FENCE RULES – CONWAY (CITY), ARKANSAS
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Conway, subject to local regulations. For properties located outside City of Conway municipal limits, Faulkner County regulates fences in unincorporated areas.
The City of Conway does not publish one consolidated residential fence article. Fence-related rules appear across the City of Conway Zoning Code, Subdivision Regulations, Code of Ordinances, Nuisance Abatement Code, Residential Building Permit Guidelines, Old Conway Design Overlay District Pattern Book 2025, Conway Robinson Historic District Guidelines, and department materials for Building Permits & Inspections, Planning & Development, and Public Works / Code Enforcement.
This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one.
Compiled From City of Conway Zoning Code, City of Conway Subdivision Regulations, City of Conway Code of Ordinances, City of Conway Nuisance Abatement Code, Building Permits & Inspections, Residential Building Permit Guidelines, Accessory and Prefabricated Building Permit Guidelines, Planning & Development, Public Works / Code Enforcement, Old Conway Design Overlay District Pattern Book 2025, and Conway Robinson Historic District Guidelines as of May 2026.
GOVERNANCE
The governing authority is the City of Conway. Building-code administration is handled through Building Permits & Inspections, which processes construction permits, reviews plans, and conducts inspections for adopted city and state building safety standards.
Zoning, subdivision, development review, mapping, and planning-related boards are administered through Planning & Development. The City of Conway Zoning Code supplies the main citywide residential visibility rule for fences on corner lots, while the Subdivision Regulations contain plat, easement, and floodway language that may affect fence placement on certain lots.
Historic and overlay review is administered through Planning & Development, the Administrative Official, and the Conway Historic District Commission where applicable. Fence installation in the Old Conway Design Overlay District requires a Certificate of Appropriateness, and proposed new fences in the Asa P. Robinson Historic District are reviewed for compatibility with the site and district.
Property-maintenance and nuisance issues are administered through Public Works / Code Enforcement. The Nuisance Abatement Code includes maintenance requirements for fences and walls and identifies certain temporary or sheet-type materials as improper fencing except during permitted repair work.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Building Permit: The City of Conway does not publish a separate citywide local fence permit requirement for standard residential fences. Under the Arkansas statewide building-code baseline, a Building Permit is required for standard residential fences over 7 feet in height.
• Permit Process: Building permit applications are handled through Building Permits & Inspections and the city’s permit portal. The code does not specify a citywide building-permit requirement for standard residential fences 7 feet or less in height.
• Old Conway Design Overlay District: Fence installation in the Old Conway Design Overlay District requires a Certificate of Appropriateness. The Conway Historic District Commission serves as the discretionary reviewing body, with Planning & Development staff serving as the administrative body.
• Asa P. Robinson Historic District: For property in the Asa P. Robinson Historic District, exterior work that affects any part of the exterior visible from a public way requires a Historic District Commission application. Proposed new fences are reviewed for compatibility of location, materials, design, pattern, scale, and spacing with the principal building and the historic district.
• Historic-District Permit Sequence: The residential permit guidelines state that property within a Historical District must have approval before the permit is submitted. Depending on the project, historic approval may be separate from any building permit requirement.
• Zoning Compliance: Building permit requirements are separate from zoning, setback, visibility, plat, overlay, and historic-district requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning, overlay, historic, setback, and plat conditions with Planning & Development before construction.
• Floodplain Context: The residential permit guidelines state that when a Floodplain Development Permit is applicable, it is required before issuance of the building permit. The subdivision regulations separately state that no fences may be placed in a 100-year Floodway easement.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.
• Corner Lots: On a corner lot where a front or side yard is required, a fence may not exceed 3 feet in height within the required visibility triangle measured 30 feet along the front lot line and 30 feet along the exterior side lot line from the point where those lot lines intersect.
• Old Conway Design Overlay District: In the Old Conway Design Overlay District, fence installation is regulated through the Certificate of Appropriateness process. In the Suburban Zone, setback areas must remain clear of permanent structures except for listed encroachments, including fences and garden walls. Front-yard fences may define private and public space, while privacy fences are allowed only in rear yards or side yards as deemed appropriate. Privacy fences should be set back from the front façade at least one-half the distance between the front and rear walls of the structure and should transition down to 3.5 feet as they approach the front and/or side yard.
• Asa P. Robinson Historic District: In the Asa P. Robinson Historic District, proposed new fences are reviewed for compatibility with the principal building and district. Wood picket fences may be located in front or side yards of bungalows or cottages along property lines when size, scale, design, and form are compatible with the house. Privacy fences are restricted to the rear yard and side yard and should be set back from the front façade at least one-half the distance between the front and rear walls of the structure.
• Floodway Easements: Where a subdivision plat identifies a 100-year Floodway easement, the subdivision regulations require the plat note to state that no fences are allowed in the floodway easement.
• Beaverfork Lake City Property: Under the Code of Ordinances, fences may not extend onto city property on or around Beaverfork Lake. Livestock fences, dog pens, chicken yards, garden fences, and all other fences are not allowed on that city property.
• Subdivision Plat Restrictions: The subdivision regulations allow certain double-frontage or reverse-frontage lots to include planting screen easements and, at the discretion of the Planning Commission, a permanent ornamental fence or wall substituted for a planting screen. Where that occurs, the restriction is reflected on the plat and in the accompanying Bill of Assurance.
• Utility Safety: Arkansas law requires notice through Arkansas 811 before excavation where the Arkansas Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Act applies. For fence projects that involve digging, including fence post holes, notice may be required before excavation begins. Arkansas law also includes specific exemptions, including certain agricultural-purpose posthole digging on private property outside an operator right-of-way.
FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES
• General Height: The code does not specify a general maximum height for standard residential fences outside the specific visibility, historic, overlay, and permit contexts described on this page.
• Building-Permit Height Trigger: Under the Arkansas statewide building-code baseline, standard residential fences over 7 feet in height require a Building Permit.
• Citywide Corner-Lot Visibility Triangle: On any corner lot where a front or side yard is required, no wall, fence, sign, structure, or plant growth over 3 feet may be maintained within the triangle formed by measuring 30 feet along the front and exterior side lot lines from their point of intersection and connecting those points.
• Old Conway Design Overlay District: In the Old Conway Design Overlay District, front-yard fences may be no more than 3.5 feet tall, with pickets no more than 4 inches wide and spaced 3 inches apart. Privacy fences may be no more than 6 feet tall and are allowed only in rear yards or side yards as deemed appropriate. The upper 2 feet of privacy fencing should have 50% opacity, provided by a lattice or grid pattern of wood or iron. New low brick, stone, and finished concrete walls are described as 12 to 18 inches in height. In the Urban Zone, fences and railings must be at least 70% open.
• Asa P. Robinson Historic District: In the Asa P. Robinson Historic District, front-yard fences should be no more than 3.5 feet tall, with pickets no more than 4 inches wide and spaced 3 inches apart. Walls or fences taller than 42 inches or more than 65% solid should not be constructed in the front yard area or the street-side yard area of a corner lot. Privacy fences should be no more than 6 feet tall, and the upper 2 feet of privacy fencing should have 50% opacity, provided by a wooden or iron grid lattice.
• Vehicle Visibility: The citywide corner-lot rule is the city’s published fence-specific visibility rule for standard residential lots. The code does not publish a separate driveway sight-triangle standard for ordinary residential fences.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Citywide Maintenance: The Nuisance Abatement Code requires all accessory structures, including fences and walls, to be maintained structurally sound and in good repair.
• Improper Fencing Materials: The Nuisance Abatement Code treats the use of tarpaulins, canvas, plastic, oil cloth, sheeting, and similar materials as fencing, or to shield or enclose a structure, as a nuisance except when temporarily necessary to perform repairs under a properly issued building permit.
• Old Conway Design Overlay District: In the Old Conway Design Overlay District, fences may be constructed of wood, wood-like material, iron, aluminum mimicking iron, brick, or stone, with brick or stone limited to corner posts or limited detailing. Chain link fences, bare concrete block fences, railroad-tie fences, and landscape-timber fences are prohibited. Wood-like composite materials may be used upon approval. In the Urban Zone, fences, railings, and walls must be constructed of metal, brick, or stone, and plastic, chain link, and wood are prohibited.
• Asa P. Robinson Historic District: In the Asa P. Robinson Historic District, traditional fence and wall materials include wood, cast iron, wrought iron, brick, stone, stucco, and concrete where those materials contribute to the historic character of a building or site. New fences or walls should be constructed of traditional materials and only in locations and designs characteristic of the district. Chain link, vinyl, plastic composite, and bare concrete fences are prohibited. Bare concrete block, railroad ties, and landscape timber retaining walls are also prohibited. Low walls of brick, stone, or finished concrete are described as appropriate front-yard features, with new low walls allowed at 12 to 18 inches in height.
• Animal Enclosures: Fenced areas for animals must be kept free of hazards such as trash, sharp edges, protruding nails, broken or splintered wood, metal or glass shards, machinery, loose wires, or other materials that may cause injury.
• Materials Not Otherwise Specified: Outside the citywide nuisance rules and the historic or overlay district standards described above, the code does not specify ordinary residential fence material, finished-side orientation, opacity, color, or chain-link standards for standard single-family residential fences.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
Private restrictions operate independently from city fence rules. These may include HOA covenants, subdivision restrictions, Bills of Assurance, deed restrictions, private easements, agricultural agreements, architectural-review covenants, or private boundary agreements.
The Accessory and Prefabricated Building Permit Guidelines note that subdivision regulations or covenants may apply to construction on residential property. The city materials do not state that private restrictions are enforced by the City of Conway.
REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT
Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:
• Permit Height: Standard residential fences over 7 feet are reviewed through the building-permit baseline.
• Old Conway Certificate Review: Fence installation in the Old Conway Design Overlay District requires a Certificate of Appropriateness.
• Asa P. Robinson Historic Review: Proposed new fences in the Asa P. Robinson Historic District are reviewed for compatibility with the principal building, site, and historic district, including location, materials, design, pattern, scale, and spacing.
• Corner-Lot Visibility: Fences over 3 feet within the required 30-foot by 30-foot corner-lot visibility triangle may conflict with the Zoning Code.
• Historic Front-Yard Height: Front-yard fences over 3.5 feet may conflict with the Old Conway Design Overlay District standards or the Asa P. Robinson Historic District standards where those districts apply.
• Historic Privacy Fence Height: Privacy fences over 6 feet may conflict with the Old Conway Design Overlay District standards or the Asa P. Robinson Historic District standards where those districts apply.
• Historic Materials: Chain link, bare concrete block, railroad ties, landscape timbers, and other prohibited materials may conflict with historic or overlay standards where those districts apply.
• Floodway Easements: Fences located in a platted 100-year Floodway easement conflict with the subdivision plat-note requirement.
• City Property: Fences that extend onto city property on or around Beaverfork Lake conflict with the Code of Ordinances.
• Maintenance: Fences or walls that are not structurally sound or in good repair may be reviewed under the Nuisance Abatement Code.
• Improper Materials: Tarpaulins, canvas, plastic, oil cloth, sheeting, and similar materials used as fencing or to shield or enclose a structure may be reviewed as a nuisance unless temporarily used for permitted repairs.
• Code Complaints: Public Works / Code Enforcement handles ordinance-compliance issues, including nuisance and property-maintenance conditions.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Conway, based on publicly available materials reviewed as of May 2026.
In addition to local fence rules, certain Arkansas laws apply statewide. See Statewide Fence Laws in Arkansas.
It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, floodplain status, historic district status, rural or agricultural context, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants or private agreements. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with Building Permits & Inspections and Planning & Development and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Conway staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.