FENCE RULES – UNION CITY (CITY), GEORGIA

OVERVIEW

Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Union City, subject to local regulations. For properties located outside City of Union City municipal limits, Fulton County regulates fences in unincorporated areas.

Local fence rules appear in the Union City, Georgia Zoning Ordinance, especially the obstruction-of-vision and wall/fence standards in Article V, and in the City of Union City Fence / Retaining Wall Permit Application. Related site conditions may also be governed by the City of Union City Code of Ordinances, the City of Union City Development Regulations, the Right-of-Way Permit Application, the Stream Buffer Variance Application, the Site Plan Review Submittal Intake Checklist, and the Building in Union City permit guide.

This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one.

Compiled From the City of Union City Code of Ordinances, Union City, Georgia Zoning Ordinance, City of Union City Development Regulations, Fence / Retaining Wall Permit Application, Building in Union City permit guide, Right-of-Way Permit Application, Stream Buffer Variance Application, and Site Plan Review Submittal Intake Checklist as of June 2026.

GOVERNANCE

The City of Union City regulates residential fences through zoning, permit, development, right-of-way, stormwater, floodplain, stream-buffer, and land-disturbance materials rather than through one consolidated fence code.

The City of Union City Community Development Department maintains the zoning ordinance and publishes the fence/retaining-wall permit materials. The zoning ordinance controls residential fence height, front-yard placement, public right-of-way placement, driveway entrance clearance, and visibility near intersections.

The City Manager administers and enforces the City of Union City Development Regulations. The City of Union City Department of Public Services administers right-of-way encroachment review where work or items are proposed within a road right-of-way.

Building-permit and inspection guidance is published through the City of Union City Community Development Department, with building official and inspection functions identified in the Building in Union City permit guide.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

• Fence / Retaining-Wall Permit: The City of Union City uses a Fence / Retaining Wall Permit Application for fence and retaining-wall work. The application identifies the zoning district, fence or wall height, linear footage, material, any Land Disturbance Permit number, Building Permit number, Site Plan number, and Department Director approval or denial.

• Zoning Review: Residential fence review is tied to the Union City, Georgia Zoning Ordinance standards for height, front-yard location, public rights-of-way, driveway entrance clearance, and intersection visibility.

• Building Permit Context: The city does not publish a general building-permit exemption threshold for standard residential fences. A separate building permit number is included on the fence/retaining-wall form when building-permit review applies. Retaining walls greater than 48 inches in height, measured vertically from the footing, require a permit and a design from a registered Georgia engineer.

• Site Plan / Development Review: New residential and commercial developments must obtain development site-plan review and approval before applying for building permits. If a fence or wall is part of a larger development, site improvement, grading, drainage, utility, or land-development project, the applicable site-plan and development-regulation requirements apply.

• Land Disturbance, Erosion, Stormwater, Floodplain, and Stream Buffer Review: Separate review applies when fence or wall work involves land disturbance, grading, drainage changes, construction-related excavation, stormwater management, mapped floodplain conditions, stream-buffer or setback intrusion, wetlands, or other site conditions regulated by the City of Union City Code of Ordinances, Development Regulations, site-plan checklist, or stream-buffer variance process.

• Right-of-Way Review: Work or items placed within a road right-of-way require a valid right-of-way encroachment permit unless a code exemption applies. The right-of-way permit process requires location and work-description information, engineered drawings, right-of-way lines, and Department of Public Services review.

• Pool Fence Context: The city’s building-permit materials include pool-fence and pool/spa/hot-tub permit context. A fence used as part of a regulated pool, hot tub, or spa project is reviewed under that project context and is not treated as an ordinary yard-fence rule for non-pool fences.

• State Road / GDOT Context: If a project involves access, encroachment, or improvements along a state or federal highway, the applicable Georgia Department of Transportation permit must be provided before the city issues related land-disturbing or building permits.

FENCE PLACEMENT RULES

• Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.

• Public Rights-of-Way: No wall or fence may be constructed in a public right-of-way.

• Driveway Entrance Clearance: Any fence or wall entrance at a driveway must be at least 14 feet apart to allow passage of emergency vehicles.

• Intersection Visibility Area: No fence, wall, structure, shrubbery, or other obstruction to vision between 3 feet and 15 feet in height may be placed within 20 feet of the intersection of the right-of-way lines of streets, roads, highways, railroads, or any combination of them.

• Easements and Site Features: Site-plan materials require applicable easements, utilities, drainage features, floodplain areas, wetlands, stream buffers, rights-of-way, and property-line information to be shown when site-plan review applies. The code does not specify a separate ordinary residential fence setback from utility easements.

• Drainage and Grading: Fence work involving grading, excavation, fill, or other land disturbance is subject to applicable drainage, erosion-control, stormwater, and land-disturbance requirements. Site grading must direct surface drainage away from buildings without causing adverse impact on adjacent properties.

• Utility Safety: Georgia law requires notice to the Utilities Protection Center, commonly known as Georgia 811, before excavation where Georgia’s underground utility damage-prevention law applies. For fence projects that involve mechanized digging, including mechanized post-hole excavation, the locate request effective date must be not less than two (2) business days and not more than eight (8) business days after the request is received, and work under that locate request may not begin more than 30 calendar days after the effective date.

FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES

• Front Yard Residential Limit: In any residential zoning district, no wall or fence may exceed 4 feet in height within or along a boundary of a front yard.

• Overall Residential Maximum: In any residential zoning district, no wall or fence may exceed 8 feet in height.

• Columns and Ornaments: Columns or ornaments affixed to walls or fences may exceed the applicable height requirement by no more than 3 inches.

• Intersection Visibility: A fence, wall, shrubbery, structure, or other obstruction between 3 feet and 15 feet in height is not permitted within 20 feet of the intersection of the right-of-way lines of streets, roads, highways, railroads, or any combination of them.

• Side and Rear Yard Height: The code does not specify a separate side-yard or rear-yard height standard lower than the 8-foot residential maximum.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Standard Residential Fence Materials: The code does not specify required or prohibited materials for standard single-family residential fences.

• Finished Side / Orientation / Opacity: The code does not specify a finished-side orientation rule, opacity percentage, or standard screening-construction rule for ordinary single-family residential fences.

• Columns and Ornaments: Columns and ornaments attached to residential walls or fences are limited to 3 inches above the otherwise applicable wall or fence height requirement.

• Retaining Walls: Retaining walls greater than 48 inches in height, measured vertically from the footing, require a permit and a design from a registered Georgia engineer.

• Detention or Retention Pond Fencing: In residential developments, detention or retention ponds must have a perimeter fence secured with a lock and key. The fence must be at least 6 feet high.

• Pool Fences: The city publishes pool-fence and pool/spa/hot-tub permit context, but those pool-related requirements do not establish ordinary yard-fence material standards for non-pool fences.

• Barbed Wire, Razor Wire, and Electric Fences: The code does not publish a general barbed-wire, razor-wire, or electric-fence standard for ordinary single-family residential fences.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

Private restrictions operate independently from City of Union City zoning and permit requirements. Subdivision covenants, HOA rules, deed restrictions, private easements, architectural-review covenants, conservation easements, and private agreements may be more restrictive than city rules.

The City of Union City source materials reviewed for this page do not state that the city enforces private HOA covenants or private deed restrictions as part of the ordinary fence-permit process.

REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT

Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:

• Fence / Retaining-Wall Permit Review: Fence and wall projects are reviewed through the city’s fence/retaining-wall permit process when that application is used.

• Residential Height Review: Review may include the 4-foot front-yard residential limit, the 8-foot overall residential maximum, and the 3-inch column or ornament allowance.

• Right-of-Way Review: Review may include whether a fence, wall, work activity, or other item is proposed within a public right-of-way or road right-of-way.

• Driveway and Emergency Access Review: Review may include the requirement that a fence or wall entrance at a driveway be at least 14 feet apart for emergency vehicle passage.

• Visibility Review: Review may include the 20-foot intersection visibility area and the prohibition on obstructions between 3 feet and 15 feet in height within that area.

• Retaining-Wall Review: Review may include the permit and Georgia engineer design requirement for retaining walls greater than 48 inches in height.

• Site-Condition Review: Review may include land disturbance, grading, drainage, stormwater management, floodplain status, stream-buffer or setback intrusion, wetlands, tree-protection, easements, utilities, sight-distance calculations, and GDOT access or encroachment permits where those conditions apply.

• Pool Project Review: Review may include pool-fence and pool/spa/hot-tub permit context when a fence is part of a regulated pool, hot tub, or spa project.

• Utility Safety Review: Review may include Georgia 811 utility-notice requirements where mechanized excavation is involved.

USING THIS INFORMATION

This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Union City, based on publicly available source materials reviewed as of June 2026.

In addition to local fence rules, certain Georgia laws apply statewide. See Statewide Fence Laws in Georgia.

It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, floodplain status, stormwater or drainage requirements, land-disturbance requirements, road or highway encroachment, historic district status, design-review status, rural or agricultural context, livestock context, pool-barrier use, overhead high-voltage line work, utility safety requirements, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants, deed restrictions, private agreements, or conservation easements. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with City of Union City Community Development Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Union City staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.