FENCE RULES – SPRINGDALE (CITY), ARKANSAS
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Springdale, subject to local regulations.
For properties located outside Springdale municipal limits, fence rules depend on the applicable county, municipality, or governing authority for the property location.
Fence rules appear primarily in the City of Springdale Zoning Ordinance, especially Article 6, Section 2.3, which regulates fences, walls, and hedges on residential lots. Related provisions appear in the Property Maintenance Code, the Streets, Sidewalks and Other Public Places chapter, the Flood Damage Prevention chapter, and the Neighborhood Services FAQ guidance for front-yard fences.
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 the City of Springdale Code of Ordinances, Zoning Ordinance, Property Maintenance Code, Streets, Sidewalks and Other Public Places chapter, Flood Damage Prevention chapter, and Neighborhood Services FAQ guidance as of May 2026.
GOVERNANCE
• City of Springdale Code of Ordinances: The city code contains zoning, property maintenance, street-visibility, floodplain, and other provisions that may affect residential fence projects.
• Planning and Community Development Division: The Zoning Ordinance assigns zoning administration and enforcement to the Planning and Community Development Division director.
• Building Inspection Department: The Zoning Ordinance contains general building-permit administration language, but the city code and FAQ materials do not state a local fence-specific building permit trigger for ordinary residential fences.
• Planning Commission: The Planning Commission is relevant where the Zoning Ordinance requires conditional use approval, including the residential horse provisions that require a fencing plan.
• Property Maintenance Code: The Property Maintenance Code applies to fence and wall maintenance, including structural condition, repair, protective treatment, and pool-barrier conditions where applicable.
• Street and Visibility Rules: The city code regulates visibility obstructions at street corners and includes work-zone rules for work in public rights-of-way.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Local Fence Permit: The City of Springdale Code of Ordinances and Neighborhood Services FAQ do not state a local fence permit requirement for ordinary residential fences.
• Statewide Building-Code Baseline: Under the Arkansas statewide baseline for local fence-permit silence, a building permit is required for standard residential fences over 7 feet in height. Local zoning height rules still apply separately.
• Zoning Compliance: Building permit requirements are separate from zoning, setback, or plat requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning conditions, setbacks, and plat requirements with the Planning and Community Development Division before construction.
• Residential Horses: Horses in residential areas require a conditional use permit from the Planning Commission. The grazing area must have a suitable fence, and a fencing plan must be submitted with the conditional use application showing the residential structure, accessory structures, type of fencing, and access points.
• Private Pool Barriers: Private swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas containing water more than 24 inches deep must be surrounded by a fence or barrier at least 48 inches high, with gate and door requirements.
• Floodplain Context: The Flood Damage Prevention chapter does not publish a fence-specific floodplain permit rule. Chapter 50 applies to constructing, locating, substantially altering, or changing the use of any structure or land in a regulated floodplain context.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Allowed Yard Locations: Zoning Ordinance Article 6, Section 2.3 allows fences, walls, and hedges on residential lots in any required yard or along the edge of any yard, subject to the height rules stated in the next section.
• 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 Past the House: The Neighborhood Services FAQ addresses fences in the front yard past the front edge of the house. That FAQ allows a fence in that location only if it is outside the street right-of-way; the height limit for that placement is stated in the height section below.
• Front-Yard Orientation Rule: Springdale’s fence rule states that the front-yard fence condition is dictated by the orientation of the structure. Read in plain terms, the front-yard fence standard follows the way the principal dwelling faces. A fence placed along or forward of the house-facing side of the lot is treated as a front-yard fence condition for fence purposes, even though Article 4 contains separate zoning-yard definitions for other zoning measurements.
• Corner Lots and Street Intersections: On a corner lot, fences and other objects are restricted within the corner visibility area measured 30 feet from the street line. The specific height limit for that visibility area is stated in the height section below.
• Special Overlay Development Areas: Where Springdale’s special overlay development standards apply, fences, walls, landscaping, trees, shrubs, or similar items may not be placed in ingress or egress zones at street corners or in the intersection of a public right-of-way if they obstruct visibility, extend into a sight-distance triangle, or create a traffic hazard.
• Floodplain Areas: The Flood Damage Prevention chapter does not create an ordinary fence setback rule. It may apply where a fence project is part of construction, land alteration, fill, excavation, or another regulated activity in a floodplain context.
• 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
• Front Yard: No fence, wall except a retaining wall, or hedge along the sides or front edge of any front yard may be over 3 feet high.
• Front Yard Past the House: The Neighborhood Services FAQ states that a fence in the front yard past the front edge of the house may not be over 36 inches high.
• Side and Rear Yards: Fences located within or bounding a rear or side yard may not exceed 6 feet in height.
• A-1 Agricultural Boundary With Residential Districts: In an A-1 agricultural district, fences, walls, and hedges along a common boundary with a residential district must comply with the residential fence standards in Article 6, Section 2.3. This means the residential fence height and material framework applies along that shared residential interface rather than treating the shared boundary only as an agricultural fence condition.
• Corner Visibility: On a corner lot, a fence, structure, bush, plant, or other object may not obstruct view within 30 feet of the street line at a height more than 3 feet above the adjacent street pavement.
• Special Overlay Development Areas: Where Springdale’s special overlay development standards apply, fences and walls are subject to a maximum typical height of 8 feet.
• Special Overlay Sight Triangles: Where Springdale’s special overlay sight-distance standards apply, nothing between 30 inches and 60 inches in height may be placed within the sight-triangle area.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Recognized Residential Fence Materials: Fences must be built with recognized fencing materials, including chain link fencing with plastic or metal slats, standard fence wood, vinyl, or metal such as wrought iron.
• Prohibited Materials: The Zoning Ordinance does not allow plywood, scrap lumber, wood pallets, chicken wire, corrugated steel, concertina wire, or fiberglass panels for fences.
• Fence Posts and Supports: Fence posts and supports must be installed on the side of the fence that faces the lot.
• A-1 Barbed Wire: Barbed wire is a suitable material in an A-1 zone. Where A-1 land shares a common boundary with a residential district, the joint-boundary fence, wall, or hedge must comply with the residential fence standards in Article 6, Section 2.3.
• Special Overlay Development Areas: Where Springdale’s special overlay development standards apply, fence and wall design may be subject to additional standards for materials, breaks, pedestrian connections, sight-distance triangles, and visibility.
• Private Pool Barriers: Pool-barrier gates and doors must be self-closing, self-latching, or locked. If the self-latching device is less than 54 inches above the bottom of the gate, the release mechanism must be located on the pool side of the gate. Self-closing and self-latching gates must close and latch when released from an open position of 6 inches from the gatepost. Existing pool enclosures may not be removed, replaced, or changed in a way that reduces effectiveness as a safety barrier.
• Maintenance: Accessory structures, including fences and walls, must be maintained structurally sound and in good repair. Exterior surfaces, including fences, must be maintained in good condition, with wood and metal surfaces protected as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
• Finished-Side Orientation: Fence posts and supports must be installed on the side of the fence that faces the lot.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
Private restrictions operate independently from City of Springdale fence rules.
• Private Covenants and HOAs: Homeowners’ associations, subdivision covenants, deed restrictions, architectural-review covenants, and private agreements may impose fence limits that are more restrictive than city rules.
• Private Easements and Boundary Agreements: Private easements, shared-drive agreements, utility easements, drainage easements, agricultural agreements, and boundary agreements may affect where a fence can be installed.
• City Enforcement: The City of Springdale materials used for this page do not state that the city enforces private HOA covenants or private deed restrictions as part of ordinary fence 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:
• Front-Yard Height: A front-yard fence past the front edge of the house over 36 inches / 3 feet.
• Street Right-of-Way: A front-yard fence located within the street right-of-way.
• Side or Rear Yard Height: A side or rear yard fence over 6 feet.
• Corner Visibility: A fence or other object within 30 feet of the street line on a corner lot that obstructs view at more than 3 feet above adjacent street pavement.
• Fence Materials: Use of prohibited materials, including plywood, scrap lumber, wood pallets, chicken wire, corrugated steel, concertina wire, or fiberglass panels.
• Posts and Supports: Fence posts or supports installed on the side facing away from the lot.
• Pool Barriers: Private pools, hot tubs, or spas with water more than 24 inches deep that do not have the required 48-inch barrier or required gate and door features.
• Residential Horses: Keeping horses in a residential area without the required conditional use approval, suitable fence, or fencing plan.
• A-1 Residential Interfaces: An A-1 fence, wall, or hedge along a common boundary with a residential district that does not comply with the residential fence standards in Article 6, Section 2.3.
• Maintenance: Fences or walls that are not structurally sound, in good repair, or maintained in good exterior condition.
• Special Overlay Development Areas: Fence or wall height, materials, continuity breaks, pedestrian connections, visibility, and sight-triangle issues where Springdale’s special overlay development standards apply.
• Floodplain Context: Construction, land alteration, fill, excavation, drainage work, or other regulated activity in a floodplain context under Chapter 50.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Springdale, 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 the Planning and Community Development Division, the Building Inspection Department, and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Springdale staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.