7 rules for unincorporated Buncombe County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Buncombe County's Zoning Ordinance sets no maximum height for a standard residential fence in the unincorporated county. Instead it exempts fences ten feet or less from setback rules, so a fence up to ten feet high may sit on a property line without triggering the district yard setbacks.
Buncombe County Code Sec. 78-581 (Structure)
For the purposes of the dimensional requirements set forth in this article, the following structures are exempt from the setback requirements of this section: detached structures less than 12 feet in length on any given side and less than ten feet in height, incidental to a residential use; utility poles; fences ten feet in height or less; and on-premises signage.
Buncombe County zoning does not require a separate zoning permit for an ordinary residential fence, and the North Carolina building code exempts residential fences up to seven feet from a building permit. A building permit from Permits and Inspections is required for construction that does need one.
Buncombe County Code Sec. 78-599
Upon receiving a certificate of zoning compliance, a building permit shall be obtained from the Buncombe County Permits and Inspections Department for the construction or alteration of any structure.
A fence ten feet or less may sit on the shared property line in unincorporated Buncombe County. On corner lots, no fence, wall, planting, sign, or obstruction may be erected so as to interfere with the sight distance at the intersection. Cost sharing between neighbors is a private civil matter.
Buncombe County Code Sec. 78-661
On corner lots, no planting, structure, sign, fence, wall or other obstruction shall be erected so as to interfere with the sight distance.
Buncombe County's Zoning Ordinance does not set a standalone retaining-wall height limit, but a wall that also functions as a fence follows the ten-foot setback-exemption rule. In the mountainous Steep Slope/High Elevation Overlay, grading limits and building-code engineering govern retaining structures.
Buncombe County Code Sec. 78-644(f)(4)
The maximum gross site area disturbance allowed in the Steep Slope/High Elevation Overlay District for any single lot, excluding disturbance for installation of individual septic systems, shall be: For lots less than 2.0 acres shall be 0.3 acres. For lots 2.0 acres and larger shall be 15 percent.
In unincorporated Buncombe County, a fence ten feet or less is exempt from yard setbacks and may sit on the property line. Fences must not block sight distance on corner lots, and screening or buffer fences in nonresidential settings carry specific height and maintenance duties.
Buncombe County Code Sec. 78-667(b),(c)
A solid visual barrier fence eight feet in height may be accepted as an alternative buffer by the board of adjustment or zoning administrator... Each fence required by this section or by the board of adjustment shall be maintained in good repair, including periodic painting or refinishing where required.
Buncombe County's Zoning Ordinance sets no material restrictions on ordinary residential fences, so wood, vinyl, metal, chain-link, and masonry are all allowed. Special uses such as junkyards and impound lots have their own required fencing standards.
Buncombe County lets residents use any common fence material for a standard fence. Where screening between uses is required, a solid visual barrier fence, earth mounding, and evergreen planting can be combined to reach the required buffer height.
Buncombe County Code Sec. 78-667(b)(3)
Earth mounding may be used in conjunction with planting or fencing to satisfy height requirements, but slopes shall not exceed one foot in height to two feet horizontal.
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