GeorgiaFence Rules

Habersham County

Fence Rules in Clarkesville, 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 Clarkesville, fence height limits are: front yards, No citywide height limit, but no fence may block the view where streets or driveways meet. Preservation District: 42 in max, and no fences Downtown except to screen trash containers; side and rear yards, No citywide fence height limit. In the Preservation District, back fences have their own limits.

Required for any fence or wall, from the Zoning Administrator. In the Preservation District the Zoning Administrator must also recommend it and the Planning Commission approve it; see historic districts; Planning and Zoning, Zoning Administrator · 706-754-4216 · cgaines@clarkesvillega.com; City Hall, 123 N Laurel Dr, Clarkesville, GA 30523.

On corner lots in Clarkesville: On a corner lot or a lot with a street front and back, every side facing a street counts as front yard, so in the Preservation District the 42 in front limit applies along both streets; No fence may block the view at a street intersection or where a driveway meets a street.

Pool fences in Clarkesville: City rule: home pools (above-ground ones too, if 15 ft or wider and 3 ft or deeper) need a security fence at least 42 in tall and a Zoning Administrator pool permit; 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.

Fence setbacks in Clarkesville: At least 2 ft from a public right-of-way, and never blocking the view along it; The code's rule for accessory buildings and uses (10 ft from every lot line, and side and back yards only unless another rule says otherwise) may also apply to fences; ask the Zoning Administrator.

Prohibited fence materials in Clarkesville: Barbed wire: only as top strands 6 ft above the ground, in industrial districts; Preservation District: no barbed wire, and chain link only in back yards.

Fence Regulations

Clarkesville

Permit Requirements
Required for any fence or wall, from the Zoning Administrator. In the Preservation District the Zoning Administrator must also recommend it and the Planning Commission approve it; see historic districts. Planning and Zoning, Zoning Administrator · 706-754-4216 · cgaines@clarkesvillega.com City Hall, 123 N Laurel Dr, Clarkesville, GA 30523
Height - Front Yard
No citywide height limit, but no fence may block the view where streets or driveways meet. Preservation District: 42 in max, and no fences Downtown except to screen trash containers.
Height - Side/Rear
No citywide fence height limit. In the Preservation District, back fences have their own limits; see height notes.
Height Notes
Inside the Preservation District (map at the Zoning Administrator's office), the district-wide rule caps front fences at 42 in and back fences at 60 in. The Old Town and Washington Street rules say 48 in for back fences, or up to 60 in for privacy with Zoning Administrator recommendation and Planning Commission approval. The code does not say which rule controls, and those area rules are headed as standards for new commercial, multi-family and renovation work, so ask the Zoning Administrator. Clarkesville Zoning Ordinance Secs. 2208 to 2211
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
On a corner lot or a lot with a street front and back, every side facing a street counts as front yard, so in the Preservation District the 42 in front limit applies along both streets. No fence may block the view at a street intersection or where a driveway meets a street. The fence rule gives no distance for that clear area, so ask the Zoning Administrator. Old Town and Washington Street areas: no chain link or flat board fencing in a corner lot's back yard. Clarkesville Zoning Ordinance Sec. 713
Materials Allowed
Preservation District: wood, brick, stone or iron. In the Old Town and Washington Street areas, wood fences must be painted or stained pickets spaced 1.5 to 3.5 in apart, and flat boards or chain link in a back yard need Zoning Administrator recommendation and Planning Commission approval.
Materials Prohibited
Barbed wire: only as top strands 6 ft above the ground, in industrial districts. Preservation District: no barbed wire, and chain link only in back yards.
Historic Districts
Where: the Clarkesville Preservation District overlay, with Old Town, Washington Street, Downtown and Park areas (map at the Zoning Administrator's office). Rule: any fence there needs Zoning Administrator recommendation and Planning Commission approval. Fences are not allowed in the Downtown area except to screen trash containers. Ask the Zoning Administrator whether the Old Town, Washington Street and Downtown rules reach a single-family home; they are headed as standards for new commercial, multi-family and renovation work. National Register historic districts in the city are federal listings, not city rules. Clarkesville Zoning Ordinance Art. XXII
Setbacks
At least 2 ft from a public right-of-way, and never blocking the view along it. The code's rule for accessory buildings and uses (10 ft from every lot line, and side and back yards only unless another rule says otherwise) may also apply to fences; ask the Zoning Administrator.
Design Requirements
Keep fences sound and in good repair. Old Town and Washington Street areas: pickets spaced 1.5 to 3.5 in apart, and approved chain link painted or coated dark green or black and covered with plants or vines.
Gates
None for a home fence. Pool gates follow the state pool code.
Floodplain Rules
The city's flood rules, from its 2008 flood ordinance as published in the city's 2023 code compilation: Permit: the city requires a flood development permit before any man-made change to land in a flood hazard area. Floodway (the stream channel and the land beside it that must stay open to carry floodwater): nothing may go in unless a registered professional engineer certifies 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 professional engineer certifies it will raise flood levels no more than 1 ft. These rules do not name fences, so ask Planning and Zoning before fencing in a mapped flood zone. Clarkesville Code Ch. 34 (2023 compilation)
Color Restrictions
Old Town and Washington Street areas: chain link must be dark green or black. Color changes in the Preservation District go through Planning Commission review.
Source
Clarkesville Zoning Ordinance Secs. 711, 2208
Notes
Governed by the city's own zoning ordinance (amended through September 2025), not Habersham County's. Outside the Preservation District the code sets no fence height limit. The city's building and flood chapters are online only in a 2023 compilation. Planning and Zoning · 706-754-4216 City Hall, 123 N Laurel Dr, Clarkesville, GA 30523

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 Habersham County

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

All Habersham County fence rules →

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