Many Palm Coast lots back onto water. The city's water management system includes 46 miles of freshwater canals and 23 miles of saltwater canals, and the Intracoastal Waterway runs along its eastern edge. If your back yard ends at a canal, the fence rules change near the water.
Saltwater canal lots
- In the rear yard within 20 feet of saltwater, a fence may be 4 feet tall.
- An open fence, such as aluminum picket, may be 6 feet tall there.
- A pool-deck fence may reach 6 feet if it's at least 7.5 feet from the side property lines and 15 feet from the waterway.
- Where a solid fence abuts a saltwater canal, the city requires landscaping: plants 3 feet on center, 3-gallon size.
Every canal or ditch
- Stay on the property owner's side of the top of bank.
- Don't interfere with drainage.
- Don't let dirt, sod or building material go into the canal; the city prohibits it and can fine for it.
Picking a fence for the water
Most canal-lot owners want to keep the view, which is what the rules encourage anyway. Decorative aluminum in black, bronze or white is the common answer: open style, rot-proof, and allowed at 6 feet near saltwater. A short solid fence at 4 feet works if privacy matters more than the view, with plantings along the canal side.
Storms
Flagler County has been hit hard by Matthew, Irma, Ian and Nicole, and the area sees a tropical storm or hurricane about every 2.73 years. Open-style fences let wind and water through; solid panels near the water take a beating.
Published prices for aluminum run $17 to $90 per linear foot nationally (Angi).
Sources
- Wikipedia: Palm Coast, Florida
- City of Palm Coast: Fence regulations (Land Development Code 4.01.02 Fences and 9.02.02 Easements)
- Angi: How Much Does Fence Installation Cost? (national survey data, checked November 2026)
Checked November 10, 2026. The city's code and published prices change; always go by the linked source.