GeorgiaFence Rules

Baker County

Fence Rules in Newton (Baker County), Georgia

Last verified: September 5, 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 Newton (Baker County), fence height limits are: front yards, No city height limit for a home fence, except inside the corner sight triangle (see Corner Lots); side and rear yards, No city height limit for a home fence. The heights in the ordinance are minimums for screening fences a business must build next to homes.

Required for any building or structure, but the ordinance never says whether a fence counts as one; The ordinance requires a building permit from the Building Inspector, and defines a structure as anything constructed or erected with a permanent location on the ground. No fence permit, form or fee is published anywhere, so ask City Hall before you build.

On corner lots in Newton (Baker County): Nothing that blocks the view between 2 ft and 12 ft above the road may be placed in the sight triangle, measured 25 ft back from the corner along each street line; Applies to fences, walls, hedges and shrubs in every zoning district except the downtown business district (C-2).

Pool fences in Newton (Baker County): 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 Newton (Baker County): None. The zoning ordinance's yard setbacks apply to buildings, not fences. The corner-lot sight triangle is the only placement rule for a fence.

Prohibited fence materials in Newton (Baker County): None. The ordinance bans no fence material and has no barbed wire, razor wire or electric fence rule.

Fence Regulations

Newton (Baker County)

Permit Requirements
Required for any building or structure, but the ordinance never says whether a fence counts as one. The ordinance requires a building permit from the Building Inspector, and defines a structure as anything constructed or erected with a permanent location on the ground. No fence permit, form or fee is published anywhere, so ask City Hall before you build. City Hall · 229-734-5421 · cityofnewtonga@gmail.com 146 Ga Hwy 91, P.O. Box 238, Newton, GA 39870
Height - Front Yard
No city height limit for a home fence, except inside the corner sight triangle (see Corner Lots).
Height - Side/Rear
No city height limit for a home fence. The heights in the ordinance are minimums for screening fences a business must build next to homes.
Height Notes
The Mayor and City Council can require a business or factory next to homes to screen it with a solid fence at least 6 ft tall, a brick or stone wall at least 6 ft tall, or a planted strip at least 10 ft wide, and can waive the screening entirely. A junk yard needs a solid wood or masonry fence at least 8 ft tall around its whole perimeter, and must sit at least 300 ft from any home zoning district. These are minimums for those businesses, not limits on a home fence.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
Nothing that blocks the view between 2 ft and 12 ft above the road may be placed in the sight triangle, measured 25 ft back from the corner along each street line. Applies to fences, walls, hedges and shrubs in every zoning district except the downtown business district (C-2).
Materials Allowed
No restriction on a home fence. A required screening fence between a business and homes must be solid and built of clear heart redwood, heart cypress, red cedar, treated Southern yellow pine or a similar material, or be a brick or stone wall.
Materials Prohibited
None. The ordinance bans no fence material and has no barbed wire, razor wire or electric fence rule.
Historic Districts
None. There is no historic district and no design review for fences.
Setbacks
None. The zoning ordinance's yard setbacks apply to buildings, not fences. The corner-lot sight triangle is the only placement rule for a fence.
Design Requirements
No rule for a home fence: no finished-side, opacity or spacing requirement. Required screening fences next to homes and around junk yards must be solid and kept in good repair.
Gates
No city rule. Pool gates follow the state pool code (see Pool Fences).
Floodplain Rules
Inside the mapped 100-year floodplain (the city's Flood Hazard District) no permit is issued for any building or structure until the Planning Commission approves the plans in writing. Anything built there must offer the least obstruction to flowing water and be firmly anchored so it cannot float away. Whether that reaches a fence turns on the same structure question as permits. The 1994 Newton Flood Regulation Ordinance also applies but is not published online. Zoning Ordinance Sec. 13.02, 13.05
Color Restrictions
None. The ordinance sets no fence color or paint rule.
Source
City of Newton Zoning Ordinance (1999) Sec. 3.09, 3.14, 20.02
Notes
Governed by the City of Newton Zoning Ordinance, adopted May 6, 1999, with no later amendment published, and posted as a scanned PDF on the city's website. Baker County has no building or zoning office; the city is the contact. City Hall · 229-734-5421 · cityofnewtonga@gmail.com 146 Ga Hwy 91, P.O. Box 238, Newton, GA 39870

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 Baker County

Fence rules change from one city and unincorporated area to the next. Compare Newton (Baker County) with nearby jurisdictions:

All Baker County fence rules →

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