5 Texas HOA & City Council Fence Rules

Before replacing an old fence, it is important to check whether there are any local development standards or fence regulations. Hiring an experienced Humble Fence Company always makes this process easier to navigate. It is not what a homeowner wants to have to spend money on a fence only to find out that it must be rebuilt to meet specific requirements. While most fence companies will advise homeowners about common privacy fence regulations and the importance of communicating with their local HOA, POA or city council, it is up to the homeowner to find out more about restrictions and bylaws.

The developer usually decides on the bylaws and fencing standards for a particular area. Master-planned communities such as The Woodlands, for example, have their own residential development guidelines that are updated every few years. You will be fined if you don’t follow the Texas residential fence laws.

Some areas in Humble, TX, like Harris County, rely on the Municipal Utility District (MUD), to enforce fencing standards. Other areas may only rely upon the city council. It doesn’t matter if your neighborhood is under an HOA, POA or MUD, it’s important that you understand the common standards as well as fencing bylaws.

Aesthetic Consistency

This is a simple one. Some developments want their neighborhood to look consistent so they have established fence height regulations and code requirements for homeowners. Some guidelines also specify the colors of stain or paint that can be used on fences. It’s easy to see which neighborhoods have rules that ensure aesthetic consistency when you drive through them. If every fence in your neighborhood is identical, it’s likely that they adhere to the HOA fence guidelines you must follow when installing a new one.

Structural Integrity

Although some homeowners associations and fences laws are not as strict in terms of aesthetic consistency, they will insist that fences be built in a specific way and restrict the types of fence materials allowed. The Woodlands HOA fence rules require fences to be made of wood, metal, stone or masonry. They prohibit fences from being built of chainlink, metal sheets or plastic. These decisions are made to ensure fences don’t fall over. This is in line with the next common standard.

Homeowner & Neighborhood Safety

Safety is an important consideration in any development, particularly when it comes to fencing. There are many HOA Texas laws you need to follow when building a fence around your pool. You must also have an inspector verify that the fence is compliant with these laws. Check your local regulations.

You must mark underground utility lines if you want to build a fence next to or on a utility easement. Texas Fence will contact the utility company to arrange this before we construct your fence. Texas HOA laws might also require that we provide adequate clearance for service personnel or vehicles who need emergency access to the easement. This will be discussed with you when we plan your fence project.

HOA rules regarding fences can also require that the rail side face the yard. This is especially important for homes that back onto major roads or freeways. It is now more difficult to climb over fence rails and trespass on another person’s property. There are privacy fence regulations in some areas that govern fencing for pets. These regulations specify what you can and cannot use to pet fence.

Location & Property Lines

A general rule for fence construction is that it must be on the homeowner’s land. Some areas might require a surveyor be called to locate the ground pins marking the property line to prevent homeowners from building fences that extend onto public property or into neighboring yards. Texas’ residential fence laws require that fences be five feet from sidewalks or property lines. Fences cannot extend beyond the front corners of homes according to some HOA guidelines. There are also many areas that require good-neighbor fencing. This is a fence that alternates rails from your fence with your neighbor’s fence, if the fence is between two properties.

Nature Preservation

Humble’s HOA Houston regulations on fencing require that trees, lakes, and the landscape be preserved in a particular area. The Woodlands fence bylaws prohibit you from attaching to any part of trees. They have strict tree preservation codes. You must make sure that your fence does not get in the way of a tree. The Woodlands and other areas require that homeowners plant bushes on the street-facing side if the fence backs onto a sidewalk or major road.

It doesn’t matter if you live in an HOA, POA or MUD area, it is always a good idea to learn the rules and regulations regarding fences in your locality before hiring a fence company.

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