GeorgiaFence Rules

Franklin County

Fence Rules in Carnesville, Georgia

Last verified: October 23, 2026

This page is maintained manually and may not reflect very recent ordinance changes. Always confirm current rules with your local permitting office.

For information only. Fence rules change frequently and this site may not reflect every requirement that applies to your property (HOA covenants, easements, variances, recent amendments). Always verify with your local permitting office before building. Full disclaimer

At a glance

In Carnesville, fence height limits are: Front yard of a home: 4 ft max. No fence may block the view where a driveway meets a street. At a street corner, nothing over 3 ft may block the view; see corner lots; Side and back yards: 8 ft max, or 10 ft for commercial and industrial fences. Near a street corner the 3 ft view rule still applies; see corner lots.

Required to build, enlarge, alter or move any fence, and to repair more than 25 percent of one, from the city's building official. Starting before the permit adds a penalty equal to the permit fee; Apply with a survey or drawing showing your lot lines, every structure, the septic tank and field lines, and the fence; City Hall · 706-384-3905.

On corner lots in Carnesville: On a corner lot, nothing more than 3 ft above street level may block the view of drivers or people walking toward the intersection; Where a driveway or parking-lot entrance meets a street, no fence may block the view of drivers or people walking; Carnesville Code Secs. 40-10, 10-1.

Pool fences in Carnesville: Barrier: 48 in tall minimum, measured from the outside. Gap under it: 2 in max over grass, 4 in over concrete; Gate: opens outward, self-closing and self-latching; Openings: 4 in max, or 1 3/4 in for chain link, lattice and any fence whose rails sit under 45 in apart, which puts its rails on the pool side.

Fence setbacks in Carnesville: At least 4 ft back from a street right-of-way line, measured from that line even where the pavement is narrower. If the line can't be found, 4 ft from the edge of the paved or improved area used for travel; Building setbacks do not apply to fences, but a fence must stand inside your lot.

Prohibited fence materials in Carnesville: Plywood, particle board, paper, plastic, plastic tarp, tires, pallets, and recycled, secondhand or other materials not made for a fence; Razor wire: only with the building official's approval for a documented security need.

Fence Regulations

Carnesville

Permit Requirements
Required to build, enlarge, alter or move any fence, and to repair more than 25 percent of one, from the city's building official. Starting before the permit adds a penalty equal to the permit fee. Apply with a survey or drawing showing your lot lines, every structure, the septic tank and field lines, and the fence. City Hall · 706-384-3905 919 Hull Ave., Carnesville, GA 30521
Height - Front Yard
Front yard of a home: 4 ft max. No fence may block the view where a driveway meets a street. At a street corner, nothing over 3 ft may block the view; see corner lots.
Height - Side/Rear
Side and back yards: 8 ft max, or 10 ft for commercial and industrial fences. Near a street corner the 3 ft view rule still applies; see corner lots.
Height Notes
The 10 ft commercial and industrial limit does not count retaining walls or safety barriers. The building official can approve a fence over the 8 ft or 10 ft limit for a tennis, pickleball or volleyball court or other recreation area, a subdivision entrance, a utility, a public use, or required screening or safety. A freestanding wall is held to the same limits as a fence. The code does not say how the 4, 8 and 10 ft limits are measured. The 3 ft corner view rule is measured from street level. Temporary construction fencing, such as silt and tree-protection fences, is exempt.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
On a corner lot, nothing more than 3 ft above street level may block the view of drivers or people walking toward the intersection. Where a driveway or parking-lot entrance meets a street, no fence may block the view of drivers or people walking. Carnesville Code Secs. 40-10, 10-1
Materials Allowed
Brick, stone, rock, wood and decorative concrete block. Vinyl and metal (wrought iron, aluminum, chain link, wire): only if the building official approves. Barbed wire: only for farm use, or as top strands over chain link for commercial and industrial fences. A wall of unfinished concrete block must be faced with brick, stone, stucco or another approved finish.
Materials Prohibited
Plywood, particle board, paper, plastic, plastic tarp, tires, pallets, and recycled, secondhand or other materials not made for a fence. Razor wire: only with the building official's approval for a documented security need.
Historic Districts
No local historic district. National Register listings in and near the city are federal listings and bring no city fence review.
Setbacks
At least 4 ft back from a street right-of-way line, measured from that line even where the pavement is narrower. If the line can't be found, 4 ft from the edge of the paved or improved area used for travel. Building setbacks do not apply to fences, but a fence must stand inside your lot. Not over a utility easement without written permission from the utility and the building official's approval. Carnesville Code Secs. 40-318, 10-1
Design Requirements
When a fence is used for screening, its finished side faces the outer property line. Chain link for an institutional, commercial or industrial property, in a front yard or a side yard seen from the street: vinyl coated. Chain link with woven-in vinyl or metal slats does not count as screening and may not be used without the building official's specific approval. Keep fences repaired, and replace one damaged beyond repair.
Gates
A driveway gate must be at least 10 ft back from a public street or road right-of-way.
Floodplain Rules
In a mapped flood hazard area, a city development permit comes before any development, meaning any man-made change to land. The flood rules never name fences, so ask the water superintendent, who runs them, whether a fence needs this permit. Floodway (the stream channel and the land beside it that must stay open to carry floodwater): nothing may go in unless engineering shows it will not raise flood levels or widen the floodway. Along a stream in a mapped flood hazard area where no floodway is mapped and no other flood data are available: no structure, fill or other encroachment within the stream's width or 20 ft of the top of the bank, whichever is greater, unless a registered engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels. Carnesville Code Secs. 16-23, 16-26, 16-51, 16-81, 16-82
Color Restrictions
None. The city sets no fence color rule.
Source
Carnesville Code Sec. 10-1
Notes
Governed by the city's own fence ordinance (2025) and zoning code, not Franklin County's rules: a permit for every new fence, 4 ft in a home's front yard, and 4 ft back from a street right-of-way. The city site does not name the building official, so ask City Hall. City Hall · 706-384-3905 · 919 Hull Ave., Carnesville, GA 30521

Rules can vary within a jurisdiction. Historic districts and zoning overlays often have stricter requirements. Look up your exact address to confirm which rules apply to your property.

Other jurisdictions in Franklin County

Fence rules change from one city and unincorporated area to the next. Compare Carnesville with nearby jurisdictions:

All Franklin County fence rules →

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