Fences

The saying goes that good fences make good neighbors. By following several design standards, fences can serve their purpose to keep pets and children in and strangers out.

Fences are of two basic varieties: privacy and barrier. A privacy fence is opaque in design and often six feet or more in height to provide privacy to the yard enclosed. A barrier fence is designed to be a physical not a visual barrier. Examples of a barrier fence include chain-link, wrought iron, and picket. Less often seen are boundary fences. These fences don't provide privacy or security, but mark a property line or boundary.

Walls can be designed to serve the same purposes as fences or may be used for retaining earth at steep slopes. Such retaining walls are often seen at the front property lines or along drives where earth was removed to construct a street or driveway. These walls are often constructed or brick, concrete block, or stone.

Zoning regulations place certain restrictions on fence height and placement. A variance from these regulations is needed if a proposed fence does not comply. Please refer to the variance brochure for more information on that process. Fences only require approval from Planning and Zoning in two instances. Either they are proposed for property within a design review or historic district or they are requiring a variance. Therefore, fencing that meets the requirements and is not proposed for a property requiring design approval does not require a permit.

Fencing regulations can be found in Section 4.11 of the Comprehensive Land Development Resolution. These regulations can be viewed in our office or on our website for more comprehensive information. The following is a brief synopsis of the regulations.

Location:

• Fences should not cross the property line of the property they serve.
• Fences should not be placed closer than 10 feet to a right-of-way line. 
  Note that this is the property line, not a pavement line.
• Fences should not create a vision hazard for motorists.

Height:

• Fences should not exceed 4 ft in height in the front yard of residential districts or property. The front yard is anything in front of the building line of the main structure on the property.Fences should not exceed 8 ft in height in rear yards of residential property, or any yard of commercial or industrial property.

Design and Type:

• The finished side of fence is the side without support posts exposed. The finished side should face away from the property being enclosed toward the neighboring property.
• Barbed wire is not allowed in residential districts. It is a conditional use within commercial districts.
• Barbed wire is allowed for agricultural and industrial districts provided no more than 3 strands or 18 inches is used and the barbed wire assembly sits atop a fence of at least 6 feet in height.
• Razor wire is prohibited in all districts.

Swimming Pool Enclosures:

• All swimming pools must be enclosed by a fence. Conditional use approval may be requested in an agricultural district only for a home swimming pool without fencing.
• Fencing must be at least 4 feet in height and include self-closing, self-latching gates.
• Fencing at the deck of an above ground pool does not qualify and separate fencing will be required.