Under Durham's joint City-County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO Sec. 9.9), a front-yard fence may be up to 4 feet tall, while side- and rear-yard fences may reach 8 feet. Rural-tier and no-street-frontage lots allow 8 feet.
The same UDO governs the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County. Section 9.9.1A sets fence and wall heights by tier and location: along street frontage the by-right limit is 4 feet in most tiers (8 feet in the Rural tier); with no street frontage the limit is 8 feet. On corner lots, fences between the primary structure and the side street are capped at 4 feet. Electric fences may reach 10 feet with a Minor Special Use Permit. Posts and ornamentation are exempt from the height cap.
Zoning violations are enforced by Durham City-County Planning under NCGS 160D; remedies include stop-work orders, civil penalties, and abatement. A variance is required to exceed the by-right height.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Durham declares dense weeds, vines, briars and undergrowth a public nuisance when they harbor pests or sit near buildings. Overgrowth over 12 inches high mus...
See how Durham County's height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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