How Franklin Handles Fence Regulations: A Practical Guide

Franklin maintains 104 local ordinances across all categories, and 8 of those deal specifically with fence regulations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Franklin falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Approved Materials

Per Section 13.1.6 of the Franklin Zoning Ordinance, residential fences must be built from a combination of treated wood posts, pickets, rot-resistant wood (such as cypress or redwood), or metal, with posts or columns of wood, brick, natural stone, cultured stone, or other masonry. Vinyl/PVC is not listed among the approved residential materials. Chain link is prohibited outside the LI and HI districts (with vinyl-coating requirements where allowed) and barbed wire or electrified wire is allowed only in the AG district for livestock.

Key details: Allowed Residential Materials: Treated wood posts/pickets, rot-resistant wood (cypress, redwood), metal (Sec. 13.1.6). Allowed Post/Column Materials: Wood, brick, natural stone, cultured stone, masonry (Sec. 13.1.6). Vinyl / PVC: Not enumerated in Sec. 13.1.6 - confirm with Planning and Sustainability. Chain Link: Prohibited outside LI/HI (vinyl-coated required where allowed). Wrought Iron / Aluminum / Steel: Permitted in all districts as 'metal' (Sec. 13.1.6).

Installing vinyl/PVC, chain link, barbed wire, or electrified wire fencing in a residential or commercial district may trigger a notice of violation and a requirement to remove or replace the fence with a compliant material. Failing to include masonry columns every 50 feet on a nonresidential fence is a Section 13.1.6 violation that may require retrofitting.

Permit Requirements

Fences in the City of Franklin are reviewed by the Department of Planning and Sustainability for compliance with Chapter 13 of the Zoning Ordinance, and building permits for fences and walls are issued by Building and Neighborhood Services (615-794-7012) at 109 3rd Avenue South. Plan review checks height (Sec. 13.1.2), opacity (Sec. 13.1.4), location and sight-distance triangles, and ensures the fence does not encroach into easements. Retaining walls and fences taller than the standard residential limits require additional engineering review under the City's adopted building code.

Key details: Permitting Authority: City of Franklin Building and Neighborhood Services - 615-794-7012. Zoning Review: Department of Planning and Sustainability. Governing Chapter: Franklin Zoning Ordinance Chapter 13. Current Building Code: 2018 ICC family; 2024 ICC family + 2023 NEC effective January 1, 2026. Statewide Floor: TCA Title 68, Chapter 120 building safety standards.

Erecting a fence without the required zoning review or building permit, or building one that exceeds the height limits in Section 13.1.2 or fails the opacity rule in 13.1.4, may result in a stop-work order, citation, or required removal by Building and Neighborhood Services. Fences within easements may have to be removed at the owner's expense. Inside historic overlays, building without a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Zoning Commission is itself a violation.

Height Limits

Franklin fences are regulated by Chapter 13 (Fences, Walls, and Screening) of the City of Franklin Zoning Ordinance, administered by the Department of Planning and Sustainability. Per Section 13.1.2, the maximum fence height in a residential front yard is 3 feet (4.5 feet for board horse fencing) and the maximum in side and rear yards is 7 feet for residential uses and the OR district (8 feet for nonresidential and mixed-use districts). On a residential corner lot the side-street frontage is allowed up to 7 feet. Fences in front yards must be a maximum of 75 percent opaque.

Key details: Residential Front Yard: 3 feet (4.5 feet for board horse fencing) - Sec. 13.1.2. Residential Side/Rear Yard: 7 feet (residential uses and OR district) - Sec. 13.1.2. Nonresidential/Mixed-Use: 8 feet side and rear (and corner-lot front) - Sec. 13.1.2. Residential Corner Lot Front: Up to 7 feet on the side-street frontage - Sec. 13.1.2. Front Yard Opacity: Maximum 75 percent opaque - Sec. 13.1.4.

A residential fence taller than 3 feet in a front yard (or taller than 7 feet in a side or rear yard) violates Section 13.1.2 and may be required to be lowered. A solid stockade fence in a front yard violates the 75-percent-opacity rule in 13.1.4. Using a berm to gain extra height is prohibited under 13.1.3 and may result in a stop-work order from the Department of Planning and Sustainability or the Building and Neighborhood Services department.

Fence Requirements

Fences in the City of Franklin are governed by Chapter 13 of the Zoning Ordinance, which sets height limits in Section 13.1.2, opacity rules in 13.1.4, material standards in 13.1.6, and prohibitions on locating fences in easements, rights-of-way, or sight-distance triangles. The Department of Planning and Sustainability reviews fence applications and Building and Neighborhood Services (615-794-7012) issues permits. Inside historic overlay districts, fences additionally require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Zoning Commission.

Key details: Governing Chapter: Franklin Zoning Ordinance Chapter 13. Permitting Authority: Building and Neighborhood Services - 615-794-7012. Zoning Review: Department of Planning and Sustainability. Height Standards: Section 13.1.2 - 3 ft front, 7 ft residential side/rear, 8 ft nonresidential. Opacity: Section 13.1.4 - max 75% opaque in front yards.

A fence that exceeds the height limits in Sec. 13.1.2, fails the 75-percent opacity rule in Sec. 13.1.4, uses prohibited materials in non-permitted districts (e.g., chain link in residential or commercial zones outside LI/HI), or is built within an easement, right-of-way, or sight-distance triangle may be cited and ordered removed or modified by Building and Neighborhood Services. Use of barbed wire or above-ground electrified wire outside the AG district is a violation.

Pool Barriers

Residential pool barriers in Franklin must comply with the City-adopted International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) - the 2018 edition for plans submitted before January 1, 2026, and the 2024 edition (adopted by Ordinance 2025-37) for plans submitted on or after that date. Under ISPSC Section 305, the barrier must be at least 48 inches above grade on the side facing away from the pool, openings may not allow a 4-inch-diameter sphere to pass, gates must be self-closing, self-latching, and open outward away from the pool, and the latch must be at least 54 inches above the bottom of the gate (or located on the pool side with restricted nearby openings).

Key details: Governing Code (pre-2026): 2018 ISPSC adopted by City of Franklin. Governing Code (2026+): 2024 ISPSC adopted by Ordinance 2025-37 (Title 12, Ch 7). Minimum Barrier Height: 48 inches above grade (ISPSC 305). Maximum Opening: 4-inch-diameter sphere may not pass (ISPSC 305). Chain-Link Mesh: Max 1-1/4 inch square unless slatted to 1-3/4 in (ISPSC 305).

A pool installed without a compliant ISPSC barrier violates the City-adopted code and Title 12, Chapter 7 of the Franklin Municipal Code. Building and Neighborhood Services can issue stop-use orders, require the pool to be drained until a compliant barrier is installed, and assess civil penalties. Common cited violations include failed self-closing gates, latches below 54 inches that are not pool-side, climbable objects (chairs, AC units, planters) within reach of the barrier, and openings larger than 4 inches.

This is one of the stricter rules in Franklin's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Neighbor Fence Rules

Neither the City of Franklin Municipal Code nor the Franklin Zoning Ordinance contains a 'good-side-out' requirement, a partition-fence statute, or a mandatory cost-sharing rule. Boundary fence disputes between neighbors are private civil matters under Tennessee common law. The City regulates fence location only with respect to property lines, easements, sight-distance triangles, and the right-of-way - it does not survey property lines or adjudicate neighbor cost-sharing claims.

Key details: Good-Side-Out Rule: None in Franklin Zoning Ordinance or Franklin Municipal Code. Cost Sharing: Not mandated by the City - private civil matter under Tennessee common law. Statewide Partition Fence Law: Limited; TCA Title 44, Chapter 8 covers agricultural fences only. Property Line Surveys: Owner's responsibility - City does not survey. Boundary Disputes: Private civil action (trespass, nuisance, adverse possession).

Building a fence over the property line is a civil trespass that the City does not enforce; the encroaching fence must be removed by court order if the neighbor sues. A fence that violates the zoning ordinance (height, opacity, sight-distance, or easement encroachment) can be cited and ordered modified or removed by Building and Neighborhood Services regardless of which neighbor complains.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Franklin gives residents more flexibility on neighbor fence rules.

Material Restrictions

Franklin restricts fence materials by zoning district under Section 13.1.6 of the Zoning Ordinance. Chain link fencing and chain link gates are prohibited everywhere except the LI (Light Industrial) and HI (Heavy Industrial) districts, and only when vinyl-coated dark green or black; in the LI district chain link is additionally prohibited in front yards. Wire fences and above-ground electrified fences are permitted only in the AG (Agricultural) district for the control of livestock. Nonresidential fences must include masonry columns every 50 feet on-center or less.

Key details: Allowed Residential Materials: Treated wood posts/pickets, rot-resistant wood (cypress, redwood), metal (Sec. 13.1.6). Allowed Post/Column Materials: Wood, brick, natural stone, cultured stone, or other masonry (Sec. 13.1.6). Chain Link: LI and HI districts only, vinyl-coated dark green or black; not in LI front yards. Wire/Electric Fences: AG district only, for control of livestock. Barbed Wire / Razor Wire: Not permitted in residential, commercial, or mixed-use districts.

Installing chain link in a residential, OR, commercial, or mixed-use district violates Section 13.1.6. Installing barbed wire, razor wire, or above-ground electrified wire outside the AG district is a violation. Building a nonresidential fence without masonry columns every 50 feet violates 13.1.6 and may require retrofitting. Building Division staff can require non-compliant fences to be removed or replaced.

Compared to other cities, Franklin takes a harder line on material restrictions. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Retaining Walls

Retaining walls in Franklin are regulated under Section 13.2 of the Zoning Ordinance and under the City-adopted International Building Code and International Residential Code. For residential uses, the front-yard retaining wall height is capped at 2 feet and side/rear-yard walls are capped at 6 feet, with a limit of three retaining walls per lot. For multifamily, nonresidential, and mixed uses, a single wall is capped at 10 feet and a pair of walls at 8 feet each (16 feet total grade change). Walls must be set back from lot lines at least 5 feet or the height of the wall (whichever is greater), and walls over 4 feet generally require a permit and engineered design under the IRC/IBC.

Key details: Residential Front Yard Max Height: 2 feet (Sec. 13.2). Residential Side/Rear Max Height: 6 feet (Sec. 13.2). Walls Per Residential Lot: Maximum 3 retaining walls. Multifamily/Nonresidential Single Wall: 10 feet max (Sec. 13.2). Multifamily/Nonresidential Pair: 8 feet per wall, 16 ft total grade change (Sec. 13.2).

Building a residential retaining wall taller than 2 feet in a front yard or 6 feet in a side/rear yard violates Section 13.2. Building any retaining wall over 4 feet (bottom of footing to top of wall) without a permit and engineered drawings violates the City-adopted IRC/IBC. Walls placed within easements, within 6 feet of a fire hydrant, or in the public right-of-way must be removed. Multifamily/nonresidential walls without the required evergreen shrub planting violate Section 13.2 landscaping requirements.

The Bottom Line

Franklin is tougher than many cities when it comes to fence regulations. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Franklin, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Franklin can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.