FENCE RULES – ROSWELL (CITY), GEORGIA
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Roswell, subject to local regulations.
The City of Roswell does not place its residential fence rules in one stand-alone fence chapter. The main standards appear in the Roswell Unified Development Code section titled Screening Walls and Fences, with related rules in the Code of Ordinances on street right-of-way permits and nuisance or visibility conditions.
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.
An official Planning & Zoning note supplied with this packet states that building permits are not normally required for fences, but that a fence installed as part of a swimming pool project falls within the swimming pool permit and inspection process.
Compiled From the Roswell Unified Development Code, the City of Roswell Code of Ordinances, and the official Planning & Zoning note supplied with this packet, as of April 2026.
GOVERNANCE
The governing entity is the City of Roswell. Residential fence standards in the attached materials are administered primarily through the Roswell Unified Development Code and related provisions in the Code of Ordinances.
The main fence-specific standards are in UDC § 10.2.10, Screening Walls and Fences. Related administrative and location rules appear in UDC § 11.2.8, Construction in Right-of-Way, UDC § 11.4.6, Visibility at Intersections, and Code of Ordinances § 18.1.2, Permit Requirements for Construction in Right-of-Way. Maintenance and hazardous-condition provisions appear in Code of Ordinances § 8.8.2.
The attached materials do not present a single consolidated homeowner fence code. Instead, the rules are distributed across zoning, right-of-way, and nuisance provisions.
The attached UDC also assigns specific approval roles in limited circumstances. The Zoning Director is named for subdivision entrance wall or fence approval. The Roswell Historic Preservation Commission is named for Certificate of Appropriateness review in the Historic Overlay District.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Building Permit: The official Planning & Zoning note supplied with this packet states that building permits are not normally required for fences.
• Swimming Pool Projects: When a fence is installed as part of a swimming pool project, the same note states that it is part of the swimming pool requirements that are permitted and inspected.
• Zoning Compliance: Building permit requirements are separate from zoning, setback, or plat requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning conditions, setbacks, and plat requirements with Community Development Department before construction.
• Street Right-of-Way Permit: A fence in the street right-of-way requires a permit from the transportation authority. The UDC names the Transportation Director; the Code of Ordinances names the city transportation department.
• Historic Overlay District: In the Historic Overlay District, a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Roswell Historic Preservation Commission is required under the UDC historic review provisions.
• Subdivision Entrance Walls or Fences: A subdivision entrance wall or fence is subject to location and architectural approval by the Zoning Director as part of a Minor Design Plan.
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.
• Drainage and Utility Easements: No screening wall or fence may be located within any required drainage or utility easement.
• Street Right-of-Way: It is unlawful to construct a fence in the street right-of-way without the required transportation permit.
• Utility Safety: Georgia law requires notice to the Utilities Protection Center (Georgia 811) before excavation with mechanized equipment. 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
• Side and Rear Yards: A screening wall or fence in a side yard or rear yard can be no more than 8 feet in height.
• Front Yards: A screening wall or fence in a front yard that is greater than 4 feet in height, up to a maximum of 6 feet, must provide 50 percent transparency for the entire fence. For this rule, the UDC states that the front yard is measured from lot line to lot line and that this definition controls over the side-yard definition.
• Height Measurement: Fence height is measured from the subject property grade to the highest point of the fence.
• Sight Triangle: Where a driveway intersects a public or private right-of-way, or where property abuts the intersection of two public or private rights-of-way, unobstructed sight distance must be maintained within the sight triangle area.
• Sight Distance Table in the UDC: The UDC table gives the following sight distances: 25 mph speed limit or average running speed, 280 feet for left turns and 240 feet for right turns; 35 mph, 390 feet for left turns and 335 feet for right turns.
• Visibility Obstructions: No structures, fences, landscaping, or other objects within the sight triangle area may obstruct sight distance. The Code of Ordinances also treats fencing that obscures visibility at public street intersections as a hazardous condition.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Allowed Fence Materials: Fences must be constructed of high quality materials, using one or a combination of the following: wood, wrought iron, composite fencing, PVC, aluminum, and metal.
• Alternative Materials in Review Cases: If a fence is subject to design or historic review, an alternative fence material may be approved by the Design Review Board or Historic Preservation Commission, as applicable.
• Discarded Materials Prohibited: No screening wall or fence may be constructed of tires, junk, or other discarded materials.
• Chain-Link, Barbed Wire, and Concertina Wire: These materials are allowed only in limited settings identified by the UDC. They are allowed only in a rear or side yard in a Corridors and Nodes District or Employment District. In Residential, Civic, and Recreational districts, chain-link is allowed around a tennis court, community swimming pool, or sports field. The Historic Overlay District does not allow chain-link, barbed wire, or concertina wire.
• Unbroken Fence Length: The maximum length of a continuous, unbroken, and uninterrupted fence or screening wall plane is 100 feet. Breaks must be provided through columns, landscaped areas, transparent sections, or a change in material.
• Finished Face Orientation: The finished face of all screening walls and fences must be located toward the abutting property.
• Retaining Function: Screening walls or fences may not be used to retain dirt or other materials.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
Private restrictions such as HOA rules, subdivision covenants, and deed restrictions operate independently of city rules and may be more restrictive than the City of Roswell’s published standards.
REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT
Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:
• Swimming Pool Related Review: A fence installed as part of a swimming pool project falls within the pool permit and inspection process described in the official Planning & Zoning note supplied with this packet.
• Right-of-Way Encroachment: A fence in the street right-of-way requires transportation approval.
• Historic Overlay Review: Property in the Historic Overlay District requires a Certificate of Appropriateness under the UDC historic review provisions.
• Easement Encroachment: A fence in a required drainage or utility easement conflicts with the UDC fence standards.
• Height and Transparency Compliance: Side-yard, rear-yard, and front-yard fence height and transparency limits are reviewable under UDC § 10.2.10.
• Intersection Visibility: Fencing that obstructs the required sight triangle or obscures visibility at a public street intersection is treated as a hazard.
• Maintenance Conditions: The Code of Ordinances treats accumulated dirt, litter, vegetation, garbage, refuse, debris, flyers, or circulars on a fence or wall as a nuisance condition.
• Unsafe Fence Conditions: Structurally unsound fences, or fences that pose a public hazard, fall within the code enforcement context described in the nuisance provisions.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Roswell, based on publicly available materials reviewed as of April 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, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with Community Development Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Roswell staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.