|
As the old adage goes, “Good fences make for good neighbors.” While that may be true at times, what a fence can absolutely do for your property is allow for more privacy, act as an additional security measure, and serve as a physical marker relative to your property lines. But before you buy the wood and rent the auger, it’s worth speaking to a member of our team to discuss what you’ll need for a permit application.
Zoning Examiners can speak to you about what they look for when reviewing fence permit applications as they’re following guidance from the Unified Development Code (UDC). A requirement for the fence permit is a detailed site plan, which should include the exact location of the proposed fence on the property as well as its height and the chosen materials.
Submitting your permit application before you begin building or repairing your fence will save you time and money in completing this project. There have been several cases of homeowners and property owners who build their fences too high and then had to cut the additional height. Fences have also been mistakenly placed in areas that are a public right-of-way and had to be removed. Materials have even been purchased without guidance beforehand that were later determined to not be permittable and—even worse—could not be returned.
Though it’s not required to hire a surveyor before building your fence or applying for the permit, it’s strongly recommended as a means of ensuring that your fence is built within your property lines, avoiding future legal conflict with neighbors and remaining compliant with the encroachments on the property. And to be even more cautious, you can contact Tennessee 811 for assistance in marking your underground utilities before beginning to dig.
Your fence permit application will be also be reviewed to determine whether it encloses a building on the property or not. If it does—and does so with the use of a security gate—then there must be proper egress as determined by the adopted residential building codes. And either the Memphis Fire Department or Shelby County Fire Department will have additional feedback concerning egress within the plan review process before a permit is issued.
Altogether, asking questions and doing research before purchasing any materials can save you time and money in your fence construction process. It never hurts to take the time to be knowledgeable when rushing into a project can do much more damage than you even intended. You can visit either the East or Downtown Service Centers to speak to staff in-person without appointment. You can also speak to a member of our team by calling (901) 636-7384.
| 
