Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/543917
76 • august 2015 • world fence news As part of an ongoing and long-standing series, World Fence News offers this "snapshot" of build- ing ordinances which affect fence in- stallations from municipalities across the United States and Canada, includ- ing those in historic districts, which often have their own requirements. This information was taken from offi- cial web sites, but you should always consult the appropriate building de- partments where you plan to work for specific requirements. Cartersville, Georgia A permit is not required for a fence or wall, or to cut down a tree. If a proposed or newly installed fence or wall does not meet zoning or- dinance standards, a variance must be obtained. Fence ordinances from around the country In residential districts, fences and walls shall not exceed 4 feet in height in a front yard (road frontages – even if a lot has two or three frontages) and 8 feet in a side or rear yard. In commercial districts, fences and walls shall not exceed 8 feet in height in a side or rear yard. In residential and commercial dis- tricts, front yard fences (road frontag- es – even if two or three frontages) or walls shall be decorative, not opaque (4 inch slat separation), and brick, stone, wood, wrought iron, or other as approved by department director. No fence or wall shall be con- structed of exposed concrete blocks, tires, junk, or other discarded mate- rials. Chain-link fencing is not allowed to be used in the front yard (road frontages – even if a lot has two or three frontages) of a residential or commercial zoned property unless a variance is approved. For a residential corner lot or dou- ble frontage lot on a local road only, a screening or opaque fence may be installed to the rear of the house at a maximum height of 8 feet provided that the fence shall not be in the front yard setback (20 ft. from property line). The fencing standards shall not apply to fencing for detention ponds. In residential and commercial dis- tricts, the use of razor wire/ribbon is prohibited. In residential and commercial dis- tricts, a retaining wall cannot have ex- posed concrete block. Denton, Maryland Ornamental walls, fences or hedges not more than four feet in height may project into or enclose any required front or side yard to a depth from the street line equal to the re- quired depth of the front yard. Ornamental fences or walls may project into or enclose other required yards, provided such fences and walls do not exceed a height of seven feet. No sign, fence, wall hedge, plant- ing or other obstruction to vision, ex- tending to a height in excess of three feet above the established street grade, shall be erected, planted, or main- tained within the area of a corner lot that is included between the lines of the intersecting streets and a straight line connecting them at points 20 feet distant from the intersection of the street lines. A. Fences, walls, and hedges • Corner visibility: Any sign, fence, wall, hedge, planting, or other obstruction to vision located at a cor- ner of two streets shall be limited in height to three feet. • Side yard: Any fence or wall lo- cated in the front yard shall be limited in height to four feet except in I/MI districts where a fence seven feet high may be erected 20 feet from the front property line. Any fence or wall located in the side yard shall be limited in height as follows: a. For the first 30 feet from the front property line, height shall not exceed four feet. Except that in RHC, I and MI districts height shall not exceed four feet for the first 20 feet from the front property line. b. For the balance of the side yard, height shall not exceed seven feet. 4. Swimming pools shall be regu- lated by the Town of Denton building code. 5. Chain-link fencing is only al- lowed in the industrial district. Greenwich, R.I. While complete privacy is often not possible in densely built areas, a fence can mark the boundary between one property and another, or distin- guish public spaces such as streets and sidewalks from semi-public spac- es such as front yards. Fences are often char- acter defining and should be treated sensitively. It is important that the fence de- sign harmonize with the character of the historic district structure and the continued on page 78