Newport Shores, Bellevue WA
Newport Shores Fence Guide: Newport Yacht Club Covenants and Approval
A plain-English guide to planning a fence in Newport Shores, built from the Newport Yacht Club's own public covenants, application form, and architectural policies, 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 Newport Yacht Club. Last checked against the public documents on October 29, 2026. Rules and forms change, so use the current versions.
What the association is
The community's website describes Newport Shores as a community on the southeast shore of Lake Washington in Bellevue, on over 170 acres with more than 340 homes, over 100 of them on lake or canal waterfront. The Newport Yacht Club is its members-only clubhouse and marina.
It is a mandatory homeowners association, not a voluntary club. The 2020 amendment to the recorded declaration says all owners of lots in Newport Shores shall be members of the Newport Yacht Club, a Washington nonprofit corporation and homeowners association as defined in RCW 64.38.010(11).
Architectural review runs through the Architectural Advisory Committee (AAC). Its published policies say the AAC makes recommendations to the club's Board of Governors on applications for new work.
Covenant fence limits
Unlike many associations, Newport Shores publishes specific fence heights. Paragraph 6 of the covenants limits hedges, fences, and walls by where they sit on the lot.
| Where on the lot | Open-type fence | Solid fence or wall | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 25 ft of a boundary along a platted street | 4.5 ft | 3 ft | Hedge: 6 ft |
| Within 25 ft of the main bulkhead (lake or canal lots) | 4 ft | 4 ft | Hedge, fence, wall or structure: 4 ft |
| Within 25 ft of the center of Coal Creek | 4 ft | 4 ft | Hedge, fence, wall or structure: 4 ft |
| Within 10 ft of any other boundary line | 6 ft | 6 ft | Hedge, fence, wall or structure: 6 ft |
Summarized from paragraph 6 ("Setback Line") of the Newport Shores covenants. Maximum heights. Setbacks are measured at right angles to the property line or bulkhead line, and along tangents on curved lines.
Fence styles to consider
The club does not publish an approved-style list that we could find. The table below is general planning advice from SeattleFence, matched to the covenant heights above, and the Board decides what it accepts.
| Style | Look | Privacy | Planning note (SeattleFence suggestion) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Picket or open cedar | Lower, with gaps between boards | Low to medium | Open-type fences get the higher 4.5 ft street-setback limit. A natural fit near the street, subject to the club's review. |
| Picture frame cedar | Boards framed by a top rail and side trim | High | A finished look from both sides for side-yard runs. Check height against the setback you are in. |
| Solid cedar privacy | Vertical cedar boards, clean and simple | High | Solid fences are capped at 3 ft near streets, so taller solid runs usually belong outside the street setback. |
| Horizontal cedar | Horizontal boards for a contemporary line | High | Suits remodeled homes. Include board size and stain color samples with the application. |
Photos show SeattleFence projects elsewhere in the area and are not images of any Newport Shores home or fence.
Approval and permit steps
Plan on two separate checks, the Newport Yacht Club and the City of Bellevue. SeattleFence does not issue either one.
Confirm your lot is covered
The covenants cover Plat Divisions 1, 2 and 3 of Newport Shores. Check your title documents and ask the club office if you are unsure.
Read the covenants for your lot
Read paragraphs 4 and 6 of the Newport Shores covenants. Note whether your fence line is near a street boundary, the main bulkhead, Coal Creek, or another boundary.
Draw the site plan
The AAC application asks for property lines, easements, setbacks, and each fence's location, length, and height, plus color and material samples. A SeattleFence quote and sketch can supply the fence details.
Submit by the monthly deadline
Applications received by noon on the last Tuesday of the month go to the AAC meeting on the first Tuesday of the next month. The owner must sign, and email submission in PDF is accepted.
AAC recommends, the Board decides
Per the AAC policies, the committee recommends approval or denial to the Board of Governors. Routine items can go on a consent agenda; variances and unclear items are discussed individually.
Get the written decision
The policies say consent-agenda letters are mailed the day after the Board meeting, and other letters by the following Friday. The covenants require written approval before the fence goes in.
Check Bellevue's rules and any permit
The club's policies say a City permit does not guarantee club approval, and club approval is not a City permit. Confirm height, setbacks, and permit triggers with the City, covered below.
Build as approved
The covenants say structures must be placed only in accordance with the approved plans, and the application notes a nine-month completion window for approved exterior work.
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 says you do not need a permit unless the fence exceeds 8 feet, will be in a critical area or critical area buffer such as a wetland, stream, or steep slope, or is built of concrete block or similar material. 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.
Newport Shores fence-guide questions
Is Newport Shores a mandatory HOA?
Yes, according to its recorded covenants. The 2020 amendment to the Newport Shores declaration says all owners of lots in Newport Shores shall be members of the Newport Yacht Club, a Washington nonprofit corporation and homeowners association as defined in RCW 64.38.010(11). We are not attorneys, so confirm with the club and your title documents that your lot is covered. SeattleFence is not affiliated with the Newport Yacht Club.
Do I need Newport Yacht Club approval to build a fence?
Yes. The covenants say no building, wall, fence, or other structure may be placed on a lot until the plans, specifications, and plot plan have been approved in writing by the Newport Yacht Club, and that approval can be refused on any ground, including purely aesthetic grounds. Normal repair or replacement does not need review if the replaced fence matches the existing one in materials, form, geometry, and color and still complies with the covenants.
How tall can a fence be in Newport Shores?
The covenants set limits within setback areas. Within 25 feet of a boundary along a platted street, no open-type fence over 4.5 feet, solid fence or wall over 3 feet, or hedge over 6 feet. On other boundaries, nothing over 4 feet within 25 feet of the top outside edge of the main bulkhead on lake or canal lots or within 25 feet of the center of Coal Creek, and nothing over 6 feet within 10 feet of any other boundary line. Read the current covenants for your lot and ask the club how they apply.
How long does Newport Shores fence review take?
The Architectural Advisory Committee meets on the first Tuesday of each month. Applications received by noon on the last Tuesday of the month are considered at the next meeting. The AAC makes recommendations to the Board of Governors, which acts on them, and the policies say consent-agenda letters are mailed the day after the Board meeting. Plan for roughly a month or more and confirm the current schedule with the club office.
What does the application ask for on a fence?
The application form asks for a site plan showing property lines, easements, existing and proposed structures, land use code setbacks, and walls and fences with their location, length, and height, plus color and material samples. The policies say incomplete applications are automatically denied and returned with directions on what was missing.
Does Bellevue require a permit for a fence in Newport Shores?
Bellevue's fence page says you do not need a permit unless the fence exceeds 8 feet, will be within a critical area or critical area buffer, or is built of concrete block or similar material. Lake and canal shorelines can involve critical area or shoreline rules, so confirm your address with Bellevue Development Services. The club's policies also note that a City of Bellevue permit does not guarantee club approval.
Which fence styles usually work in Newport Shores?
The club does not publish an approved-style list that we could find; the covenants regulate height by location and allow refusal on aesthetic grounds. Lower open styles near streets and the waterfront, and clean cedar styles with the finished side facing out elsewhere, are SeattleFence planning suggestions, not club rules.
Get a quote for your Newport Shores lot
Tell us the address, approximate length, the style you have in mind, and whether the fence is near a street, the bulkhead, or Coal Creek. We will price the fence and help you prepare the height, location, material, and color details the AAC application asks for.
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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 club documents and your recorded covenants, and confirm city rules before you build.
- Newport Shores and Newport Yacht Club — Home
Newport Shores is a community on the southeast shore of Lake Washington in Bellevue on over 170 acres with more than 340 homes, over 100 of them on lake or canal waterfront; the Newport Yacht Club is a members-only facility within the community; the site posts HOA documents (AAC application form, AAC policies, articles, bylaws).
- Newport Shores CC&Rs: First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Declaration (approved November 11, 2020)
Article 1(a): all lot owners are members of the Newport Yacht Club, a Washington nonprofit corporation and homeowners association under RCW 64.38.010(11); the declaration was recorded under King County recording number 20041221001257. Paragraph 4 (Building Plans): no building, wall, fence or other structure without written approval of plans, specifications and plot plan; refusal may be on any ground including purely aesthetic; exterior color changes need approval; like-for-like maintenance and replacement exempt if compliant; if the club fails to act within 30 days of a written request approval is not required, but nothing may violate the covenants. Paragraph 6 (Setback Line): street-boundary limits within 25 feet (hedge 6 ft, open fence 4.5 ft, solid fence or wall 3 ft); 4 ft within 25 ft of the main bulkhead on lake or canal lots or of the center of Coal Creek; 6 ft within 10 ft of other boundaries; setbacks measured at right angles. Construction must be completed within nine months.
- Newport Shores AAC Application Form (Rev. 9/2022, PDF)
The AAC meets on the first Tuesday of each month; applications received by noon on the last Tuesday are considered at the next meeting; the application must be signed by the owner; site plan contents including walls and fences (location, length and height), easements and land use code setbacks; color and material samples; nine-month completion; electronic submission by email to the club office in PDF.
- Newport Shores Architectural Advisory Committee Policies and Procedures (Rev. 10/09/2024, PDF)
The AAC makes recommendations to the Board of Governors; consent and non-consent agenda; consent-agenda letters mailed the day after the Board meeting and others by the following Friday; applications required for work changing exterior appearance and any structure in the setback area; minor repairs returning an item to its original shape, size and appearance need no application; incomplete applications are automatically denied and returned; the AAC considers fencing under the covenants' setback section; issuance of City of Bellevue permits does not guarantee NYC HOA approval; the AAC does not police the neighborhood for covenant violations.
- City of Bellevue — Fences
The 4-foot-6-inch limit in a required front-yard setback and its exceptions; that a residential fence needs no permit unless it exceeds 8 feet, is in a critical area or buffer, or is built of concrete block or similar material; how height is measured; that on sloping ground a fence must follow or step with the slope; sight-obstruction rules at intersections and driveways.
- Bellevue Land Use Code 20.20.400 — Fences
Front-setback height limit, the 8-foot building-permit threshold, height measured from finished grade at the exterior side of the fence, and sight-obstruction restrictions at street intersections.