The Unified Development Code sets construction standards for fences in unincorporated Shelby County, including quality materials, clear sight triangles at corners and driveways, and a 100-foot maximum for unbroken fence planes along public rights-of-way.
Beyond height, the Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code Section 4.6.7 imposes several construction requirements in unincorporated Shelby County. Sub-Section 4.6.7E(1) requires fences and walls to be built of high-quality materials such as decorative blocks, brick, stone, masonry panels, stucco, treated wood, and wrought iron, plus vinyl-coated chain link where permitted. Masonry walls must allow water flow from one side to the other (E(2)). Along a public right-of-way, the maximum length of a continuous, unbroken fence or wall plane is 100 feet, with breaks provided by columns, landscaped areas, transparent sections, or a material change (E(5)). At driveways and corner sites a clear sight triangle under Section 4.4.7 must be kept clear.
Fences failing the material, sight-triangle, or 100-foot-plane standards violate UDC Section 4.6.7 and are enforced by the Division of Planning and Development and Code Enforcement. Enforcement can require modification, added breaks or columns, or removal, plus civil penalties.
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See how Shelby County's fence requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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