Bowling Green, KY Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

Warren County/Joint Zoning Ordinance Sec. 4.9.3.E.5 (Cemetery Road KY 234 Urban Growth Overlay) and Sec. 4.9.3.F.5 (Lovers Lane KY 880 Urban Growth Overlay) state: 'Acceptable fence material shall be wood, masonry, stone, vinyl/PVC, tubular steel or aluminum, agricultural fence (for agricultural purposes) and decorative wrought iron. All chain-link fences are prohibited within the Overlay District (except on existing individual single family residential lots). All fences shall be at least four feet in height and not higher than eight feet in height.' Sec. 4.9.4.G.1 (Chestnut Dodd and Upper East Main Local Historic Districts) specifies: 'Acceptable visible fence material shall be wood, brick, stone, or wrought or cast iron and must be appropriate and compatible with the architectural style and period of the associated building. Aluminum fences may be permitted in rear yards in a style appropriate for the associated building.' Sub-item e states: 'Vinyl fences, Wooden split rail fences and all chain-link fences are prohibited within the Historic Overlay District.' Sub-item d adds: 'New retaining walls should be of BRICK or STONE and not of poured concrete, concrete block, rusticated concrete block or railroad ties.' Sec. 4.9.4.H.1 (College Hill) allows wood, brick, stone, aluminum and wrought iron and likewise prohibits vinyl, split-rail, and chain-link. Sec. 4.9.4.I.1 (Downtown Commercial) allows wood, masonry, stone, aluminum and wrought iron and prohibits vinyl, split-rail, and chain-link. Inside Local Historic Districts, fence designs also require a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the Historic Preservation Board before a building permit can be issued. Outside the overlay districts, the zoning ordinance imposes no material restriction on residential, commercial, or industrial fences, though landscape buffers between incompatible uses (Sec. 4.6.8.D.6.b) cannot use chain-link to satisfy that buffer requirement.