Mebane, NC Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Mebane UDO § 4-2(D)
- Barbed/razor wire
- Banned except to enclose livestock
- Electric fencing
- Banned except to enclose livestock
- Barbed wire topping
- Prohibited in residential districts
- Welded wire fences
- Must be framed on all sides
- Pay window after citation
- 15 days
- Enforcing office
- Zoning Administrator, Planning & Zoning Dept.
Summary
In the City of Mebane, North Carolina, the Unified Development Ordinance outlaws six fence types citywide: barbed or razor wire, fencing carrying electrical current, flammable materials such as paper or cloth, concertina wire, unframed welded wire, and any fence topped with barbed wire or metal spikes in a residential district. Livestock enclosures may still use barbed wire or electric current, and the Development Director may approve flammable screening for athletic facilities.
4. The following fence types are prohibited: (a) Fences constructed primarily of barbed or razor wire, except for the purpose of enclosing livestock; (b) Fences carrying electrical current, except for the purpose of enclosing livestock; (c) Fences constructed of readily flammable material such as paper, cloth, or canvas, except when approved by the Development Director for screening athletic or public facilities; (d) Fences topped with barbed wire or metal spikes in residential districts, except those serving a public institution for public safety or security purposes; (e) Fences constructed of concertina wire and; (f) Fences constructed of welded wire not framed as specified by the standards in Section 4-2, D-3(f). ... (d) Orientation of Barbed Wire: On fences topped with barbed wire, the bottom strand must be at least six feet above grade.
Full Breakdown
The Zoning Administrator and Development Director administer Mebane UDO Section 4-2(D), adopted with the Ordinance in 2008 and amended June 6, 2022, July 11, 2022 and June 3, 2024. Only masonry or stone walls, ornamental iron, aluminum or steel, chain-link, wood, vinyl picket or slat, and welded wire framed on all sides by stained wood or masonry at minimum every eight feet are permitted fence types; the Development Director may approve similar materials on a case-by-case basis. An unframed welded wire fence is treated the same as a prohibited type under Section 4-2, D-3(f).
Where a fence is topped with barbed wire, such as fencing serving a public institution for safety or security, the bottom strand must sit at least six feet above grade. Fences must also stay clear of any corner-lot sight triangle measuring ten feet from the right-of-way and extending seventy feet along each side, and they cannot alter the natural flow of water in a stream, creek, or drainage swale. A fence must be kept plumb and in safe repair; one left to deteriorate through neglect must be repaired, replaced, or demolished to current City standards.
Under Section 11-5(C), the property owner, occupant, and any contractor or agent who builds or maintains a violating fence can each be held responsible for the civil penalty.
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining a prohibited fence violates the UDO and can draw a civil penalty under Section 11-5 once the Zoning Administrator issues a notice of violation and, if uncorrected, a citation. The citation directs the violator to pay within fifteen days; each day the violation continues is a separate offense subject to an additional penalty, and unpaid penalties are referred to the General Court of Justice for collection after thirty days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put an electric fence around my yard in Mebane?
Is barbed wire ever allowed on a Mebane fence?
What happens if I already built a prohibited fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mebane
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