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.
The Buncombe County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 78, Article VI) does not impose a numeric maximum height on ordinary residential fences. Section 78-581's definition of 'Structure' lists 'fences ten feet in height or less' among the items exempt from the setback requirements, meaning such a fence may be placed anywhere on the lot, including on the boundary line. A fence taller than ten feet is treated as a structure and must meet the yard setbacks of the applicable zoning district under Section 78-642. On corner lots, fences must also clear the sight-distance rule of Section 78-661. These standards apply only to the unincorporated county; Asheville and other towns set their own limits.
A fence violating zoning standards is enforced by the Buncombe County zoning administrator; Section 78-583 allows a $100.00 per day civil penalty, waived if the violation is remedied within 30 days.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Buncombe County's height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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