GeorgiaFence Rules

Bartow County

Fence Rules in Emerson, Georgia

Last verified: September 4, 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 Emerson, fence height limits are: front yards, No maximum. The zoning ordinance sets no fence height cap in any residential district; side and rear yards, No maximum here either; The 5 ft and 6 ft heights in the code are minimums for a pool barrier, an outside storage screen and a greenbelt buffer, not caps a homeowner builds to.

Required: a $100 fence permit, plus the $50 administrative fee charged on all permits, about $150 total; Starting work without a permit is charged at 200 percent of the fee; Being in Bartow County does not exempt you: the unincorporated county needs no fence permit, but the city does; Community Development: 770-382-9819, 700 Highway 293.

On corner lots in Emerson: No vision or sight-triangle rule reaches fences; Sight lines are still a practical concern and may come up during permit review: Community Development, 770-382-9819.

Pool fences in Emerson: 5 ft minimum with a self-closing, self-latching gate, in all the city's residential districts, plus compliance with all applicable safety and health ordinances; That is stricter than Georgia's 48 in state minimum, and the stricter city rule governs.

Fence setbacks in Emerson: None from a property line; Keep the fence out of the city right-of-way. Ch. 26 Art. II bars structures from it and allows only a driveway, grass, flowers, shrubs under 2 ft and a mailbox post. The right-of-way is its full width, not just the pavement; Community Development reviews siting: 770-382-9819.

Prohibited fence materials in Emerson: None for a home fence; Barbed wire is prohibited on land zoned C-1 Neighborhood Retail Commercial. Appendix A Zoning Sec. 8.75; Chain link is not banned anywhere in the city.

Fence Regulations

Emerson

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required: a $100 fence permit, plus the $50 administrative fee charged on all permits, about $150 total. Starting work without a permit is charged at 200 percent of the fee. Being in Bartow County does not exempt you: the unincorporated county needs no fence permit, but the city does. Community Development: 770-382-9819, 700 Highway 293
Height - Front Yard
No maximum. The zoning ordinance sets no fence height cap in any residential district.
Height - Side/Rear
No maximum here either. The 5 ft and 6 ft heights in the code are minimums for a pool barrier, an outside storage screen and a greenbelt buffer, not caps a homeowner builds to.
Height Notes
The code sets no cap on fence height for a home and no method for measuring fence height. The only fence height cap in the code is 8 ft on walls and fences on land zoned C-1 Neighborhood Retail Commercial, which also prohibits barbed wire. Appendix A Zoning Sec. 8.75. Emerson does not adopt Bartow County standards.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
No vision or sight-triangle rule reaches fences. Sight lines are still a practical concern and may come up during permit review: Community Development, 770-382-9819
Materials Allowed
No material rule for residential fences. The city sets no approved-material list in any residential district.
Materials Prohibited
None for a home fence. Barbed wire is prohibited on land zoned C-1 Neighborhood Retail Commercial. Appendix A Zoning Sec. 8.75. Chain link is not banned anywhere in the city.
Historic Districts
N/A
Setbacks
None from a property line. Keep the fence out of the city right-of-way. Ch. 26 Art. II bars structures from it and allows only a driveway, grass, flowers, shrubs under 2 ft and a mailbox post. The right-of-way is its full width, not just the pavement. Community Development reviews siting: 770-382-9819
Design Requirements
No finished side rule for an ordinary home fence. A fence used in a required greenbelt buffer between districts must be solid, at least 6 ft, with its finished side facing out. That applies in the RC conservation district and the RM-6 and RM-12 multifamily districts. Appendix A Zoning Secs. 8.68, 8.73 and 8.74. Outside storage must be kept in a side or back yard and screened from all streets and neighbors by a fence or wall at least 6 ft tall, opaque in the single-family and multifamily districts and non-opaque in RC. The city can approve plantings instead. That is a duty attached to a specific use, not a general fence rule.
Source
Emerson Code, Appendix A Zoning Art. V (no fence rule for homes); fence permit per Ord. No. 2026-009
Notes
The city has no general fence rules, but a $100 fence permit is required. Community Development: 770-382-9819, 700 Highway 293

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 Bartow County

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

All Bartow County fence rules →

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