Fences in Jacksonville

Fence Installation and Repair in Jacksonville, TX

Jacksonville, the Cherokee County city of 13,997 once called the Tomato Capital of the World, gets its water from the 1,320-acre Lake Jacksonville, built in 1957. Its development guide says a fence needs a permit only if it is over six feet tall, and it must be built of traditional fencing materials.

The Tomato Capital and its red hills

Jacksonville is a Cherokee County city about 27 miles south of Tyler on US 69 through Bullard. It once called itself the Tomato Capital of the World, and its best-known landmark, the Tomato Bowl stadium, was built by the WPA from local red iron ore. The town sits in hilly red-soil country, so a fence line here can climb or step down a grade instead of running flat.

Where the six-foot line matters

Because the city's permit trigger is height, the choice between a six-foot and an eight-foot fence is also a choice about paperwork. A standard six-foot wood privacy fence stays under it; stepping up to eight feet for more screening next to a busy road or a two-story neighbor puts the job into the permit process. Applications and inspections go through Building Inspection at 215 E Rusk Street, and the business settles the height with the owner before the permit question comes up.

Fences on sloped ground

On hilly lots a fence can be racked to follow the ground or built in level steps with a gap under each section's low end. Racking suits gentle grades and chain link or iron. Stepping keeps boards plumb on steeper ground, but it leaves triangles at the bottom that small dogs can use, so a kickboard or extra panel may be needed. The right answer depends on how much the grade drops across the run.

Established neighborhoods and campuses

In-town Jacksonville has the settled neighborhoods of a mid-size county city, along with Jacksonville College and Jacksonville ISD campuses. On an older fence in these blocks, replacing failed posts and broken rails can be enough to keep it standing for more seasons. A full tear-out makes sense when the posts have gone at the base along most of the line.

Roads that tie the region together

US 69, US 79 and US 175 all pass through Jacksonville, which makes it a crossroads for the Cherokee County countryside around it. Lake Jacksonville, the 1,320-acre city reservoir built in 1957, lies about three miles southwest and supplies the city's water. Heading back toward Tyler, Bullard is the next town north on US 69, and all of Jacksonville shares ZIP 75766.

Jacksonville fence questions

When does a fence need a permit in Jacksonville?
According to the City's building permit development guide, only when the fence is over six feet tall. Any fence must be built of traditional fencing materials and cannot create a visibility hazard. For a fence six feet or under, the guide asks owners who don't know the rules to call the Inspection Department before they build.
I lease a lot on Lake Jacksonville. Is building there different?
Yes. The City owns Lake Jacksonville and sets rules for its lease lots. Those rules define the building permit as covering all structures built on or near the shoreline, keep structures at least six feet from any side lot line, and put anything built less than ten feet above the 432-foot normal pool level at the lessee's risk. Ask the City Building Official whether your fence counts as a structure under those rules.

Nearby areas we serve

Fence installation and repair across the Tyler area:

Free estimate

Tell us about the fence

Tell us where the fence goes and what you have in mind. We’ll call back to set a time to measure.

  • The fence line walked and measured on site
  • A written quote, itemized by material, posts and gates
  • Texas811 called so buried lines are marked before we dig
  • Your survey, HOA and city rules checked before posts go in

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Or call (903) 560-4422

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We’ll call to set up a time to measure. To talk sooner, call (903) 560-4422