Apex regulates fence design, height, materials, and location under Section 8.2.7 of the Unified Development Ordinance, reviewed by the Planning Department. Building permits are administered by the Apex Building Inspections Division at (919) 249-3418, 322 N Mason St, which enforces the North Carolina State Building Code. Wake County handles separate building and electrical permits for pools, hot tubs, and spas holding more than 24 inches of water. Fences must comply with Sec. 8.2.7 height, material, finish, and right-of-way standards.
Section 8.2.7 of the Apex UDO governs the materials, height, location, and maintenance of fences, walls, and berms. The Apex Planning Department reviews fence design for UDO conformance, and the Apex Building Inspections Division enforces the North Carolina State Building Code under Chapter 160D of the North Carolina General Statutes. Fences must be 'finished on the side facing a public right-of-way or adjacent properties, except within the Downtown Festival District where the side facing an alley may be unfinished' (Sec. 8.2.7.A.2). Fences in required landscape buffers are permitted only when planned as an integral part of the buffer (Sec. 8.2.7.E.1), and Sec. 8.2.7.E.1 also prohibits fences in Riparian Buffers under Sec. 6.1.11 except those installed by the Town for utility protection. Section 143-138 of the North Carolina General Statutes, as amended by Session Law 2023-108 (House Bill 488), reorganized the Building Code Council and Residential Code Council and limits routine exterior sheathing inspections to regions with ultimate wind speeds of 140 mph or greater, which constrains local code amendments to the NC Residential Code. Fence-related building permits are processed by Apex Building Inspections at 322 N Mason St, Apex NC 27502, phone (919) 249-3418.
Installing a fence that does not meet UDO Sec. 8.2.7 material, height, finished-side, or right-of-way requirements may result in a stop-work order or a notice of violation from the Apex Planning Department or Building Inspections. Privately installed fences within required landscape buffers without integration into the approved buffer plan violate Sec. 8.2.7.E.1 and may have to be removed. Fences erected in Riparian Buffers (other than those installed by the Town) violate Sec. 8.2.7.E.1 and Sec. 6.1.11.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Apex, NC
Apex does not have a code provision specifically prohibiting or permitting artificial turf in residential or commercial landscapes. Where landscape material ...
Apex, NC
Apex does not mandate native plants in private landscapes but actively promotes them. The Town's Plant the Peak program installs native trees on residential ...
Apex, NC
Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Apex. North Carolina state law prohibits local governments from banning cisterns and rain barrels used for ir...
Apex, NC
Apex UDO Sec. 4.5.6 permits one Accessory Apartment per single-family lot. Attached accessory apartments have no size limit. Detached accessory apartments ar...
Apex, NC
Apex Town Code Sec. 13-62 limits Mobile Food Vendors to (a) private property with written owner permission, (b) Town-owned property with the Town Manager's w...
Apex, NC
Apex Town Code Chapter 13, Article IV (Sec. 13-60 through 13-69.5), adopted by Ordinance 2019-0305-02, requires every Mobile Food Vendor and Transient Food V...
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