Fences may be erected on residential lots and in commercially and industrially zoned districts in the City subject to the following provisions of this section and any other applicable provision of this chapter.
A. General standards.
1. Every new or replacement fence shall be constructed with its decorative side facing outward from the lot and the area to be enclosed, and shall have its posts, framing and other structural support within or facing toward the interior of the lot and the area to be enclosed.
2. Except as otherwise provided in this section, no new fence shall be constructed of materials such as chicken coop wire, barbed wire, bamboo or any readily flammable material such as paper, cloth, canvas, or like material.
3. No fence shall encroach within the sight distance triangle of an intersection.
4. For the purpose of this section, each yard facing the right-of-way shall be deemed a front yard.
B. Where erected.
1. Residential uses. At detached houses, duplexes, 3-/4-plex houses, row houses, and group homes, as described in Article
II, Section
26-7, Description of Uses, of this chapter, fences shall be erected as follows:
a. No fence shall exceed six (6) feet in height.
b. Chain link fences shall be vinyl-coated or powder-coated in black or earth-toned colors such as brown, tan, or dark green.
c. In side and rear yards. A durable fence may be installed within a side or rear yard.
d. In front yards. Fences shall not be installed in front yards except as described below.
(1) Fall protection barriers. Fences may be installed in a front yard where serving as a required barrier for fall protection above retaining walls, elevated walking surfaces, etc. Such fences shall consist of an open-spaced, decorative wood picket or decorative rail design and shall not exceed four (4) feet in height.
(2) On corner lots, fences of any type may not be located in front of the building lines along the side street in order to preserve a sight triangle as required by Article
II (Definitions), Section
26-5, Defined terms, of this chapter.
Fences in the side street front yard of a corner lot shall be set back a minimum of one (1) foot from the front lot line. However, where there is a driveway on the same side of the street within sixty (60) feet of the corner lot, fences in a side street front yard shall be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from the front lot line.
Figure 26-22A, below, identifies where fences may be installed within the side street front yard of a corner lot.
Figure 26-22A. Side street front yard fence setbacks on residential corner lots.
(3) On through lots. On residential through lots, fences may be installed along front lines in the following locations, if set back a minimum of one (1) foot from the front lot line:
(a) Facing S Sappington Road, south of Elmont Lane to Grant's Trail.
(b) Facing Old Sappington Road, north of the intersection with New Sappington Road to Sappington Villa Court.
(c) Facing Pardee Road, for up to five hundred fifty (550) linear feet south of Grant Farm Trail.
(d) Facing Rayburn Avenue, west of Dublin Drive to the city boundary.
(e) Facing S Holmes Avenue, for up to three hundred (300) feet east of Oak Ridge Avenue.
2. Commercial uses and multi-family residential uses.
a. No fence shall exceed eight (8) feet in height.
b. No fence shall be constructed of vinyl or chain link.
c. In side and rear yards.
(1) A durable fence may be installed within a side or rear yard.
(2) Where a side or rear lot line coincides with the side or rear lot line of an adjacent detached house, duplex, industrial or civic/institutional use, a durable sight-proof fence of at least six (6) feet in height shall be required within two (2) feet of the lot line. Fence height may be reduced if used in conjunction with a berm, as described in Article
V, Section
26-21B.4, Landscape Buffer Requirements.
d. In front yards. Fences shall not be permitted in front yards except as described below:
(1) Landscape buffer. Fences maybe installed where serving as a required fence in a required Landscape Buffer Type A or B, as described in
Article V: Site and Landscape Design Standards, Section
26-21B.4, Landscape Buffer Requirements. Fences installed as part of a required landscape buffer shall be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from the front lot line.
(2) Fall protection barriers. Fences may be installed in a front yard where serving as a required barrier for fall protection above retaining walls, elevated walking surfaces, etc. Fences serving as a required fall protection barrier within a front yard shall be of an open-spaced, decorative black, tan, or dark green metal rail design and shall not exceed four (4) feet in height.
3. Industrial uses.
a. No fence shall exceed eight (8) feet in height.
b. No fence shall be constructed of vinyl.
c. No fence shall include razor wire or barbed wire, except as approved by the Planning, Zoning, and Architectural Review Commission through the fence exceptions process described below.
d. In side and rear yards.
(1) A durable fence may be installed within a side or rear yard.
(2) Where a side or rear lot line coincides with the side or rear lot line of any non-industrial use, a durable sight-proof fence of at least six (6) feet in height shall be required within two (2) feet of the lot line. Said fences shall not be constructed of chain link. Fence height may be reduced if used in conjunction with a berm, as described in Article
V, Section
26-21B.4, Landscape Buffer Requirements.
e. In front yards. Fences shall not be permitted in front yards except as described below:
(1) Fences maybe installed in a front yard where facing another industrial use immediately across the street. Said fences shall not be sight-proof. Front yard fences shall be set back a minimum of one (1) foot from the right-of-way line.
(2) Landscape buffer. Fences may be installed where serving as a required fence in a required Landscape Buffer Type A or B, as described in Article
V, Section
26-21B.4 (Landscape Buffer Requirements). Fences installed as part of a required landscape buffer shall be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from the right-of-way line
(3) Fall protection barrier. Fences may be installed in a front yard where serving as a required barrier for fall protection above retaining walls, elevated walking surfaces, etc.
C. Enforcement. See Section
26-22C for details.
D. Fence exceptions. See Section
26-22D for detailed information.