FENCE RULES – LOWELL (CITY), ARKANSAS

OVERVIEW

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

Local fence rules appear primarily in the Code of Ordinances of the City of Lowell, Arkansas, especially the Land Development Code provisions for fences, corner visibility, zoning administration, drainage and stormwater, floodplain review, grading, streets and sidewalks, and building and technical codes. The City’s official materials also identify Planning/Community Development, the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Adjustment, Public Works, and Storm Water materials as part of the local administrative framework.

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 Code of Ordinances of the City of Lowell, Arkansas; City of Lowell Planning/Community Development materials; Planning Commission materials; Board of Zoning Adjustment materials; Fire Department materials; Public Works materials; and Storm Water materials as of May 2026.

GOVERNANCE

The governing authority is the City of Lowell. The controlling local source is the Code of Ordinances of the City of Lowell, Arkansas, including Chapter 16, Land Development Code.

The Land Development Code contains the city’s fence definition, fence height limit, residential fence construction standards, corner-visibility rule, drainage and stormwater provisions, floodplain provisions, grading provisions, street and sidewalk excavation rules, and building-code administration provisions.

Planning/Community Development is the primary local administrative office for planning, development, engineering, and safe-construction review. The Planning Commission has express review authority for fences that exceed 8 feet in height. The Board of Zoning Adjustment hears appeals, special exceptions, and variances under the zoning framework.

Public Works and the city’s Storm Water materials are relevant where a fence project intersects with drainage, stormwater, streets, sidewalks, excavation, or public infrastructure.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

• Standard Fence Permit: The Code does not publish a separate local fence permit requirement for standard residential fences.

• Building Permit: Because the City of Lowell has an established building-code and building-permit administration framework. The Arkansas statewide building-code baseline exempts fences not over seven feet from requiring building permits.

• Planning Commission Approval: Fences may not exceed 8 feet in height unless approved by the Planning Commission.

• Floodplain and Grading Review: Land alteration associated with a fence site is governed by the city’s grading provisions when the work qualifies as grading, filling, excavation, or land alteration. Developmental activities in a 100-year floodplain and work on slopes of 20 percent or greater require a grading permit without exception under the grading article.

• Street, Alley, Curb, and Sidewalk Excavation: A permit from the city street superintendent is required before digging, excavating, boring, or removing any portion of a street, alley, curb, or sidewalk.

• Drainage and Stormwater Review: Development or redevelopment that impacts one acre or more is subject to the city’s drainage and stormwater plan provisions, regardless of the type of development or use.

• Private Pool Barriers: The Code does not publish a specific private single-family residential pool-barrier fence rule.

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 and Intersections: On corner lots at intersecting two-way streets, nothing may be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow in a manner that materially impedes vision between 2 feet and 8 feet above curb grade within the triangular area formed by the street-side property lines and a connecting line 25 feet from their point of intersection.

• Drainage Channels: For open paved storm drainage channels, fences may not be erected below the shoulder of the sodded section, and fences may not be closer than 6 feet, measured horizontally, to the edge of the paved section.

• Street, Alley, Curb, and Sidewalk Areas: Fence work that digs, excavates, bores, or removes any portion of a street, alley, curb, or sidewalk is subject to the city street-excavation permit rule.

• Floodplain and Grading Areas: Land alteration for a fence site is governed by the grading article when it qualifies as grading, filling, excavation, or land alteration. Developmental activities in a 100-year floodplain and work on slopes of 20 percent or greater require a grading permit without exception.

• Agricultural Animal Enclosures: Where chickens are allowed, a fenced yard qualifies as part of a chicken enclosure only if the fence is built from a solid, non-permeable material with solid wood, metal, or plastic components and is located at least 25 feet from the boundary of each neighboring property. Chicken enclosures must be in the rear or side yard.

• 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: Residential fences may not exceed 8 feet in height unless approved by the Planning Commission.

• Yard-Based Height Limits: The Code does not specify separate maximum fence heights for front yards, side yards, or rear yards.

• Corner Visibility: The corner-visibility rule applies to fences, walls, plants, and other objects that materially impede vision between 2 feet and 8 feet above curb grade within the 25-foot sight triangle at intersecting two-way streets.

• City Adjustment of Sight Triangle: The city may increase the sight-triangle standard when warranted for traffic safety. The standard may be lessened at intersections involving one-way streets.

• Beekeeping Flyway Barriers: Where a beehive colony is within 25 feet of a public or private property line, the beekeeper must maintain a flyway barrier at least 6 feet high, consisting of a solid wall, fence, dense vegetation, or a combination, extending 10 feet beyond the colony in each direction.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Residential Support Posts: In all residential zoning districts, horizontal and vertical support posts must be inside the fenced area or hidden from outside view, except for decorative columns and posts.

• Support-Post Exceptions: The residential support-post rule does not apply where a fence abuts a nonresidential zoning district or where the adjacent property owner agrees to a plan placing support posts on the outside.

• Exposed Steel: All exposed steel, except galvanized metal, must have a color finish coat and must be preserved against rust and corrosion.

• Fence Maintenance: All fences must be maintained in original upright condition. Fences intended to be painted or finished must be maintained in original condition.

• Replacement Components: Missing boards, pickets, or posts must be replaced in a timely manner with the same type and quality of material.

• Barbed Wire and Electrified Fences: Barbed wire and electrified fences are prohibited on all lots less than 2 acres.

• Subdivision Fence Coordination: Fences within a common subdivision placed along arterial or collector streets must be coordinated by the developer for the same height, spacing pattern, colors, and materials.

• Chain Link: The Code does not publish a general prohibition on chain-link fences for standard residential fencing.

• Animal Fenced Areas: 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.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

HOAs, covenants, subdivision restrictions, deed restrictions, private easements, agricultural agreements, architectural-review covenants, and private boundary agreements operate independently from city fence regulations and may be more restrictive.

The City’s zoning regulations state that the city is not responsible for enforcing deed restrictions or restrictive covenants. The city’s floodplain provisions also state that floodplain rules do not repeal, abrogate, or impair existing easements, covenants, or deed restrictions, and that the more restrictive instrument applies when requirements overlap.

REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT

Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:

• Planning Commission Approval: Fences over 8 feet require approval by the Planning Commission.

• Corner Visibility: Fences, walls, plants, or other objects that materially impede vision between 2 feet and 8 feet above curb grade within the 25-foot corner sight triangle may be reviewed as visibility conflicts.

• Residential Construction Standards: Residential fence support-post placement, exposed-steel finishing, rust prevention, upright maintenance, finished-surface maintenance, and replacement of missing boards, pickets, or posts may be reviewed under the city’s fence construction and maintenance standards.

• Prohibited Materials: Barbed wire and electrified fences on lots less than 2 acres may be reviewed under the material prohibition.

• Drainage Channel Placement: Fences below the shoulder of the sodded section of an open paved storm drainage channel, or closer than 6 feet to the edge of the paved section, may be reviewed under the drainage-channel rule.

• Street and Sidewalk Excavation: Digging, excavating, boring, or removing any portion of a street, alley, curb, or sidewalk without the required city permit may be reviewed under the street-excavation rule.

• Floodplain, Grading, and Stormwater Conditions: Developmental activities in a 100-year floodplain, work on slopes of 20 percent or greater, qualifying grading or land alteration, and development or redevelopment impacting one acre or more may be reviewed under the city’s grading, floodplain, and stormwater provisions.

• Animal and Agricultural Enclosures: Chicken enclosures, animal fenced areas, and beekeeping flyway barriers may be reviewed under the city’s animal, agricultural animal, and beekeeping provisions where those rules apply.

USING THIS INFORMATION

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