FENCE RULES – VAN BUREN (CITY), ARKANSAS
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Van Buren, subject to local regulations. For properties located outside City of Van Buren municipal limits, Crawford County regulates fences in unincorporated areas.
City of Van Buren fence rules appear in the Van Buren Municipal Code, the Building Department Fence Permit Requirements, the Van Buren Zoning Ordinance, the Van Buren Subdivision Regulations, the Historic District Ordinance and Design Guidelines, and floodplain materials administered through the City’s floodplain program.
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 Van Buren Municipal Code, Building Department Fence Permit Requirements, Van Buren Zoning Ordinance as of January 2024, Van Buren Subdivision Regulations, Van Buren Historic District Ordinance, Van Buren Historic District Design Guidelines 2024, Building Department materials, Planning & Development materials, Historic District materials, and Flood Damage Prevention Code for the City of Van Buren, Arkansas as of May 2026.
GOVERNANCE
The City of Van Buren governs residential fence placement, permitting, and related land-use review inside the city limits.
The City of Van Buren Building Department administers the local fence permit process. The Van Buren Municipal Code places fence permit procedures in the Building Department’s fence permit attachment, rather than in a standalone fence chapter.
The City of Van Buren Planning Department administers planning, development, zoning, subdivision, and historic-district application materials relevant to fence location, easements, visibility, floodplain status, and special review areas.
The Van Buren Historic District Commission administers Certificate of Appropriateness review for exterior work in the Van Buren Historic District, including fences, stone walls, and other appurtenant exterior fixtures.
The Floodplain Administrator administers floodplain review where fence work is treated as development within a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Fence Permit: A fence permit is required for all new fence construction and replacement of existing fencing.
• Fence Repairs: Repairs to an existing fence do not require a permit when the repair replaces less than 50% of the total linear distance of fence surface.
• Plot Plan: Fence permit materials require a plot plan showing easements, property lines, all existing structures and fencing, and the proposed fencing.
• Historic District Approval: In the Van Buren Historic District, no building or structure, including stone walls, fences, light fixtures, steps, paving, or other appurtenant fixtures, may be erected, altered, restored, moved, or demolished until a Certificate of Appropriateness has been approved by the Van Buren Historic District Commission.
• Historic District Permit Sequence: For properties in the Van Buren Historic District, a building permit or other permit for constructing or altering structures may not be issued until the Certificate of Appropriateness requirement has been satisfied. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required whether or not a building permit is required.
• Floodplain Approval: In a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, the Flood Damage Prevention Code treats construction or erection of walls or fences as development. A Floodplain Development Permit is required before development begins in the Special Flood Hazard Area.
• Public Right-of-Way or Public Easement License: Fencing that would temporarily use a portion of a public right-of-way or public easement is handled through the City’s temporary revocable license process. This is separate from the standard private-property fence permit process.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Private Property: Fencing must be located on private property.
• Side and Rear Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from side or rear property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s private property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.
• Front Yard Location: Fencing in the front yard must be no closer than 10 feet from the street or public right-of-way, whichever is greater.
• Sight Triangle: Fencing may not be located in the 25-foot sight triangle shown in the Building Department fence materials. The sight-triangle diagram states that nothing between 30 inches and 60 inches in height may be located within the shaded sight-triangle area.
• Utility Easement Crossings: Fences may cross utility easements at 90 degrees or at perpendicular crossings by means of gates or easily removable panels. The removable panels may not be screwed or nailed.
• Utility Easement Access Area: Where the utility-easement crossing method is used, the fence materials require the first 10 feet back into the easement from the point furthest from the house to have no posts or center posts.
• Utility Clearance: If One Call has been called and no utilities are located in the easement, fencing may occur using posts or center posts, with the condition that the fence must be removed at the property owner’s expense if a utility later needs to use the easement.
• Divided Utility Easements: If a 15-foot divided easement is divided between two property owners, the easement must remain unfenced between the properties. No posts are allowed in easements, and property owners are responsible for keeping their portion of the easement clean.
• Drainage Easements: No fencing is allowed in or over a platted drainage easement.
• Public Rights-of-Way and Public Easements: The code establishes a temporary revocable license process for limited improvements, including fencing, that would temporarily use public rights-of-way or public easements. This does not replace the standard rule that fencing must be located on private property.
• 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
• Maximum Fence Height: Fences cannot exceed 8 feet above the ground.
• Front Yard Height: Fencing in the front yard may not exceed 48 inches.
• Sight Triangle Height: In the Building Department sight-triangle diagram, nothing between 30 inches and 60 inches in height may be located within the shaded 25-foot sight-triangle area.
• Zoning Visual Clearance: The Van Buren Zoning Ordinance states that no lot facing an intersecting street may be occupied by hedges, tall plantings, automobiles, and similar modes of transportation within 15 feet of an intersecting street corner.
• Side and Rear Yard Height: The code does not specify a separate lower height limit for standard residential fences in side or rear yards beyond the 8-foot maximum height.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Finished Surface: Finished fence surfaces must face outward from the property.
• Pool, Water Pond, and Spa Enclosures: Fences used to enclose pools, water ponds, and spas must be at least 48 inches high, with maximum clearance between the bottom of the fence and the ground of no more than 2 inches.
• Utility Easement Panels: Where the utility-easement crossing method applies, the fence must use gating or easily removable panels, and the removable panels may not be screwed or nailed.
• Historic District Materials and Design: In the Van Buren Historic District, exterior work involving fences, walls, and appurtenant fixtures is subject to Certificate of Appropriateness review. The Historic District Design Guidelines address compatibility for site and streetscape features, including walls and fences, based on material, height, profile, texture, and color.
• Material List: The code does not specify a standard residential fence material list or a standalone residential prohibition on chain-link, wood, masonry, barbed-wire, or electric fence materials.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
• Private Covenants: HOAs, subdivision covenants, deed restrictions, private easements, architectural-review covenants, agricultural agreements, and private boundary agreements operate independently from City fence permits and may be more restrictive.
• Permit Scope: A City fence permit does not state approval of private covenants, private boundary agreements, or private easement rights unless the City’s official materials expressly include that review.
REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT
Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:
• Fence Permit Review: New fence construction and replacement of existing fencing are reviewed through the City of Van Buren Building Department fence permit process.
• Repair Threshold: Work replacing less than 50% of the total linear distance of fence surface is treated as a repair and does not require a fence permit under the Building Department fence materials.
• Plot Plan Review: Permit review can include easements, property lines, existing structures and fencing, and proposed fencing.
• Placement Review: Review can include private-property location, the 10-foot front-yard separation from the street or public right-of-way, the 25-foot sight triangle, utility-easement crossings, divided utility easements, and platted drainage easements.
• Height and Construction Review: Review can include the 8-foot maximum fence height, the 48-inch front-yard height limit, finished-side orientation, and pool, water pond, or spa enclosure standards.
• Historic District Review: In the Van Buren Historic District, exterior fence, wall, or appurtenant-fixture work is reviewed through the Certificate of Appropriateness process before permit issuance when that process applies.
• Floodplain Review: In a Special Flood Hazard Area, fence work may require a Floodplain Development Permit because the Flood Damage Prevention Code includes fences in the definition of development.
• Right-of-Way and Easement Review: Fencing that would use a public right-of-way or public easement is reviewed through the temporary revocable license process when applicable.
• Visibility and Access Review: Visibility areas, utility-easement access, drainage easements, and unpermitted or nonconforming fence work may be addressed through permit review or complaint-based code enforcement.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Van Buren, 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 City of Van Buren Building Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Van Buren staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.