GeorgiaFence Rules

DeKalb County

Fence Rules in Pine Lake, 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 Pine Lake, fence height limits are: front yards, 48 in max; The same cap applies in side yards, within 10 ft of the front of the house, and on a corner lot in any part of the back yard within 10 ft of the street right-of-way; Back yard only: 6 ft max.

Required for any fence. Apply to the city before you build; Fee: $50. The code says the permit is free; the city charges the fee on its current application; Submit a plat or survey showing where the fence goes, with the proposed heights and materials; The fence must run along the existing property line; City of Pine Lake: 404-999-4901.

On corner lots in Pine Lake: On a corner lot, a fence in the back yard within 10 ft of the street right-of-way: 48 in max; At a street corner, nothing may block visibility above 2 ft 6 in inside the triangle formed by the first 20 ft of each street right-of-way line. Keep a fence in that triangle under 2 ft 6 in.

Pool fences in Pine Lake: 5 ft minimum. A permanent fence at least 5 ft high must completely surround any pool. This exceeds Georgia's 48 in state minimum.

Fence setbacks in Pine Lake: 6 ft minimum from any street curb or edge of street pavement; Another section of the city code says 3 ft. The zoning ordinance controls where it conflicts with another city ordinance, under Zoning Sec. 1-5, so 6 ft governs; No fence or wall may extend past your property lines.

Prohibited fence materials in Pine Lake: Chain link, barbed wire, razor wire, hog wire and chicken wire are banned citywide, in every yard and every district; Exception: chicken wire may enclose compost areas, vegetable gardens, and poultry or small-livestock areas where those uses are allowed; Livestock-type fencing, including welded wire, is also barred.

Fence Regulations

Pine Lake

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required for any fence. Apply to the city before you build. Fee: $50. The code says the permit is free; the city charges the fee on its current application. Submit a plat or survey showing where the fence goes, with the proposed heights and materials. The fence must run along the existing property line. City of Pine Lake: 404-999-4901
Height - Front Yard
48 in max. The same cap applies in side yards, within 10 ft of the front of the house, and on a corner lot in any part of the back yard within 10 ft of the street right-of-way.
Height - Side/Rear
Back yard only: 6 ft max. Side yards, anything within 10 ft of the front of the house, and corner-lot back yards within 10 ft of the street right-of-way are capped at 48 in instead.
Height Notes
Height is measured from the average finished grade around the fence to its highest point. Where a fence sits on a retaining wall, any part of the wall that rises above the ground it retains counts toward the fence's allowed height and toward the limit on how much of the fence surface may be solid. A fence or wall built above ground level to screen a deck, porch or balcony: 48 in max above that structure's floor, unless the structure is entirely in the back yard and not visible from the street. No fence or wall may extend past your property lines.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
On a corner lot, a fence in the back yard within 10 ft of the street right-of-way: 48 in max. At a street corner, nothing may block visibility above 2 ft 6 in inside the triangle formed by the first 20 ft of each street right-of-way line. Keep a fence in that triangle under 2 ft 6 in.
Materials Allowed
Appropriate, commonly accepted residential fencing materials; the code publishes no approved list. No livestock-type fencing, and no chain link anywhere in the city.
Materials Prohibited
Chain link, barbed wire, razor wire, hog wire and chicken wire are banned citywide, in every yard and every district. Exception: chicken wire may enclose compost areas, vegetable gardens, and poultry or small-livestock areas where those uses are allowed. Livestock-type fencing, including welded wire, is also barred.
Historic Districts
The city has a Historic Preservation Commission with approval authority, but whether a district is currently designated is unverified. Confirm before assuming a fence needs approval: 404-999-4901
Setbacks
6 ft minimum from any street curb or edge of street pavement. Another section of the city code says 3 ft. The zoning ordinance controls where it conflicts with another city ordinance, under Zoning Sec. 1-5, so 6 ft governs. No fence or wall may extend past your property lines.
Design Requirements
A front-yard fence can't be a solid wall to the street: at least 35 percent of the fence area must stay open to vision, spread evenly across the whole fence. The finished side of a two-sided fence faces the street, lake, park, trail or neighbor.
Gates
A gate follows the same height limits as the fence it serves. A pool gate must open outward away from the pool, close by itself and latch by itself. The city enforces the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code under Code Sec. 18-21.
Floodplain Rules
A fence counts as development: the code defines development as any man-made change to real estate. A fence is prohibited in the regulatory floodway, the channel a flood has to flow through. The code lets only bridges, culverts, roadways and utilities encroach there. Elsewhere in a mapped flood hazard area, get city approval before you start. Code Ch. 30.
Source
Pine Lake Zoning Secs. 1-5, 5-3, 7-9; Code Secs. 54-26, 54-27
Notes
Governed by Zoning Sec. 7-9, with street-frontage and pool rules in Secs. 54-26 and 54-27. City of Pine Lake: 404-999-4901

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 DeKalb County

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

All DeKalb County fence rules →

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