FENCE RULES – RADCLIFF (CITY), KENTUCKY

OVERVIEW

Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Radcliff, subject to local regulations. For properties located outside City of Radcliff municipal limits, Hardin County regulates fences in unincorporated areas.

Local fence rules appear primarily in The Zoning Ordinance and General Development Regulations for the City of Radcliff, the City of Radcliff Zoning Permit Application, and related Planning, Building, subdivision, floodplain, stormwater, and site-review materials.

Radcliff’s fence rules are zoning-driven. The City publishes a fence permit type in its zoning permit application, and the zoning ordinance sets different fence approval triggers for residential districts, multiple-frontage lots, P.U.D. sites, RU-E Rural Estates ornamental fences, and agricultural properties.

This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one.

Compiled From The Zoning Ordinance and General Development Regulations for the City of Radcliff, City of Radcliff Zoning Permit Application, Subdivision Regulations of the City of Radcliff, City of Radcliff Flood Information, Storm Water Quality Management Ordinance, Economic Development, Planning and Building Department materials, Engineering & Stormwater Department materials, and Kentucky statewide residential-code and utility-notice sources as of June 2026.

GOVERNANCE

The City of Radcliff regulates residential fences through its zoning, planning, floodplain, subdivision, and stormwater systems rather than through a single standalone fence code.

The Economic Development, Planning and Building Department administers zoning, subdivision review, building-permit application review, official zoning-map information, code-compliance functions, and local floodplain administration. The Engineering & Stormwater Department administers stormwater utility, infrastructure plan review, construction-site stormwater runoff control, and post-construction stormwater management.

The zoning ordinance identifies the following zoning districts relevant to residential fence review:

• R-H – Residential Holding: A residential holding district subject to the general residential fence rules.

• R-E – Single-Family Estate: A single-family estate district subject to the general residential fence rules.

• R-1 – Residential-1 (Low Density, Single-Family): A low-density single-family residential district subject to the general residential fence rules.

• R-2 – Residential-2 (Low Density, Single-Family): A low-density single-family residential district subject to the general residential fence rules.

• R-3 – Residential-3 (Medium Density, Single-Family and Duplex): A medium-density single-family and duplex district subject to the general residential fence rules.

• R-4 – Residential-4 (High Density, Single-Family and Duplex): A high-density single-family and duplex district subject to the general residential fence rules.

• R-5 – Residential-5 (Medium Density, Multi-Family): A medium-density multi-family district subject to the general residential fence rules when residential fencing is part of the property context.

• R-6 – Residential-6 (High Density, Multi-Family): A high-density multi-family district subject to the general residential fence rules when residential fencing is part of the property context.

• R-7 – Residential-7 (Mobile Home Residential): A mobile-home residential district subject to the general residential fence rules.

• RU-E – Rural Estates: A rural-estate district subject to the general residential fence rules, with a separate ornamental-fence exception for fences extending past the front of the principal structure.

• P.U.D. – Planned Unit Development: A planned-unit district where fences are controlled by the approved P.U.D. Site Plan and Planning Commission approval for fence location, height, and material.

• AG – Urban Agriculture / Agriculture: The zoning map identifies AG as Urban Agriculture, and the fence rule states that Agriculture is exempt from the general fence guidelines.

The Radcliff Planning Commission is the named approval body for several fence issues, including residential fences over 6 feet, front-yard fences, multiple-frontage-lot fence locations, heights, and materials, wire fences other than chain link, and fences in a P.U.D.

The Radcliff Board of Adjustment hears variances, conditional-use permits, and administrative appeals under the zoning ordinance. The Code Enforcement Board may also be relevant where City ordinances are enforced through civil code-enforcement procedures.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

• Fence / Zoning Permit Application: The City of Radcliff Zoning Permit Application lists Fence as a permit type. For fence applications, the City asks for fence location, fence materials, fence height, a site plan, and photographs.

• Residential-District Approval Trigger: In RU-E Rural Estates, R-E Single-Family Estate, R-1 Residential-1, R-2 Residential-2, R-3 Residential-3, R-4 Residential-4, R-5 Residential-5, R-6 Residential-6, R-7 Residential-7, and R-H Residential Holding districts, fences exceeding 6 feet may be constructed only with Planning Commission approval.

• Front-Yard Fence Approval: In RU-E Rural Estates, R-E Single-Family Estate, R-1 Residential-1, R-2 Residential-2, R-3 Residential-3, R-4 Residential-4, R-5 Residential-5, R-6 Residential-6, R-7 Residential-7, and R-H Residential Holding districts, front-yard fences may be permitted only with Planning Commission approval and only based on specific conditions. The ordinance gives medical extenuating conditions as an example.

• Approved Front-Yard Fence Limits: A front-yard fence approved by the Planning Commission may not extend more than 15 feet from the façade of the principal structure, may not exceed 5 feet in height, may be constructed only of vinyl, aluminum, or wood, and may not be solid or opaque.

• Multiple-Frontage Lots: For double-frontage, triple-frontage, and quadruple-frontage lots, fence locations, heights, and materials must be approved by the Planning Commission.

• Wire Fences: In the residential districts listed above, wire fences other than chain link are not allowed unless approved by the Planning Commission.

• P.U.D. Fences: In a Planned Unit Development (P.U.D.), no fence is allowed unless the fence is shown on an approved P.U.D. Site Plan and the Planning Commission has approved its location, height, and building material.

• RU-E Rural Estates Ornamental Fence Exception: In the RU-E Rural Estates district, ornamental fences may extend past the front of the principal structure. Ornamental fences include split rail, brick, stone, or other decorative fences and columns. Chain-link or other utility-type fencing is not permitted under this RU-E ornamental-front-fence exception.

• Agriculture / AG: The zoning ordinance states that Agriculture is exempt from the general Section 3.12 fence guidelines. Floodplain, stormwater, easement, right-of-way, utility, subdivision, and private-restriction requirements may still apply where triggered by site conditions.

• Building Permit Context: Under the Kentucky Residential Code building-permit baseline, fences not over 7 feet high are exempt from a building permit. The City of Radcliff separately administers local fence review through its zoning permit application and zoning ordinance approval triggers. The City of Radcliff does not publish a separate fence-specific building-permit requirement for standard residential yard fences in the official source materials reviewed for this page.

• Floodplain Development Permit: All development within the 100-year floodplain, including fences, filling, and excavation, requires a City of Radcliff Floodplain Development Permit before work begins.

• Stormwater / Land-Disturbance Review: A Storm Water Quality Management Plan Permit is required before land-disturbing activity that disturbs 5,000 square feet or 2,000 square feet if part of a larger common plan. This stormwater permit does not replace other City, state, or federal permits.

• Individual-Lot Erosion and Sediment Control: The stormwater ordinance requires an Erosion and Sediment Control Permit for all individual lots before issuance of a building permit for the site. The official source materials reviewed for this page do not publish a separate individual-lot erosion-permit trigger for a standalone fence project that does not require a building permit, unless the project otherwise triggers stormwater, floodplain, easement, or site-review requirements.

• Easement Authorization: The City’s zoning permit application includes a separate Easement Authorization application type for work involving a proposed structure in a utility easement. The application asks for the type of structure proposed, requires an owner authorization statement, and references Kentucky 811 contact before starting work.

• Encroachment Review: The City’s zoning permit application includes a separate Encroachment application type. A fence that would enter a public right-of-way, access area, or other controlled area may require separate review under that process.

• Environmental and Geologic Hazard Review: The City’s zoning permit application includes a separate Environmental & Geologic Hazard application type. A fence project involving a floodplain, sinkhole, steep slope, watercourse, drainage area, or other hazard condition may require supporting description, protective measures, and site-plan review.

FENCE PLACEMENT RULES

• Fence Definition: The zoning ordinance defines a fence as construction of wood, metal, wire, masonry, or other material created for privacy, protection, compatibility, enclosure, or aesthetic reasons. The definition excludes shrubbery and plantings. Shrubbery and plantings are still subject to visibility limits where they impede required sight areas.

• Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.

• Front Yards: A front yard is the space between the principal building and the front property line. In Radcliff’s residential districts, a front-yard fence requires Planning Commission approval and may not extend more than 15 feet from the façade of the principal structure.

• Rear Yards: A rear yard is the space between the principal building and the rear property line. The zoning ordinance does not state a special rear-yard fence setback for ordinary residential fences.

• Side Yards: Side yards are the spaces between the principal building and the side property lines. The zoning ordinance does not state a special side-yard fence setback for ordinary residential fences.

• Corner Lots: Corner lots have 2 front yards, 1 side yard, and 1 rear yard. The rear yard is the area to the rear of the structure, and the side yard is the area to the side of the structure. If a structure is placed at an angle on a corner lot, the owner may choose which area is treated as the rear yard and which is treated as the side yard, as long as one side yard and one rear yard meet the required standards.

• Double-Frontage Lots: Double-frontage lots have 2 front yards and 2 side yards. All yards adjacent to streets are treated as front yards.

• Triple-Frontage Lots: Triple-frontage lots have 3 front yards and 1 side yard. All yards adjacent to streets are treated as front yards.

• Quadruple-Frontage Lots: Quadruple-frontage lots have 4 front yards. All yards adjacent to streets are treated as front yards.

• Reverse-Frontage Lots: For reverse-frontage lots, the yard adjacent to the street where there is no existing or possible access is treated as a rear yard.

• Multiple-Frontage Fence Approval: On double-frontage, triple-frontage, and quadruple-frontage lots, fence location, height, and material must be approved by the Planning Commission.

• Clear Intersection View: At corner-lot intersections, Radcliff requires a triangular clear-vision area formed by the two intersecting lot lines adjacent to street rights-of-way and a line connecting points 25 feet from the lot-line intersection. Nothing may be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow in that triangular area in a way that impedes vision between 2.5 feet and 10 feet above the grade of the lot.

• P.U.D. Placement: In a P.U.D., fence placement must be shown on an approved P.U.D. Site Plan and approved by the Planning Commission.

• RU-E Rural Estates Front Placement: In the RU-E Rural Estates district, ornamental fences may extend past the front of the principal structure. This exception applies to ornamental fences such as split rail, brick, stone, decorative fences, and columns, not to chain-link or other utility-type fencing.

• Subdivision and Approved-Plan Conditions: If an approved subdivision plat, improvement plan, development plan, P.U.D. plan, or other approved plan shows setbacks or features that exceed minimum ordinance requirements, those approved-plan features govern and are enforced by the Planning Department.

• Subdivision Plat Information: Subdivision plats must show easements, building setback lines, floodplain areas, utility information, watercourses, drainage features, monuments, adjacent zoning and land use, and other recorded site constraints where applicable. These recorded conditions may affect where a fence can be placed.

• Easements: Recorded plats must show easements and their purpose. Lot owners are responsible for upkeep of easements on their lots, including ditches, swales, and other vegetated areas, unless the City has accepted responsibility for maintaining the area. Release or modification of utility or drainage easements requires express approval from all parties holding the right to use the easement.

• Subdivision Entrance Features: In the subdivision regulations, a subdivision identification sign includes any wall, fence, guardhouse, or similar structure exceeding 4 feet in height at an entrance to a subdivision. This is a subdivision-entrance feature rule, not a general 4-foot height limit for ordinary yard fences.

• Environmentally Sensitive Areas: In subdivision or site-review contexts, environmentally sensitive areas include steep slopes over 10 percent, floodplains, sinkholes, poor soils, improper fill, wetlands, significant tree stands, aquifer recharge areas, riparian areas, streams, creeks, lakes, and other natural waterways. The subdivision regulations allow special design measures such as non-disturbance, easements, open space, stormwater retention, approved erosion-control plans, and increased setbacks for those areas.

• Geologic Hazard Areas: In subdivision or site-review contexts, geologic hazard areas include excessive floodplain, clusters of sinkholes, severe slopes over 20 percent, areas with potential cave-collapse problems, and cliff areas. The subdivision regulations call for those areas to be left in their natural state as permanent open space for a distance of 100 feet from the hazard area.

• Sinkholes: If a sinkhole is located within a proposed subdivision, the plat must provide a detention or drainage easement sized to encompass the 100-year storm event storage requirement. Ingress and egress easements must provide access to the detention or drainage easement, and an additional 50-foot building setback may be required.

• Streams: If a stream flows through or adjacent to a proposed subdivision, the plat must provide a drainage easement along the stream for a floodway of at least 20 feet. An additional 50-foot building setback may be required.

• Waterway Buffers: Under the stormwater ordinance, a waterway buffer applies to waterways serving more than 25 acres of tributary area or shown as a blue-line stream on a United States Geological Survey map. The buffer is the greater of the FEMA or City master-planning floodplain boundary, or 25 feet on each side from the top of the waterway bank where no floodplain is defined or calculated. The stormwater ordinance states that land disturbance may be permitted in the waterway buffer, but construction of any building or structure is not permitted there, subject to listed exemptions for roads, utilities, pedestrian trails and walkways, and other exemptions at the discretion of the City Representative.

• Floodplain Areas: A fence located in the 100-year floodplain is treated as development for floodplain purposes and requires a City of Radcliff Floodplain Development Permit before work begins.

• Utility Safety: Kentucky law requires notice through Kentucky 811 before excavation where Kentucky’s underground utility damage-prevention law applies. For fence projects that involve digging, including fence post holes, notice must be given not less than two full working days and not more than 10 full working days before excavation begins, unless a different future start date is allowed by law. Kentucky locate requests are valid for 21 calendar days from the initial request. Kentucky law also includes exemptions, including certain agricultural tilling and certain nonmechanized excavation on private property where no operator right-of-way or easement is encroached.

FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES

• Residential-District Height Trigger: In RU-E Rural Estates, R-E Single-Family Estate, R-1 Residential-1, R-2 Residential-2, R-3 Residential-3, R-4 Residential-4, R-5 Residential-5, R-6 Residential-6, R-7 Residential-7, and R-H Residential Holding districts, fences exceeding 6 feet may be constructed only with Planning Commission approval.

• No Published Maximum for Approved Rear or Side Fences: The zoning ordinance does not specify a separate maximum height for a rear-yard or side-yard residential fence after the required Planning Commission approval applies to fences exceeding 6 feet.

• Front-Yard Height: A front-yard fence approved by the Planning Commission may not exceed 5 feet in height.

• Multiple-Frontage Lot Height: On double-frontage, triple-frontage, and quadruple-frontage lots, fence heights require Planning Commission approval. The code does not publish a separate numeric height limit for multiple-frontage-lot fences beyond the applicable 5-foot front-yard limit and the 6-foot Planning Commission approval trigger.

• P.U.D. Height: In a P.U.D., fence height must be approved by the Planning Commission as part of the approved P.U.D. Site Plan.

• RU-E Rural Estates Height: In the RU-E Rural Estates district, the general 6-foot Planning Commission approval trigger applies. The RU-E ornamental-fence exception does not publish a separate numeric height limit.

• Agriculture / AG Height: The zoning ordinance exempts Agriculture from the general fence guidelines and does not publish a separate local fence-height limit for agricultural fences in the official source materials reviewed for this page.

• Clear Intersection View: In the zoning ordinance’s corner-lot clear-vision triangle, nothing may impede vision between 2.5 feet and 10 feet above lot grade.

• Subdivision Sight Distance: Where subdivision or access-management standards apply, all driveways and intersecting roadways must be designed and located with required sight distance. The required sight distance is determined by the street being intersected: Kentucky Department of Transportation determines the standard for an arterial street, 250 feet applies for a collector street, 200 feet applies for a local street, and 175 feet applies for a cul-de-sac street. No plant material or manmade object may obstruct visibility from 30 inches high upward in those sight-distance areas.

• Subdivision Clear Site Distance: In subdivision street-intersection contexts, a clear area is formed by joining points along intersecting street rights-of-way 25 feet from their intersection. No plant material or manmade object may obstruct visibility from 30 inches high upward to the sky in that area.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Front-Yard Fence Materials: A front-yard fence approved by the Planning Commission may be constructed only of vinyl, aluminum, or wood.

• Front-Yard Opacity: A front-yard fence approved by the Planning Commission may not be solid or opaque.

• Wire Fences: In RU-E Rural Estates, R-E Single-Family Estate, R-1 Residential-1, R-2 Residential-2, R-3 Residential-3, R-4 Residential-4, R-5 Residential-5, R-6 Residential-6, R-7 Residential-7, and R-H Residential Holding districts, wire fences other than chain link are not allowed unless approved by the Planning Commission.

• Chain Link: Chain link is excluded from the general wire-fence prohibition. However, an approved front-yard fence is still limited to vinyl, aluminum, or wood, and the RU-E Rural Estates ornamental-front-fence exception does not allow chain-link or other utility-type fencing.

• Electric, Barbed, Razor, and Other Wire Fences: The residential fence rule does not separately name electric, barbed, or razor wire. A wire fence other than chain link is not allowed in the listed residential districts unless approved by the Planning Commission.

• Finished Side: The unfinished side of any fence, meaning the side with support beams, must face inward toward the property that the fence surrounds.

• P.U.D. Materials: In a P.U.D., fence building material must be approved by the Planning Commission as part of the approved P.U.D. fence review.

• RU-E Ornamental Fences: In the RU-E Rural Estates district, ornamental fences may include split rail, brick, stone, or other decorative fences and columns when extending past the front of the principal structure. Chain-link or other utility-type fencing is not permitted under that RU-E ornamental-front-fence exception.

• Agriculture Zone: The zoning ordinance exempts Agriculture from the general fence guidelines.

• Subdivision Entrance Walls and Fences: A wall, fence, guardhouse, or similar structure exceeding 4 feet in height at a subdivision entrance is treated as a subdivision identification sign. This is not a general material or height rule for ordinary yard fences.

• Other Residential Materials: The code does not specify a broader citywide material list for ordinary rear-yard or side-yard residential fences beyond the front-yard material limits, RU-E ornamental-fence rule, P.U.D. material approval, wire-fence rule, chain-link treatment, and finished-side orientation requirement described above.

• Construction Details: The code does not specify a citywide residential fence standard for post spacing, footing depth, decorative caps, fence color, gate swing, survey staking, or a required finished-face direction beyond the unfinished-side-inward rule.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

Private restrictions operate separately from City fence rules. These may include HOA covenants, subdivision restrictions, deed restrictions, private easements, architectural-review covenants, maintenance agreements, private boundary agreements, and other recorded private obligations.

The zoning ordinance states that where private covenants establish higher or more restrictive standards, the private covenants govern. Where the zoning ordinance is more restrictive than a private covenant or state or federal statute or regulation, the zoning ordinance prevails.

The subdivision regulations state that private deed restrictions or private covenants for a subdivision do not fall within local enforcement jurisdiction and cannot be enforced by the Planning Department.

REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT

Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:

• Fence / Zoning Permit Review: The City’s zoning permit application includes a fence permit type and asks for fence location, materials, height, site plan, and photographs.

• Planning Commission Approval: Planning Commission review applies to residential-district fences exceeding 6 feet, front-yard fences, multiple-frontage-lot fence locations, heights, and materials, wire fences other than chain link, and P.U.D. fence location, height, and material.

• Front-Yard Conditions: Front-yard fences are reviewed for the 15-foot façade limit, 5-foot height limit, allowed materials, and non-solid / non-opaque construction.

• Multiple-Frontage Lots: Double-frontage, triple-frontage, and quadruple-frontage lots are reviewed because their street-adjacent yards are treated as front yards and because their fence location, height, and material require Planning Commission approval.

• Corner-Lot Visibility: Fences near intersections may be reviewed under the 25-foot clear-vision triangle and the 2.5-foot to 10-foot zoning visibility range.

• Subdivision Sight Distance: Where subdivision or access standards apply, fences and other manmade objects may be reviewed under the 30-inch-and-upward obstruction rule, the 25-foot clear-site-distance area at intersecting rights-of-way, and the applicable driveway or intersection sight-distance standard.

• P.U.D. Sites: In a P.U.D., fence review depends on the approved P.U.D. Site Plan and Planning Commission approval of fence location, height, and building material.

• RU-E Rural Estates Sites: RU-E fence review includes both the general 6-foot Planning Commission approval trigger and the special ornamental-front-fence rule for split rail, brick, stone, or other decorative fences and columns.

• Agriculture / AG Sites: Agriculture is exempt from the general fence guidelines, but site-specific floodplain, stormwater, easement, right-of-way, utility, subdivision, or private restrictions may still control.

• Floodplain Review: Fence work in the 100-year floodplain requires a City of Radcliff Floodplain Development Permit before work begins.

• Stormwater Review: Fence projects involving land disturbance may be affected by the Storm Water Quality Management Ordinance, including the 5,000-square-foot disturbance trigger, the 2,000-square-foot larger-common-plan trigger, erosion-control requirements, drainage conditions, and waterway-buffer rules.

• Waterway Buffers: Where the stormwater waterway-buffer rule applies, land disturbance may be permitted, but construction of any building or structure is not permitted within the buffer unless an ordinance exemption applies.

• Easement and Encroachment Review: The City’s application system includes separate review categories for easement authorization and encroachment. Fence work in utility easements, drainage easements, rights-of-way, access areas, or other reserved areas may require separate approval from the City or the easement holder.

• Environmental and Geologic Hazard Review: Subdivision and site review may address floodplains, sinkholes, steep slopes, wetlands, streams, creeks, riparian areas, and other environmentally sensitive or geologic hazard areas.

• Recorded Plat Conditions: Approved subdivision plats, development plans, P.U.D. plans, easement notes, drainage easements, utility easements, building setback lines, and private maintenance obligations may affect fence location and construction.

• Private Restrictions: HOA covenants, deed restrictions, subdivision covenants, and private easements may impose stricter fence limits than City rules, but those private restrictions are not enforced by the Planning Department unless an official City source expressly states otherwise.

USING THIS INFORMATION

This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Radcliff, based on publicly available source materials reviewed as of June 2026.

In addition to local fence rules, certain Kentucky laws apply statewide. See Statewide Fence Laws in Kentucky.

It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, floodplain status, stormwater or drainage requirements, road or highway encroachment, historic district status, rural or agricultural context, livestock or farm-boundary context, pool-barrier use, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants, deed restrictions, private agreements, or agricultural conservation easements. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with City of Radcliff Economic Development, Planning and Building Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Radcliff staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.