AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin City Council is enacting new "Safe Fencing" regulations that aim to help keep children and animals safe. The regulations were approved during the council's July 20 meeting.
The regulations prohibit certain fence designs that could be dangerous, such as spiked pickets, bars and other decorative pieces that extend over the top bar of a fence.
“We appreciate the input we have received from the community as we worked to address council’s goal to make fencing in Austin safer for children and wildlife,” said Daniel Word, assistant director with the City's Development Services Department.
The new safe fencing regulations do not apply to fences constructed before July 31, 2023, or those that are at least six feet high and on a non-residential property. However, if more than 50% of the total distance of a pre-existing fence is replaced, the entire fence must follow the new safe fencing codes.
The city council released guidelines for these new requirement on the City's website.
In order to meet the new requirements, residents can have:
- Flat-top fences
- Vertical pickets that are not spiked above the top rail (must be separated by less than 2 inches or more than 9 inches)
- Chain link fences using knuckle selvage tops, which are bent into a loop with no pointed ends
Fences built after July 31, 2023, or in residential areas may not have:
- Spiked pickets, spiked bars, or other spiked decorative elements above the top horizontal backer rail
- Vertical pickets above the top horizontal backer rail if the vertical pickets are separated by more than 2 inches and less than 9 inches
- Razor-like wire
- Barbed wire unless the fence is enclosing an airport or other landing area for aircraft, and the use of barbed wire is required by Federal Aviation Administration regulation.
- City Code Section 9-4-41 (Restriction on Use of Barbed Wire Fences) is repealed effective July 31, 2023. A person may not use barbed wire at the top of or above a fence that is at least six feet high.
- Any fence design or feature that creates substantial risk for entrapment or impalement
These regulations come in response to past incidents where children and animals were harmed by spiked fences and those with bars that a child's head could easily get stuck between.