GeorgiaFence Rules

Clarke County

Fence Rules in Winterville, 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 Winterville, the maximum fence height is typically 8 ft in side and rear yards and 4 ft in front yards.

Required for a fence. The city's Planning & Zoning building application lists Fence as a project type; Submit a scaled plan showing property lines, the fence, setbacks and the streets; Approvals last 12 months, and work must start within six months; Planning & Zoning, City Hall · 706-742-8600 (Mon-Fri 9 to 5); 125 North Church Street, Winterville, GA 30683.

On corner lots in Winterville: Within 20 ft of the point where two street right-of-way lines meet, nothing between 3 ft and 15 ft tall may block the view (not in the C General Business district); On a corner lot the shorter street frontage is the front yard (4 ft cap); the longer one is a side yard (8 ft).

Pool fences in Winterville: Home pool in a single-family residential district: at least 20 ft from any property line, enclosed by a wall or fence at least 4 ft tall, with Athens-Clarke County health department approval; Gate: opens outward, self-closing and self-latching. Openings: 4 in max, or 1 3/4 in for chain link.

Fence setbacks in Winterville: None from a property line. A fence may not be built in a public right-of-way or a future street right-of-way.

Prohibited fence materials in Winterville: None citywide; barbed wire, razor wire and electric fences are not addressed; Local historic districts: chain link only at the rear or out of street view; side-yard chain link must be screened with landscaping; No fencing around burial lots in the city cemetery.

Fence Regulations

Winterville

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required for a fence. The city's Planning & Zoning building application lists Fence as a project type. Submit a scaled plan showing property lines, the fence, setbacks and the streets. Approvals last 12 months, and work must start within six months. Planning & Zoning, City Hall · 706-742-8600 (Mon-Fri 9 to 5) 125 North Church Street, Winterville, GA 30683
Height - Front Yard
4 ft max in a residential district's front yard. On a corner lot the front yard is the shorter street frontage.
Height - Side/Rear
8 ft max for any fence in a yard other than a residential front yard.
Height Notes
The code does not say how fence height is measured.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
Within 20 ft of the point where two street right-of-way lines meet, nothing between 3 ft and 15 ft tall may block the view (not in the C General Business district). On a corner lot the shorter street frontage is the front yard (4 ft cap); the longer one is a side yard (8 ft).
Materials Allowed
No citywide list. National Register district: a new or exterior-remodeled house's street-visible walls and fences should be brick, stone, stucco, wood, wrought iron or evergreen hedge. Local historic districts: the design guidelines call wood picket, cast iron and stone appropriate.
Materials Prohibited
None citywide; barbed wire, razor wire and electric fences are not addressed. Local historic districts: chain link only at the rear or out of street view; side-yard chain link must be screened with landscaping. No fencing around burial lots in the city cemetery.
Historic Districts
Required in the three local historic districts (Depot, Schoolhouse, Buck Branch) and at the seven local landmarks: a certificate of appropriateness from the Winterville Historic Preservation Commission before a fence goes up; no building permit can be issued without it. Reviewed within 45 days at a public hearing at the HPC's monthly meeting, with notice mailed to the owner; ordinary repair needs none. Guidelines there: front fences up to 4 ft, side and rear up to 8 ft. WintervilleHPC@gmail.com · Winterville Code Ch. 20
Setbacks
None from a property line. A fence may not be built in a public right-of-way or a future street right-of-way.
Design Requirements
No finished-side, opacity or spacing rule for a home fence. Local historic districts: wood pickets at least 3/4 in thick with a traditional square, curved or pointed top; keep historic stone and cast iron fences in place.
Gates
None. Pool gates follow the state pool code.
Floodplain Rules
The flood ordinance does not name fences. In a FEMA-mapped flood hazard area a development permit is required before any development, and the city's building application asks whether the lot is in the floodplain, so ask City Hall. Along a stream with no mapped flood elevation, nothing may be built within 20 ft of the top of the bank, or the width of the stream if that is greater, without an engineer's certification. Fences are exempt from the city's erosion control rules. Winterville Code Ch. 18, Art. IV
Color Restrictions
None, even in the historic districts, where paint color is outside review.
Source
Winterville Code Sec. 38-254 (Fences and walls)
Notes
Governed by Winterville's own zoning ordinance, Sec. 38-254, unchanged since 2016. Winterville is a separate city inside Clarke County and is not part of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government; ACC handles building inspections and health department pool approval. Planning & Zoning, City Hall · 706-742-8600 · 125 North Church Street, Winterville, GA 30683

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 Clarke County

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

All Clarke County fence rules →

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