FENCE RULES – HARRISON (CITY), ARKANSAS

OVERVIEW

Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Harrison, subject to local regulations. For properties located outside City of Harrison municipal limits, Boone County regulates fences in unincorporated areas.

Local fence rules appear primarily in the City of Harrison Land Development Regulations, especially Sec. 1400.8, Fence and Wall Requirements. Related review context appears in the City of Harrison Zoning Code, the Harrison Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division permit and code-enforcement materials, the City’s floodplain materials, and the Harrison Property Maintenance Code.

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 Harrison Land Development Regulations, City of Harrison Zoning Code, Harrison Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division permit and code-enforcement materials, City of Harrison Floodplain Development Permit Application, Harrison Property Maintenance Code, and City of Harrison Vehicles and Traffic Ordinance No. 1510 as of May 2026.

GOVERNANCE

The governing authority is the City of Harrison. Fence standards are administered through the City’s adopted zoning, land-development, building, floodplain, and property-maintenance framework.

The City does not publish a single consolidated fence chapter. The principal residential fence standards appear in Sec. 1400.8 of the City of Harrison Land Development Regulations, which applies to fences and walls in all zoning districts. The City of Harrison Zoning Code supplies related visibility and setback-area controls.

The Harrison Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division administers building-permit, inspection, and code-enforcement functions. City materials also identify Code Enforcement Officers as enforcing adopted City codes, including the Building Code, Fire Code, Clean Premises, and related local requirements.

Planning, zoning, land-development, and floodplain questions are administered through the City’s planning and public-works framework, with the City Engineer identified as the contact for zoning, planning, and floodplain matters.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

• Fence Permit: The City publishes general building-permit, online-permit, inspection, and payment processes through the Harrison Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division, but the accessible permit materials do not publish a separately titled standard residential fence permit requirement. Residential fences are controlled by Sec. 1400.8, Fence and Wall Requirements, when a fence is newly constructed, extended, replaced in a different size, location, or material, or replaced by more than 50 percent of its linear length.

• Partial Replacement: Replacement of less than 50 percent of the linear length of an existing fence or wall is exempt from the new-construction fence and wall standards, but it must not impede a sight triangle, impede a drainage way, be placed in certain utility easements requiring gated access, or encroach across neighboring property lines.

• Building Permit Context: The City administers building permits through the Harrison Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division. Local fence standards cap standard new or replacement fences at 6 feet above grade, so ordinary residential fences do not reach the Arkansas statewide building-permit baseline for fences over 7 feet. A fence above the local 6-foot limit is outside the City’s published standard residential fence limits.

• Floodplain Approval: No work of any kind may begin in a regulated floodplain until a floodplain development permit is issued where the City’s floodplain rules apply. Fence work involving excavation, grading, fill, obstruction, or related site development within a floodplain may require floodplain review.

• Drainage Easement Review: Fences and walls must not impede normal stormwater flow and must not cross an open drainage channel. A proposed fence or wall in a drainage easement is reviewed case by case.

• Access Easement Review: Fences and walls are prohibited over public access easements. Fences over private emergency access easements require approval by the Fire Department to maintain fire access.

• Pool, Spa, Hot Tub, and Water-Feature Enclosures: Where a fence serves as the required enclosure for a pool, spa, hot tub, or certain detention or retention ponds, the fence must meet the City’s enclosure standards.

FENCE PLACEMENT RULES

• Private Property: All fences and walls must be located on private property with the consent of the property owner. The installer and property owner are responsible for determining property-line locations.

• 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.

• Front Yard Placement: A fence or wall located in the front yard, or closer to the front property line than the front surface of the building on a typical residential lot, is limited to 3 feet in height.

• Side Exterior Yard Placement: A fence or wall in a side exterior yard is limited to 3 feet in height, except where two corner lots have abutting rear property lines and side exterior yards on the same street. In that situation, the maximum height is 6 feet.

• Side Interior and Rear Yard Placement: A fence or wall in a side interior yard or rear yard may be up to 6 feet in height.

• Public Right-of-Way: A fence or wall adjacent to a public right-of-way may be no closer than 5 feet to the current or proposed public right-of-way, as prescribed by the Master Street Plan.

• Sight Distance: Fences and walls near intersections must maintain safe sight distance and must remain clear of the required sight-distance triangle.

• Utility Easements: Walls used as fences and retaining-wall footings are prohibited in utility easements. Other fences may be placed in utility easements, but a fence that encloses one or more utility easements must have a gate for access to the easement.

• Drainage Easements: Fences and walls must not impede normal stormwater flow and must not cross open drainage channels. Proposed fences or walls in drainage easements are reviewed case by case.

• Access Easements: Fences and walls may not be placed over public access easements. Fences over private emergency access easements require Fire Department approval to maintain fire access.

• 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 Height: New fences and walls, and replacements of more than 50 percent of the linear length of an existing fence or wall, may not exceed 6 feet above grade.

• Front Yard Limit: A fence or wall in the front yard, or closer to the front property line than the front surface of the building on a typical residential lot, may not exceed 3 feet in height.

• Side Exterior Yard Limit: A fence or wall in a side exterior yard may not exceed 3 feet in height, except where two corner lots have abutting rear property lines and side exterior yards on the same street. In that situation, the maximum height is 6 feet.

• Side Interior and Rear Yard Limits: A fence or wall in a side interior yard or rear yard may not exceed 6 feet in height.

• Required Yard and Setback Visibility: In any required yard or required setback area, nothing permanent over 3 feet may be installed if it materially impedes vision between vehicular or pedestrian traffic.

• Corner-Lot Sight Triangle: On corner lots, nothing permanent between 30 inches and 60 inches in height may be installed within the sight triangle.

• Driveway and Access Visibility: Driveway and access-area sight triangles must remain clear. Structures or plantings in the applicable sight triangle may not exceed 30 inches in height.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Finished Side: When a fence or wall is visible from a public right-of-way, the finished surface must face outward. Posts and supporting members must be located inside the finished surface or integrated into the finished-surface design.

• Thoroughfare Gate Access: Fence segments abutting a thoroughfare must provide at least one gate per lot for maintenance and mowing access to the area between the fence and street pavement, except for corner lots. A homeowners’ association maintenance arrangement may satisfy this requirement where the City receives a maintenance letter.

• Razor Wire: Razor wire is prohibited, except that industrial anti-climb measures may be allowed where applicable. Razor wire may not be located within 5 feet of a public sidewalk right-of-way or within 5 feet of the street right-of-way where no sidewalk exists.

• Barbed Wire: Barbed wire is prohibited, except for agricultural uses and industrial anti-climb measures where applicable. Barbed wire may not be located within 5 feet of a public sidewalk right-of-way or within 5 feet of the street right-of-way where no sidewalk exists.

• Electric Fences: Electric fences are prohibited, except for agricultural uses where applicable. Electric fences may not be located within 5 feet of a public sidewalk right-of-way or within 5 feet of the street right-of-way where no sidewalk exists.

• Underground Pet Fences: Underground electric pet fences are permitted.

• Pool, Spa, and Hot Tub Enclosures: Where a fence serves as the required enclosure for a pool, spa, or hot tub, the enclosure must be at least 48 inches high. The bottom clearance may not exceed 2 inches. Gates must swing away from the pool or spa and must be self-closing and self-latching, except for equipment-access gates more than 5 feet wide that remain locked except when used for equipment access.

• Pool Gate Latch Height: Gate latch hardware accessible from outside the enclosure must be at least 54 inches above ground. If latch hardware is on the inside of the gate, it must be at least 3 inches below the top of the gate, and the gate and barrier may not have openings larger than 1/2 inch within 18 inches of the latch.

• Pool Fence Openings: Pool, spa, and hot-tub enclosures may not have openings large enough to pass a 4-inch sphere and may not create a ladder effect. Chain-link openings used for a required enclosure may not exceed 1 1/4 inches.

• Detention and Retention Ponds: Detention or retention ponds with permanent water 2 feet deep or more must meet the pool and spa enclosure standards when a fence or wall is installed around them.

• Maintenance: Exterior surfaces, including fences, must be maintained in good condition. Exterior wood surfaces, other than decay-resistant woods, must be protected from the elements and decay by paint or another protective covering or treatment. Peeling, flaking, and chipped paint must be eliminated and surfaces repainted. Metal surfaces subject to rust or corrosion must be coated or stabilized to inhibit rust and corrosion.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

Private restrictions operate independently from City fence rules. These may include HOA covenants, subdivision restrictions, deed restrictions, private easements, architectural-review covenants, agricultural agreements, boundary agreements, or private maintenance obligations.

Private restrictions may be more restrictive than the City’s published fence standards. The City’s materials do not state that the City enforces private covenants or private agreements as municipal fence regulations.

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 and Wall Standards: New fences and walls, extensions, changes in size, location, or material, and replacements exceeding 50 percent of linear length may be reviewed under Sec. 1400.8.

• Height Limits: Fence height may be reviewed against the 3-foot front-yard and side-exterior-yard limits, the 6-foot side-interior and rear-yard limits, and the overall 6-foot above-grade maximum.

• Visibility: Fences, walls, structures, or plantings may be reviewed where they affect required yards, setbacks, corner-lot sight triangles, street intersections, driveway visibility, or pedestrian and vehicle sight distance.

• Rights-of-Way: Fences and walls adjacent to public rights-of-way may be reviewed for the 5-foot separation from the current or proposed public right-of-way.

• Easements and Drainage: Utility easements, drainage easements, open drainage channels, public access easements, and private emergency access easements may create separate placement limits or approval conditions.

• Floodplain: Fence work in a regulated floodplain may require floodplain development review before work begins.

• Pool and Water-Feature Enclosures: Pool, spa, hot tub, and qualifying detention or retention pond enclosures may be reviewed for the City’s enclosure height, gate, latch, opening, and ladder-effect standards.

• Property Maintenance: Existing fences may be reviewed where they are not maintained in good condition, where exterior surfaces are deteriorated, or where property conditions interfere with drainage or create clean-premises issues.

USING THIS INFORMATION

This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Harrison, 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 Harrison Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division, the City Engineer, and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Harrison staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.