Fence Rules in Medina, Milan, Trenton and Henderson: How to Get the Real Answer

The first question about a fence in Medina or Milan is how tall it can be. I wish there were a number to give. I did the reading, and the honest answer is that the numbers are not where you would expect them.

So this guide is a different kind of guide. It says what is published, what is not, and how to get the real answer from the people who hold it. If you were hoping for a table of heights, you will not find one here, and I would rather you know why than trust a table I could not source. These towns are all within reach of Jackson: Medina about seventeen road miles, Henderson about seventeen, Milan about twenty-five. Trenton is about thirty. All four are on our service map.

Why the Numbers Are Not in the City Code

These cities' municipal codes are posted through the University of Tennessee's municipal advisory service, and you would expect fence rules to be in them. For these towns they are not. The code has a title on planning and zoning, and that title simply adopts a zoning ordinance by reference.

Medina's is a good example. Its code adopts "Ordinance Number 85-01, titled The Zoning Ordinance of the City of Medina" and notes that the zoning documents are published separately and are of record in the office of the city recorder. The Trenton, Milan and Henderson codes do the same: each adopts a named zoning ordinance and notes that it is published separately and kept by the city recorder. The fence section, if there is one, lives in that separate document.

The same code adopts building codes and a few specific rules, which I cover below. But height limits, setbacks, whether the good side must face out, and whether a fence needs its own permit are zoning questions. For these four towns I could not verify any of them, so I do not state any of them.

Medina

What is published. The city's code adopts the 2018 International Residential Code. Medina's subdivision regulations, a long document, contain no fence provisions, so I found no fence rules there.

What is not. Any height, setback, finished-side, material or permit rule for a fence in town.

Who to ask. The city recorder holds the zoning ordinance. Ask for the fence provisions and any amendments. If you live in a newer subdivision, there may also be a private covenant or design committee, which is separate from the city. The HOA fence rules guide covers how that works. More on the town is on the Medina fence installation page, and repair has its own.

Milan

What is published. Milan's municipal code has a fire hydrant rule worth knowing, because it applies to a fence line directly. No fence or other structure may be placed within thirty-six inches of a hydrant, and no fence may stand between the hydrant and the roadway. The hydrant's view must not be obstructed for fifty feet along the route of approach, and the owner must keep growth cleared within five feet. The city adopted the 2018 IRC. The code also requires a junkyard to be enclosed in a solid plank or metal fence at least six feet high that touches the ground.

What is not. General residential fence height, setback, finished-side and permit rules. A web search turns up an excerpt about a zoning rule for open storage next to a residential zone. I could not confirm it from the city's own code, so I am not repeating it.

Who to ask. City hall and the city recorder. Ask whether a fence needs a permit and where the zoning ordinance is kept. Pages for the town: Milan fence installation and Milan fence repair.

Trenton

What is published. Trenton's code adopts a zoning ordinance by reference, and it adopts the 2018 International Residential Code. Gibson County's building inspector is listed at 309 South College Street, Suite A, at Trenton City Hall, phone (731) 855-7663, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm. Trenton's code also carries the same junkyard rule as Milan: a solid plank or metal fence at least six feet high touching the ground.

What is not. Any fence height, setback, permit or finished-side rule. The county page does not say whether that inspector covers incorporated cities, and Trenton's own code refers to a "Building Official of the City of Trenton/Gibson County," which suggests a shared arrangement. I found nothing that settles who handles a fence inside city limits.

Who to ask. Start with Trenton city hall and the county inspector's number above, and ask which one handles a fence at your address. See Trenton fence installation, and the Gibson County page for the surrounding area.

Henderson

What is published. Henderson is the Chester County seat. The city's Building and Zoning office is at City Hall, 121 Crook Avenue, phone (731) 983-5011, Monday through Friday, 7:00 to 4:00. The city adopted the 2018 IRC. That office page carries no fence regulations, so I cannot cite any.

What is not. Height, setback, permit and finished-side rules for a fence in the city. Chester County has its own Building and Zoning Department at 159 East Main Street for the area outside the city's planning region, phone (731) 989-5672. Neither office page mentions fences.

Who to ask. Start with the city office and ask whether your address is inside the city's planning region or the county's. That decides which office answers. Pages for the area: Henderson fence installation, Henderson fence repair and Chester County.

The Call, Word for Word

A short script gets better answers than a vague question. Say something like this:

"I own the house at this address. I want to put up a fence. What are the rules on fence height in the front yard and in the side and back yard? Is there a setback from the street or the property line? Does the finished side have to face out? Do I need a permit, and who issues it?"

Then ask for three things beyond the answers:

1. The answer in writing. An email is fine. A name and the date you asked is the next best thing.
2. The section of the ordinance it comes from. That lets you check it yourself.
3. A corner-lot answer, if you are on one. The sight-clearance rule differs from town to town. The corner lot guide shows how the ones I could verify differ.

Rules That Do Not Depend on Your City

A few things are the same no matter which of the four towns you are in.

• 811. Tennessee requires a call before any digging, at least three working days ahead. See the 811 guide.
• Your boundary. A city office does not tell you where your property line is. A survey does. If a neighbor is involved, read the property line guide.
• Neighbors. Even where a city has no rule, talk to the neighbor first.
• HOAs and covenants. Private, not in any city code. Get the document.

For how the paperwork works in the biggest nearby city, Jackson and Madison County publish much more. You can use that as a rough idea of what kinds of questions come up, but do not carry its numbers to another town.

Common Questions About These Four Towns

The Honest Bottom Line

The straight answer for these four towns is a phone call. It takes a few minutes, and it can keep you from building a fence you have to move. Bring the script, get the answer in writing, and then ask us for a free written estimate.

If you would like help making the call, contact us with your address if you want to talk it over.

More plain-English answers on cost, permits, materials, and repairs are in all of our fence guides.