Bowie, MD Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

Chapter 26's fence subdivision on security exemption plans, § 26-44, is the City Code's only pathway for barbed wire, razor wire, or an electric fence in Bowie: subsection A requires a landowner who wants any of the three, or a fence or wall taller than § 26-2's standard limits, to submit a security exemption plan to the Planning Director rather than building it as of right. Subsection B lets the Planning Director approve the plan, with or without conditions, only after finding two things. First, under B(1), the property's condition, location or history of activity must show it faces significantly greater danger of theft or damage than surrounding land, or represents a significant public safety hazard, that cannot be addressed without a taller fence, an electric fence, or barbed or razor wire.

Second, under B(2), the proposed fence or wall cannot have a significant adverse effect on the security, function, appearance or value of adjacent land or the surrounding area. If the applicant cannot satisfy both findings, § 26-44C requires the Planning Director to disapprove the plan outright. A landowner who disagrees with that decision can appeal to the Bowie Advisory Planning Board under § 26-44D. This process sits apart from the general height and setback rules in § 26-2 and from the Board of Appeals variance track in § 26-15, giving heightened-security fencing its own dedicated review rather than folding it into the ordinary fence permit or variance process.