wa-local:rockingham-city-of-fencing-local-law-2020-pdf-1775955109057","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Fencing Local Law 2020","content":"1235\nISSN 1448-949X (print) ISSN 2204-4264 (online)\nPRINT POST APPROVED PP665002/00041\nPERTH, FRIDAY, 26 MARCH 2021 No. 55 SPECIAL\nPUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY GEOFF O. LAWN, GOVERNMENT PRINTER\n© STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA\nWESTERN\nAUSTRALIAN\nGOVERNMENT\nLOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1995\n_________\nCITY OF ROCKINGHAM\n———————————\nFENCING LOCAL LAW 2020\n\n\n\n26 March 2021 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 1237\nLOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1995\nCITY OF ROCKINGHAM\nFENCING LOCAL LAW 2020\nCONTENTS\nPART 1—PRELIMINARY\n1.1 Title\n1.2 Commencement\n1.3 Repeal\n1.4 Application of local law\n1.5 Terms used\n1.6 Interpretation\nPART 2—FENCING—GENERAL\n2.1 Dividing fences\n2.2 Sufficient fence\n2.3 Fences within front setback—permit requirement\n2.4 Fences on secondary frontages\n2.5 Sightlines at vehicle access point\n2.6 Maintenance of fences\n2.7 Prohibited fencing materials\n2.8 Gates in fences\nPART 3—TENNIS COURT FENCING\n3.1 Tennis court fencing\nPART 4—ELECTRIFIED, BARBED AND RAZOR WIRE FENCES\n4.1 Requirement for a permit\nPART 5—PERMITS\n5.1 Application for a permit\n5.2 Determining an application\n5.3 Revocation of a permit\nPART 6—OBJECTIONS AND REVIEW\n6.1 Objection and review rights\nPART 7—ENFORCEMENT\n7.1 Offences and general penalty\n7.2 Prescribed offences\n7.3 Form of notices\nSCHEDULE 1—A SUFFICIENT FENCE ON A RESIDENTIAL OR\nSPECIAL RESIDENTIAL LOT\nSCHEDULE 2—A SUFFICIENT FENCE ON A COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL LOT\nSCHEDULE 3—A SUFFICIENT FENCE ON A RURAL OR SPECIAL RURAL LOT\nSCHEDULE 4—PRESCRIBED OFFENCES AND MODIFIED PENALTIES\n\n\n\n26 March 2021 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 1239\nLOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1995\nCITY OF ROCKINGHAM\nFENCING LOCAL LAW 2020\nUnder the powers conferred by the Local Government Act 1995 and the Dividing Fences Act 1961 and\nunder all other enabling powers, the Council of the City of Rockingham resolved on 23 February 2021\nto make the following local law.\nPART 1—PRELIMINARY\n1.1 Title\nThis is the City of Rockingham Fencing Local Law 2020.\n1.2 Commencement\nThis local law comes into operation 14 days after the date of its publication in the Government\nGazette.\n1.3 Repeal\nThe City of Rockingham Fencing Local Law 2000 published in the Government Gazette on 21 March\n2001 is repealed.\n1.4 Application of local law\nThis local law applies throughout the district.\n1.5 Terms used\nIn this local law unless the context requires otherwise—\nAct means the Local Government Act 1995;\nadversely affect land has the meaning given to it in the Building Act 2011;\nAS/NZS means an Australian Standard published by the Standards Association of Australia and\nas amended from time to time;\nauthorised person means a person authorised by the local government under section 9.10 of the\nAct to carry out functions with respect to this local law;\ncommercial lot means a lot where a commercial use—\n(a) is or may be permitted under a local planning scheme; and\n(b) is or will be the predominant use of the lot;\ndangerous, in relation to any fence, means—\n(a) an electrified fence, or one containing barbed or razor wire, other than a fence—\n(i) in respect of which a permit has been issued and is current; or\n(ii) that is constructed and maintained in accordance with this local law;\n(b) a fence containing exposed broken glass, or any other potentially harmful projection or\nmaterial; or\n(c) a fence which is likely to collapse or fall, or part of which is likely to collapse or fall, from\nany cause;\ndistrict means the district of the local government;\ndividing fence has the meaning given to it in the Dividing Fences Act 1961;\nelectrified fence means a fence carrying or designed to carry an electric charge;\nestate boundary fence means a fence around the external boundary of a subdivision of land to\nindicate the extent of that subdivision and includes any special works or construction that\nidentifies the entrance to that land;\nfence means any structure that is used or functions as a barrier, irrespective of where it is\nlocated, and includes a gate that separates the road reserve and a lot adjacent to the road\nreserve;\nfront boundary means the boundary that separates a thoroughfare and the front of a lot;\n\n1240 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 26 March 2021\nfront fence means a fence in the front setback area of a lot;\nfront setback means the horizontal distance between the front boundary and a wall of a\nbuilding, measured at a right angle to the front boundary;\nheight in relation to a fence, means the vertical distance between—\n(a) the top of the fence at any point; and\n(b) the ground level or, where the ground levels on each side of the fence are not the same,\nthe higher ground level immediately below that point;\nindustrial lot means a lot where an industrial use—\n(a) is or may be permitted under a local planning scheme; and\n(b) is or will be the predominant use of the lot;\nland includes a house, building, work or structure, in or on the land;\nlocal government means the City of Rockingham;\nlocal planning scheme means a local planning scheme of the local government;\nlot means a defined portion of land for which a separate certificate of title has been issued and\nincludes a strata lot;\nnatural ground level, in relation to a development, means—\n(a) the level approved, for the purposes of the development, by the local government, under a\nlocal planning scheme; or\n(b) in any other case, the level which existed immediately before the commencement of the\ndevelopment (including any site works);\nopen fence means a fence—\n(a) that has continuous vertical gaps with a minimum gap width of 50mm with the area of\ngaps being not less than one third of the area of the fence face; and\n(b) the lower portion of which may be closed up to a height of 1.2m above the natural ground\nlevel immediately in front of the fence but, where the natural ground level slopes, the\nheight of the closed portion is to be no more than 1.2m from the base of the fence;\npermit means a permit under Part 5;\nperson has the meaning given to it in the Interpretation Act 1984;\nplanning permit means a permit given under a local planning scheme;\npublic place means a place to which the public has access;\nreserve means land (including a parkland or foreshore) in or adjoining the district that is—\n(a) set apart for the use and enjoyment of the public; or\n(b) acquired for public purposes and vested in or under the care, control and management of\nthe local government;\nresidential lot means a lot where a residential use—\n(a) is or may be permitted under a local planning scheme; and\n(b) is or will be the predominant use or the lot;\nRMD zoned lot means single house standards for medium density housing;\nrural lot means a lot where a rural use—\n(a) is or may be permitted under a local planning scheme; and\n(b) is or will be the predominant use of the lot;\nsecondary frontage, in the case of a lot that has a frontage and access to more than one road,\nmeans the longer or longest of the boundaries that separates the lot from a road reserve;\nspecial residential lot means a lot within a special residential zone under a local planning\nscheme;\nspecial rural lot means a lot within a special rural zone under a local planning scheme; and\nsufficient fence means a fence described in clause 2.2.\n1.6 Interpretation\n(1) Nothing in this local law affects a provision in any other written law in respect of a building\nlicence, or other approval or authorisation that might be required for a fence.\n(2) In the event of a conflict between this local law and the local planning scheme, the provisions of\nthe local planning scheme prevail.\nPART 2—FENCING—GENERAL\n2.1 Dividing fences\n(1) Unless by agreement between the owners of adjoining properties, a person—\n(a) must not construct or alter a dividing fence on a lot that does not satisfy the requirements of\na sufficient fence;\n(b) must maintain a dividing fence in a condition which satisfies the requirements of a sufficient\nfence; or\n\n26 March 2021 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 1241\n(c) must not alter the level of the ground adjoining the boundary so as to—\n(i) adversely affect land on either side of the boundary; or\n(ii) change the height of a dividing fence,\nunless the dividing fence is altered, reconstructed, supported or relocated so as to satisfy the\nrequirements of a sufficient fence.\n(2) An agreement in respect of a dangerous fence is taken not to be an agreement between owners of\nadjoining properties for the purposes of clause 2.1(1).\n2.2 Sufficient fence\n(1) Subject to subclauses (2) and (3), a sufficient fence—\n(a) on a residential lot or a special residential lot is a dividing fence constructed and maintained\nin accordance with the requirements of Schedule 1.\n(b) on a commercial lot or an industrial lot is a dividing fence constructed and maintained in\naccordance with the requirements of Schedule 2; and\n(c) on a rural lot or a special rural lot is a dividing fence constructed and maintained in\naccordance with the requirements of Schedule 3.\n(2) Where a fence is constructed on or near the boundary between the residential lot, or a special\nresidential lot, and any of the following—\n(a) an industrial lot;\n(b) a commercial lot;\n(c) a rural lot; or\n(d) a special rural lot,\na sufficient fence is a dividing fence constructed and maintained in accordance with the requirements\nof Schedule 1.\n(3) Where—\n(a) the zoning of a lot is changed from Rural to Residential under a local planning scheme; and\n(b) immediately before that zoning change a dividing fence on that lot is a sufficient fence,\nthe requirements of Schedule 1 are not to apply to that dividing fence until a residential use becomes\nthe predominant use for that lot.\n2.3 Fences within front setback—permit requirement\n(1) A person must not, without a permit, construct a fence greater than 1.2m in height within the\nfront setback area of a residential lot unless—\n(a) the fence is constructed and maintained in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 1;\nor\n(b) the fence is a side boundary fence which uniformly slopes down from no more than 1.8m to no\nmore than 1.2m in height over a maximum distance of 1.5m from the start of the front set\nback area from the building to the front of the lot.\n(2) A person must not, without a permit construct a fence greater than 0.9m in height within the front\nsetback area of RMD zoned lot unless—\n(a) the fence is constructed and maintained in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 1;\nor\n(b) the fence is a side boundary fence which uniformly sloped down from no more than 1.8m to no\nmore than 0.9m in height over a maximum distance of 1.5m from the start of the front set\nback area from the building to the front of the lot.\n2.4 Fences on secondary frontages\nSubject to clauses 2.3 and 2.5, a person must not, without a permit, construct a fence on any\nsecondary frontage of a residential lot unless the fence is a sufficient fence.\n2.5 Sightlines at vehicle access point\nFences are to be truncated or reduced to no higher than 0.75m, within 1.5m where walls, fences and\nother structures adjoin vehicle access points where a driveway meets a public street and where two\nstreets intersect.\n2.6 Maintenance of fences\n(1) This clause applies to a fence that is—\n(a) a front fence; or\n(b) a dividing fence that separates a lot and a thoroughfare.\n(2) An owner or occupier of a lot on which a fence is constructed must maintain the fence in good\ncondition so as to prevent it from becoming dangerous, dilapidated, unsightly, or prejudicial to the\namenity of the locality.\n(3) Repairs to estate boundary fence—\n(1) An owners or occupier of a lot adjacent to an estate boundary fence must, where that fence is\ndamaged, dilapidated or in need of repair, ensure that—\n(a) it is repaired or replaced with the same or similar materials with which it was first\nconstructed; and\n\n1242 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 26 March 2021\n(b) it is repaired or replaced with materials of the same colour as the remainder of the\nestate boundary fence; and\n(c) so far as practicable the repaired or replaced section is the same as the original fence.\n2.7 Prohibited fencing materials\n(1) A person must not use broken glass in the construction of a fence.\n(2) Except in accordance with a permit, a person must not use razor wire or other material with\nspiked or jagged projections in the construction of a fence unless the fence is a sufficient fence.\n2.8 Gates in fences\nA person must not construct or maintain on a lot a gate—\n(a) in a dividing fence that abuts a thoroughfare, road reserve, pedestrian access way, right of\nway, reserve, local government property or public property—without a permit or unless the\nlocal government has otherwise approved the access; or\n(b) in any other dividing fence—unless the gate opens into the lot or unless it slides parallel to,\nand on the inside of, the dividing fence.\nPART 3—TENNIS COURT FENCING\n3.1 Tennis court fencing\n(1) This clause does not apply to a rural lot.\n(2) A person shall not erect a fence around or partly around a tennis court on a lot unless—\n(a) the fence is less than 3.6m in height;\n(b) the whole of the fence is at least 900mm from the boundary between the lot on which the\ntennis court is located and the adjoining lot or if it is less than 900mm, the owner of the\nadjoining lot has first been given the opportunity to make submissions to the local\ngovernment on the location of the fence; and\n(c) the fence is constructed of chain link fabric mesh and is 50mm x 2.5mm poly-vinyl chloride\ncoated or galvanised, and is erected in accordance with the manufacturer’s specification and\nany applicable Australian Standard, or if there is no applicable specification or Australian\nStandard, in accordance with industry best practice for that type of fence.\nPART 4—ELECTRIFIED, BARBED AND RAZOR WIRE FENCES\n4.1 Requirement for a permit\n(1) An owner or occupier of a lot must not—\n(a) have or use an electrified fence on that lot—\n(i) without first obtaining a permit; and\n(ii) except in accordance with that permit; or\n(b) have a fence constructed wholly or partly of barbed or razor wire on that lot (unless it is a\nsufficient fence)—\n(i) without first obtaining a permit; and\n(ii) except in accordance with that permit.\n(2) Clause 4.1(1) does not apply to a fence on a rural lot or a special rural lot where the keeping of\nstock is permitted and the fence is necessary for stock control.\n(3) A permit to have and use an electrified fence on a lot cannot be issued—\n(a) if the lot is, or abuts, a residential lot;\n(b) unless the fence will comply with AS/NZS 3014:2003 Electrical installations—Electric Fences\nas amended from time to time; and\n(c) unless the fence is rendered inoperable during the hours of business operations, if any, on the\nlot.\n(4) A permit to have on a lot a fence constructed wholly or partly of barbed or razor wire cannot be\nissued unless—\n(a) the fence is proposed to be within 3m of the boundary of the lot; or\n(b) the barbed or razor wire used in the construction of the fence is to be higher than 2m but not\nmore than 2.4m above the natural ground level.\nPART 5—PERMITS\n5.1 Application for a permit\n(1) An owner or occupier of land may apply to the local government for a permit under this Part.\n(2) An application for a permit must—\n(a) be in the form (if any) determined by the local government;\n(b) include—\n(i) a written consent signed by the owner of the land on which the proposed fence is to be\nlocated—unless the applicant is the owner of that land; and\n(ii) any further information that may be required by the local government; and\n\n26 March 2021 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 1243\n(c) be accompanied by any fee imposed by the local government under sections 6.16 to 6.19 of the\nAct.\n5.2 Determining an application\n(1) The local government may refuse to consider an application that does not comply with clause 5.1.\n(2) The local government may—\n(a) approve an application, subject to any conditions that it considers to be appropriate; or\n(b) refuse an application.\n(3) In determining whether to grant the consent referred to in subclause (1), the local government\nmay consider, in addition to any other matter that it is authorised to consider, whether the erection or\nretention of the fence would have an adverse effect on—\n(a) the safe or convenient use of any land; or\n(b) the safety or convenience of any person; or\n(c) the orderly and proper planning of the district.\n(4) If the local government approves an application, it is to issue its permit in writing to the applicant.\n(5) The local government may vary a condition to which a permit is subject by giving written notice to\nthe applicant and the varied condition takes effect 7 days after that notice is given.\n5.3 Revocation of a permit\nThe local government may revoke a permit if—\n(a) the owner (or the occupier with the owner’s written consent) requests the local government to\ndo so;\n(b) the fence to which the permit relates is being, or has been, demolished and is not proposed to\nbe, or has not been, rebuilt for a period of at least 6 months;\n(c) the circumstances are such that the permit could not be issued under this local law; or\n(d) the owner or occupier fails to comply with a condition of the permit or breaches a provision of\nthis local law in respect of the fence that is the subject of the permit.\nPART 6—OBJECTIONS AND REVIEW\n6.1 Objection and review rights\nDivision 1 of Part 9 of the Act applies to a decision under this local law to—\n(a) to refuse an application for a permit;\n(b) to impose or vary a condition of a permit; or\n(c) to revoke a permit.\nPART 7—ENFORCEMENT\n7.1 Offences and general penalty\n(1) A person who fails to do anything required or directed to be done under this local law, or who does\nanything which under this local law that person is prohibited from doing commits an offence.\n(2) A person who commits an offence under this local law is liable, on conviction, to a penalty not less\nthan $500 and not exceeding $5,000 and, if the offence is of a continuing nature, to an additional\npenalty not exceeding $500 for each day or part of a day during which the offence has continued.\n7.2 Prescribed offences\n(1) An offence against a clause specified in Schedule 4 is a prescribed offence for the purposes of\nsection 9.16(1) of the Act.\n(2) The amount of the modified penalty for a prescribed offence is that specified adjacent to the clause\nin Schedule 4.\n7.3 Form of notices\nFor the purposes of this local law—\n(a) the form of the infringement notice referred to in section 9.17 of the Act is Form 2 in\nSchedule 1 of the Local Government (Functions and General) Regulations 1996; and\n(b) the form of the infringement withdrawal notice referred to in section 9.20 of the Act is Form 3\nin Schedule 1 of the Local Government (Functions and General) Regulations 1996.\n————\nSCHEDULE 1—A SUFFICIENT FENCE ON A RESIDENTIAL OR\nSPECIAL RESIDENTIAL LOT\n[Clause 2.2(1)(a)]\n1. On a residential or special residential lot, a sufficient fence is a dividing fence that—\n(a) is constructed of—\n(i) corrugated fibre-reinforced pressed cement sheeting;\n(ii) timber pickets;\n\n1244 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 26 March 2021\n(iii) brick, stone or concrete;\n(iv) factory coloured sheet metal post and panelled fence; or\n(v) any combination of the materials described in paragraphs (i)-(iv); and\n(b) in the case of a front fence—\n(i) is 1.2m or less in height; or\n(ii) is between 1.2m and 1.8m in height; and is an open fence above 1.2m; and\n(iii) if the fence is a side boundary fence that uniformly slopes down from no more than\n1.8m to no more than 1.2 m in height over a maximum distance of 1.5m from the start\nof the front set back area from the building to the front of the lot;\n(c) in the case of a front fence for a RMD zoned lot, it is as per clause 2.3;\n(d) in the case of any other dividing fence—is between 1.75m and 1.85m in height, and to which\nan extension of lattice or other permeable material as agreed between the owner or occupiers\nof adjoining properties parties may be added so that the total height of the fence is a\nmaximum of 2.1m; and\n(e) in the case of a dividing fence that is not constructed on the level of the ground adjoining the\nboundary, is supported by a retaining wall for which a building permit has been granted\nunder section 20 of the Building Act 2011.\n————\nSCHEDULE 2—A SUFFICIENT FENCE ON A COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL LOT\n[Clause 2.2(1)(b)]\n1. This Schedule does not apply to a front fence.\n2. On a commercial or industrial lot, a sufficient fence is a dividing fence that—\n(a) is constructed of—\n(i) at a minimum black PVC coated galvanised link mesh, and is no higher than 2.0m\nunless it is topped with up to 3 strands of barbed wire to a total height of no more than\n2.4m;\n(ii) fibre reinforced cement sheets; or\n(iii) painted or galvanized steel or aluminium sheeting; or\n(iv) colourbond; or\n(v) timber, brick, stone or concrete; and\n(b) is no more than 2.4m in height; and\n(c) in the case of a dividing fence that is not constructed on the level of the ground\nadjoining the boundary, is supported by a retaining wall for which a building permit has\nbeen granted under section 20 of the Building Act 2011.\n————\nSCHEDULE 3—A SUFFICIENT FENCE ON A RURAL OR SPECIAL RURAL LOT\n[Clause 2.2(1)(c)]\n1. On a rural or special rural lot, a sufficient fence is—\n(a) in all cases is at least 1.2m in height so as to prevent stock passing through and meets the\nfollowing specifications—\n(i) post and wire construction with at least five wires, with the lower wires spaced closer\ntogether than the higher wires and each wire connected to posts in all cases; or\n(ii) post and rail construction, with at least three rails connected to posts in all cases; and\n(b) in the case of a dividing fence that is no constructed on the level of the ground adjoining the\nboundary, is supported by a retaining wall for which a building permit has been granted\nunder section 20 of the Building Act 2011.\n————\nSCHEDULE 4—PRESCRIBED OFFENCES AND MODIFIED PENALTIES\n[Clause 7.2]\nItem\nNo.\nClause\nNo. Nature of Offence Modified\nPenalty ($)\nPart 2—Fencing—general\n1 2.1(1)(a) Constructing or altering a dividing fence which is not a\nsufficient fence\n250\n2 2.1(1)(b) Failing to maintain a fence in a condition to satisfy\nrequirements of a sufficient fence\n250\n3 2.1(1)(c) Altering ground level of a fence without satisfying the\nrequirements of a sufficient fence\n250\n\n26 March 2021 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 1245\nItem\nNo.\nClause\nNo. Nature of Offence Modified\nPenalty ($)\n4 2.3 Constructing without a permit a fence higher than 1.2m within\nthe front setback which is not an open fence\n250\n5 2.4 Constructing without permit a fence which is not a sufficient\nfence on a secondary frontage\n250\n6 2.5 Constructing a fence adjacent to an access point without a\ntruncation\n250\n7 2.6(2) Failure to maintain a fence in good condition to prevent fence\nbecoming dangerous, dilapidated, unsightly\n250\n8 2.7(1) Using broken glass in construction of a fence 250\n9 2.7(2) Using barbed or razor wire, spiked or jagged projections in\nfence construction without permit\n250\n10 2.8(a) Constructing or maintaining a gate in a fence opening on to\nlocal government property or a thoroughfare without approval\nor permit\n250\n11 2.8(b) Constructing or maintaining a gate in a fence not opening into\nthe lot or by sliding parallel and on inside of fence\n250\nPart 3—Tennis court fencing\n12 3.1(2) Constructing tennis court fencing in contravention of local law 250\nPart 4—Electrified, barbed and razor wire fences\n13 4.1(1)(a) Having and using an electrified fence without a permit 250\n14 4.1(1)(b) Having and using a barbed or razor wire fence without a\npermit\n250\n15 Other offences not specified 250\n————\nDated 3 March 2021.\nThe Common Seal of the City of Rockingham was affixed by authority of a resolution of the Council in\nthe presence of—\nBARRY SAMMELS, Mayor.\nMICHAEL PARKER, Chief Executive Officer.\n———————————","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The local law expressly repeals the 2000 fencing local law (cl.1.3) and replaces it with a consolidated, more detailed regime: it codifies lot-type specific 'sufficient fence' standards (Schedules 1–3), introduces explicit permit requirements for electrified and barbed/razor wire fences (cl.4.1), adds tennis-court fencing specifications (cl.3.1), and sets modernised enforcement and modified-penalty schedules (cl.7.1–7.3; Schedule 4). These additions broaden and clarify regulatory scope compared with a generic repeal-and-replace approach."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple defined lot-types and tailored standards (residential, commercial, industrial, rural, RMD) increase rule-variation (cl.1.5; cl.2.2; Schedules 1–3).","Detailed technical requirements and references to Australian Standards create technical compliance obligations (AS/NZS 3014:2003) (cl.4.1(3)(b)).","Permit regime with local-government discretion to impose, vary or revoke conditions adds administrative uncertainty (cl.5.1–5.3).","Interaction and potential conflict with other laws and planning schemes requires cross‑checking (cl.1.6(1)–(2)).","Specific exemptions and exceptions (e.g. rural stock fences, estate boundary repairs) increase decision rules (cl.4.1(2); cl.2.6(3)).","Prescribed offences and modified penalties enable both infringement notices and criminal penalties, layering enforcement options (cl.7.1–7.3; Schedule 4).","Requirements tying non-level fences to building permits for retaining walls bring building-regulation overlap and extra approval steps (Schedules 1–3).","Operational details (sightline truncations, tennis court fencing specs, gate rules) add numerous site-specific compliance checks (cl.2.5; cl.3.1; cl.2.8)."],"plain_english_summary":"This local law sets technical rules for constructing, maintaining and permitting fences across the City of Rockingham and repeals the 2000 fencing local law (cl.1.3–1.4). It defines what counts as a “sufficient fence” by lot type, limits heights and sightlines for front and corner fences, and requires permits for certain fences (including electrified or barbed/razor wire and some front/secondary-frontage fences) (cl.2.2–2.5, 4.1). Owners and occupiers bear compliance costs; the local government decides permit outcomes and enforces penalties for breaches (cl.5.1–5.3, 7.1, Sch.4)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a standard local government fencing by-law that replaces an earlier 2000 version. It remains focused on its original purpose: regulating fence construction, materials, and maintenance within the City of Rockingham. While detailed, it has not expanded beyond typical local government fencing controls into unrelated areas."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple defined terms (25+ definitions in clause 1.5) including technical concepts like 'natural ground level', 'open fence', and 'RMD zoned lot'","Four separate schedules with different technical specifications for 'sufficient fences' depending on land use (residential, commercial/industrial, rural)","Nested conditional logic in height restrictions (e.g., clause 2.3 with exceptions for sloping side boundary fences and RMD zoned lots)","Cross-references to external legislation (Local Government Act 1995, Dividing Fences Act 1961, Building Act 2011, Australian Standards AS/NZS 3014:2003)","Hierarchy of compliance: local planning scheme prevails over this local law if there's a conflict (clause 1.6(2))","Multiple permit requirements with specific conditions (Part 4 for electrified/barbed wire, Part 5 general permits)","Grandfathering provision for rural land rezoned to residential (clause 2.2(3))"],"plain_english_summary":"This local law sets minimum standards and permit rules for building, altering and maintaining fences across the City of Rockingham—covering acceptable materials, heights, safety limits (eg. no broken glass, controls on electrified/barbed wire), tennis-court and sightline requirements, gate operation, and upkeep. It applies to property owners, occupiers and neighbours and matters because it reduces disputes, protects safety and gives the council enforcement powers including fines for non‑compliance."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/fencing-local-law-2020","history":"/api/acts/fencing-local-law-2020/history","analysis":"/api/acts/fencing-local-law-2020/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/fencing-local-law-2020/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/fencing-local-law-2020/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/fencing-local-law-2020/documents"}}