Fences in NOVA (Arlington, Manassas, Springfield: real estate, HOA, how much)

[homer27]

We are considering a move to NOVA from the Pacific Northwest. I'm here in the area checking out communities and one thing I've noticed is there are very few fences. And when there is a fence, it tends to be short. Very different from my neck of the woods where many of us have 6 ft cedar fences. I'm wondering because we have 2 big dogs and need a secure yard for them. Is that going to be hard to find? We're looking anywhere from Falls Church to Leesburg down to Manassas.

[NOVA.123]

The most common reason of why you are seeing this is because most neighborhoods in NoVA are run by an HOA and you have to abide by their rules. If you want your style of fence or size, then you need to build your own home on a lot that you buy yourself or seek out an older neighborhood where you can do what you want on your own land.

[tgbwc]

True. That could be. The fences in our neighborhood can be no higher than 52" at the highest point.

[Denton56]

The Town of Vienna doesn't have HOA's. We can have fences.

[saganista]

There are also county codes to consider. In general, the Fairfax code will allow a fence of up to four feet in a front yard (if you're on a corner lot, you have two of those), and of up to seven feet in a side or rear yard. If there is an HOA, their rules may enforce stricter limits, but by and large, if you want a fence, you can build one...

[onevthoki]

Basically it depends on the HOA. Many communities have been developed with the idea of "green space" and the thought of a 6' foot privacy fence defeats that premise.

[car54]

Check the "covenants" that you got at closing....even if there is no HOA, the covenants probably address fences.

[Denton56]

What are covenants and who enforces them?

[cardinal2007]

My parents live in Springfield, they have an old 6 foot fence around the backyard, though it is open to the front on one side, the neighbors have one too, but I think theirs is not. It doesn't really do anything except prevent dogs and children from walking into the backyard from the nearby trail.

[car54]

Originally Posted by Denton56

What are covenants and who enforces them?

"A real covenant is a legal obligation imposed in a deed by the seller upon the buyer of real estate to do or not to do something. Such restrictions frequently "run with the land" and are enforceable on subsequent buyers of the property. Examples might be to maintain a property in a reasonable state of repair, to preserve a sight-line for a neighboring property, not to run a business from a residence, or not to build on certain parts of the property."

My son lives in Ravensworth Farm (Springfield) and his covenants say no fences in front yards and rear yard fences are to be no higher than 48 inches and of 50% open construction.

The neighborhood has no HOA, but it does have a Civic Association with an "architectural committee". These guys are the ones that supposedly enforce the covenants....I don't know how much "teeth" they have to make a homeowner do something.

They apparently have relaxed the covenants because there are lots of 6 foot stockade fences in back yards, a clear violation. But one guy moved in and promptly fenced his front yard...and they made him take it down. I don't know if they just bluffed him into taking it down or he fought them and lost.

Some restrictive covenants are clearly illegal in this day and age.....I once owned an old house in Arlington and the covenants stated that I was prohibited from selling the property to "Negroes or Jewish people"....