Lakeway Fences: Permits, 6- vs 8-Foot Rules & Deer

Fence rules vary more around Austin than most people expect. Cedar Park requires no city permit for a fence, and Austin exempts fences up to 7 feet. Lakeway requires a permit for new fences, and for repairs that change the fence's location, design or specifications. The city amended its fence ordinance in 2024, so older advice from neighbors may be out of date.

Repair or new fence? It matters here

• Like-for-like repair (replacing boards or a post with the same material, in the same place, to the same design) is treated differently from new construction.
• Changing anything (moving the line, switching from wood to metal, raising the height, changing the style) brings the work under the permit requirement.

If you're replacing a whole run anyway, assume you need a permit and apply through Civic Self Service. Your contractor must be registered there too.

Height: 6 feet vs. 8 feet

Under the amended ordinance:

• Yard fences up to 6 feet can be approved administratively;
• Fences up to 8 feet need approval from the code official.

The ordinance also addresses setbacks, visibility near streets and driveways, approved materials, and masonry support. Read the current ordinance, or ask city staff, before choosing a design.

Your ACC comes first

Many Lakeway subdivisions have an architectural control committee, and the city expects proof of ACC submittal or approval with your permit application. ACCs commonly set:

• the allowed materials, such as wrought iron or a specific wood style;
• whether privacy fencing is allowed facing golf courses, greenbelts or the lake;
• stain colors.

Deer fencing

Lakeway's resident deer are a constant landscaping issue. A taller fence around a garden is the obvious fix, but:

• an 8-foot fence needs code official approval;
• see-through materials like wire or ornamental metal may be easier to get approved by an ACC than solid fencing;
• protecting individual beds or young trees with cages is often simpler than fencing a whole yard.

Rocky ground and slopes

Lakeway lots are shallow limestone and often steep. Expect core-drilled post holes, stepped or racked panels on slopes, and attention to drainage so fences don't act as dams. Call Texas 811 before digging, as required.

Pool fences and gates

Pool barriers are a special case everywhere, including Lakeway. They're reviewed with the pool permit, and the swimming pool code adopted by the city sets minimum heights, limits on climbable openings, and self-closing, self-latching gates. If an ACC wants a decorative style around the pool, make sure the design also meets the barrier rules before anything is ordered.

A Lakeway fence checklist

1. Read the current fence ordinance and your ACC rules.
2. Confirm your property line with a survey.
3. Get ACC approval in writing.
4. Have your registered contractor apply in Civic Self Service.
5. Call 811, then build, and schedule any required inspection.