Fence Regulations in Decatur, GA (2026)
3 verified fence regulations for Decatur, Georgia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Decatur's UDO caps front-yard fences and walls at 4 feet, rear and side fences at 8 feet (dropping to 4 feet on any lot line abutting a required front yard), and bars any fence, wall or shrub between 3 and 15 feet tall within 20 feet of a street intersection.
Decatur, GA Fence Height & Visibility Rules
Some RestrictionsDecatur Unified Development Ordinance § 7.2.1
A.No wall or fence in a front yard shall exceed height of 4 feet.B.No wall or fence in a rear or side yard shall exceed a height of 8 feet. Where 8' fencing is allowed, it must be reduced in height to 4' on any lot line abutting a required front yard. ... C.In all use districts, except the general business district, no fence, wall, shrubbery, sign, marquee, or other obstruction to vision betwee...
Retaining Walls
In the City of Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia, building a retaining wall inside one of the city's local historic districts always triggers Historic Preservation Commission review, no matter how short the wall is. The Unified Development Ordinance exempts ordinary fences and walls under 4 feet from that review, but it names retaining walls as the one exception carved out of that exemption in both the Clairemont Avenue and Parkwood historic districts.
Retaining Walls Trigger Historic Review in Decatur, GA
Significant RestrictionsDecatur Unified Development Ordinance §§ 5.2.8.D.2.j, 5.2.11.D.2.d.viii
j.Fences and wall, other than retaining walls less than 4 feet high. ... viii.Fences and Walls With the exception of retaining walls, installation of a fence or wall in front of the building line is prohibited. Fences and walls behind the building line are subject to existing zoning regulations and are not subject to review by the Historic Preservation Commission.
Material Restrictions
In the City of Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia, the Unified Development Ordinance bans barbed wire, razor wire and chain-link fencing wherever visible from a public plaza, sidewalk-level outdoor dining area or public right-of-way inside the Mixed-Use (MU) zoning district. The rule governs redevelopment parcels in the MU district only, not the city's R-85, R-60 or R-50 single-family neighborhoods.
Decatur GA Bans Barbed Wire, Chain-Link in MU District
Some RestrictionsDecatur Unified Development Ordinance § 4.6.5.B
No barbed wire, razor wire, chain-link fence, or similar elements shall be visible from any public plaza, ground level, or sidewalk level outdoor dining area or public right-of-way.
Looking for DeKalb County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Decatur city rules.
Fence Regulations in DeKalb County →