Maximum Fence Height Standards for Side and Rear Yards in Arlington, Texas

In the City of Arlington, residential privacy fences located in side and rear yards generally may not exceed a maximum height of 8 feet. For industrial developments located within the Light Industrial (LI) and Industrial Manufacturing (IM) districts, the City of Arlington allows fences and gates to reach a maximum height of 12 feet. Specific perimeter fencing requirements along major thoroughfares or within designated screening areas typically require a height range between 6 and 8 feet.

Residential Fence Height Requirements

For single-family and two-family residential dwellings in the City of Arlington, the maximum height for a privacy fence is established based on its location and the type of street it offsets. Fences located within the front yard setback are subject to more restrictive height limits (typically 3 to 4 feet), while side and rear yard fences are permitted to be taller to provide adequate screening and security [Section 5.3.4.A.2].

Residential Height Standards by Location

Fence Type or Location	Minimum Height	Maximum Height
Privacy Fences on Single-Family Residentially Zoned Lots	N/A	8 feet
Perimeter Fencing adjacent to Major Thoroughfares	6 feet	8 feet*
Perimeter Fencing adjacent to Minor Collector or Local Streets	6 feet	8 feet
Level 1 Screening and Buffering Areas	6 feet	8 feet
Fencing adjacent to Parkland or Internal Designated Open Space	N/A	8 feet
Side Property Line of a Corner Lot (within visibility triangle)	N/A	2 feet

*Note: In certain locations, the City of Arlington may authorize an increase to 10 feet for no more than 10 percent of the total linear length of the fence to create architectural variation [Section 5.3.4.A.2.b(1)].

Corner Lot Restrictions

The City of Arlington imposes strict height limitations on corner lots to ensure traffic safety. No fence located on the side property lines of a corner lot or a reverse corner lot may be taller than 2 feet if it is situated within the visibility triangle [Section 5.3.4.A.2.e(7)].

Non-Residential and Industrial Fence Height Requirements

Fencing standards for commercial, mixed-use, and industrial properties in the City of Arlington are determined by the specific zoning district and the intensity of the land use. While general non-residential fencing follows the standard 8-foot limit, industrial zones are granted additional height for enhanced security [Section 5.3.4.B].

Non-Residential and Industrial Height Standards

District Type / Use	Maximum Height
Non-Residential and Mixed-Use Zoning Districts (General)	8 feet
Commercial Uses located in Residential or Industrial Districts	8 feet
Industrial Uses in Light Industrial (LI) and Industrial Manufacturing (IM)	12 feet
Electric Fences (Permitted only in the IM Zoning District)	12 feet

Industrial and Electric Fence Regulations

In the Light Industrial (LI) and Industrial Manufacturing (IM) districts of the City of Arlington, fencing for industrial uses may reach up to 12 feet in height [Section 5.3.4.B.2.a]. Electric fences are exclusively permitted in the Industrial Manufacturing (IM) district, provided they do not exceed 12 feet in height and are not located within the Entertainment District Overlay (EDO) or Downtown Neighborhood Overlay (DNO) [Section 5.3.4.B.3].

Special District Exceptions

The City of Arlington Unified Development Code notes that certain areas are excepted from these general standards and may be subject to site-specific regulations. These include:

Planned Development (PD) districts with specific fence design standards.
The Entertainment District Overlay (EDO).
The Village on the Green at Tierra Verde (VG).
The Downtown (DB) district.
Conservation District Overlay (CDO) districts [Section 5.3.4.A.1.a].

Sections Cited

Section 5.3.4.A, Single-Family and Two-Family Residential Fencing
Section 5.3.4.B, Fencing in Non-Residential and Mixed-Use Districts
Section 5.3.4.A.1, Applicability
Section 5.3.4.A.2, Residential Fencing Types