Lakemont Woods, Bellevue WA
Lakemont Woods Fence Guide: HOA Architectural Approval in Bellevue
A plain-English guide to planning a fence in Lakemont Woods, built from the Lakemont Woods Association's recorded 1988 Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements, plus the City of Bellevue's fence rules.
SeattleFence is an independent contractor. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an approved vendor of the Lakemont Woods Association. This guide is not about the separate Lakemont Community Association. Last checked against the public CC&Rs PDF on November 6, 2026. Rules and procedures change, so use the current versions from the Association.
What the association is
The Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements for Lakemont Woods, dated January 22, 1988, covers residential property in the City of Bellevue, King County, Washington. It creates the Lakemont Woods Association as a nonprofit corporation to maintain common areas, enforce the covenants, and collect assessments.
Architectural review runs through the Architectural Control Committee described in Section 2.7. The Committee reviews proposed plans for residences and other structures, including exterior alterations, landscaping, clearing, painting, and excavation. Section 5.2 expressly lists fences among the structures that need written Committee approval before work begins.
There is no separate Lakemont Woods neighborhood page on this site yet, so this guide links to Bellevue's Lakemont neighborhood coverage and to the Bellevue hub. Do not confuse this association with the nearby Lakemont Community Association, which has its own design-review process.
Recorded fence rules
The fence rules below come from the 1988 Lakemont Woods CC&Rs. Ask the Association whether later amendments, board rules, or current ACC procedures change any detail—especially fees and submission logistics.
| Topic | What the CC&Rs say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Approval required | No fence may be commenced, erected, or maintained until written plans are approved by the Architectural Control Committee | CC&Rs §5.2 |
| Maximum height | No fence shall be over six (6) feet in height | CC&Rs §5.2.3 |
| Banned materials | No barbed wire, chain link, or corrugated fiberglass fences | CC&Rs §5.2.3 |
| Committee standards | All fences, open and solid, must meet Committee standards and be approved prior to construction | CC&Rs §5.2.3 |
| Drainage / NGPE | No fencing in a drainage easement or Native Growth Protection Easement unless approved by the Committee and the City of Bellevue | CC&Rs §5.2.1 |
| Other easements | No fence in an easement area unless specifically approved by the Committee | CC&Rs §5.11 |
| Application fee (1988 text) | Nonrefundable preliminary-application fee of $125, which the Committee may adjust | CC&Rs §2.7.2 |
Fence styles to consider
The CC&Rs do not publish an approved-style list. These cedar options are SeattleFence planning suggestions that usually fit Eastside architectural-review expectations. The Architectural Control Committee still decides height, materials, colors, and placement for each lot.
| Style | Look | Privacy | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Picture frame cedar | Boards framed by a top rail and side trim | High | A common cedar privacy style that presents a finished look from both sides. Still needs ACC approval for height, materials, and colors. |
| Solid cedar privacy | Vertical cedar boards, clean and simple | High | A straightforward privacy run at or under the association's 6 ft maximum. Include stain color with your plans. |
| Horizontal cedar | Horizontal boards for a contemporary line | High | Often used where a modern look is wanted. Submit board size and stain samples; the Committee sets aesthetic standards. |
Photos show SeattleFence projects elsewhere in the area and are not images of any Lakemont Woods home or fence.
Approval and permit steps
Plan on two separate checks: the Lakemont Woods Architectural Control Committee and the City of Bellevue. SeattleFence does not issue either one.
Confirm your lot is in Lakemont Woods
Read your title and recorded covenants. The Lakemont Woods CC&Rs apply to the property described in that declaration. Nearby homes may instead fall under the Lakemont Community Association—a different association with different rules.
Read the fence sections of the CC&Rs
Focus on Sections 5.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.3, and 5.11 for ACC approval, height, banned materials, and drainage / Native Growth Protection Easement limits. Ask the Committee for any current rules or procedures adopted under Section 2.7.
Plan height, materials, and location
Keep height at or under six feet. Avoid barbed wire, chain link, and corrugated fiberglass. Check your plat for drainage easements and Native Growth Protection Easements before drawing a fence line. A SeattleFence quote and sketch can supply those details for your application.
Submit written plans to the Architectural Control Committee
Section 5.2 requires written plans and specifications showing nature, kind, shape, height, materials, colors, and location. Section 2.7.2 describes a preliminary written application to the Association's registered office, a completeness check within fifteen days, and a nonrefundable review fee (stated as $125 in the 1988 CC&Rs, and adjustable by the Committee—confirm the current amount).
Wait for written ACC approval before any work
Section 5.2 requires written Committee approval before a fence is commenced. Section 2.7.3 says that if the Committee fails to respond within twenty days after notifying you that a complete application is on file, formal written approval is deemed given—except as provided in Section 2.7.5. Do not start work on a guess.
Check Bellevue's rules and any permit
ACC approval is not a City permit. Confirm height, setbacks, easements, critical areas, and permit triggers with Bellevue Development Services, covered below.
Build as approved, on time
Section 5.2 says any structure so approved must be completed as to external appearance, including finished staining, within six months after construction starts unless the Committee grants an extension.
Bellevue's fence rules
Bellevue publishes residential fence rules on its Fences page, based on Land Use Code 20.20.400. Fences in a required front-yard setback may not exceed 4 feet 6 inches, with limited exceptions. The setback is measured from the property line, not the pavement.
The city's work-requiring-permits FAQ says you do not need a permit unless the fence exceeds 8 feet. Height is measured from finished grade on the outside of the fence, and on sloping ground the fence must follow or step with the slope. Fences must also respect sight-obstruction rules at intersections and driveways.
Lakemont Woods fence-guide questions
Is Lakemont Woods a real HOA in Bellevue?
Yes. The recorded Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements for Lakemont Woods, dated January 22, 1988, covers residential property in the City of Bellevue, King County, Washington, and creates the Lakemont Woods Association as a nonprofit corporation to administer common areas and enforce the covenants. SeattleFence is not affiliated with the association.
Is Lakemont Woods the same as the Lakemont Community Association?
No. They are different associations that both sit in Bellevue's broader Lakemont / Cougar Mountain area. This guide covers only the Lakemont Woods Association and its 1988 CC&Rs. The Lakemont Community Association has its own design-review process and a separate SeattleFence guide. Check your title and recorded covenants—or ask each association's manager—before assuming which rules apply to your lot.
Do I need ACC approval to build a fence in Lakemont Woods?
Yes. Section 5.2 of the CC&Rs says no building, fence, deck, patio, wall, kennel, or other structure may be commenced, erected, or maintained on a Lot until written plans and specifications—including nature, kind, shape, height, materials, colors, and location—have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Architectural Control Committee.
How tall can a fence be in Lakemont Woods?
Section 5.2.3 says no fence erected within Lakemont Woods shall be over six (6) feet in height. City of Bellevue rules may set a lower limit in a required front-yard setback, so plan to meet both the association and the city.
Which fence materials does Lakemont Woods ban?
Section 5.2.3 says no barbed wire, chain link, or corrugated fiberglass fences shall be erected on any Lot. The same section says all fences, open and solid, must meet the standards set by the Committee and must be approved by the Committee prior to construction. The CC&Rs do not publish a positive approved-material list for fences.
Can I fence in a drainage easement or Native Growth Protection Easement?
Section 5.2.1 says construction of fencing shall not be permitted within any drainage easement or Native Growth Protection Easement unless otherwise approved by the Committee and by the City of Bellevue. Section 5.11 also says no fence may be maintained within an easement area unless specifically approved by the Architectural Control Committee. Confirm easements on your plat before you plan a line.
Does Bellevue require a permit for a fence in Lakemont Woods?
Bellevue's fence page and work-requiring-permits FAQ say you do not need a building permit unless the fence exceeds 8 feet. Critical-area locations and some materials can still trigger other reviews. Section 2.7.4 of the CC&Rs says the ultimate responsibility for satisfying all local building codes and governmental requirements rests with the Owner. Confirm your address with Bellevue Development Services.
Can SeattleFence get my fence approved?
No. Only the Lakemont Woods Architectural Control Committee can approve a fence under the association's covenants. SeattleFence can provide a written scope, a site sketch, and material, height, and color details to include with your ACC application.
Get a quote for your Lakemont Woods lot
Tell us the address, approximate length, the style you have in mind, the target height (at or under six feet), and the stain color. We will price the fence and help you prepare the material, height, and color details the Architectural Control Committee asks for in written plans.
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Sources
Every association and city claim on this page comes from one of these public documents. Rules change. Read the current association documents and your recorded covenants, and confirm city rules before you build.
- Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements for Lakemont Woods (PDF; dated January 22, 1988)
Creates the Lakemont Woods Association for residential property in Bellevue, King County, Washington. Section 2.7 establishes the Architectural Control Committee and application procedures (including a stated $125 preliminary-application fee that the Committee may adjust). Section 5.2 requires ACC written approval before any fence. Section 5.2.1 prohibits fencing in drainage easements or Native Growth Protection Easements without Committee and City of Bellevue approval. Section 5.2.3 sets a six-foot maximum height, bans barbed wire, chain link, and corrugated fiberglass fences, and requires all fences to meet Committee standards and prior approval. Section 5.11 restricts fences in easement areas. Section 1.14 and Article 6 define Native Growth Protection Easements.
- City of Bellevue — Fences
Front-yard setback height limit of 4 feet 6 inches and its exceptions; that a residential fence needs no building permit unless it exceeds 8 feet; height measured from finished grade on the exterior side; sloping ground must follow or step with the slope; sight-obstruction rules at intersections and driveways.
- Bellevue Land Use Code 20.20.400 — Fences
Codified fence height and placement standards referenced by Bellevue's public fences page.
- City of Bellevue — Work Requiring Permits
Confirms a permit is not required for a fence unless it is over eight feet tall; notes that fences over 4½ feet often cannot be located in front-yard setbacks.