Can I build a fence?

Yes, with a permit. Sec. 7.2.6.2 requires a permit from the Responsible Official before any fence or wall is erected. The general cap is 6 feet; 8 feet is possible with a joint application signed by both adjacent owners. In the first layer along a primary street, and within 20 feet of the curb on a secondary street, a fence must be 48 inches or less and at least 50 percent open, and fences along a public park or greenway are capped at 6 feet and 50 percent open. Chain link belongs in the rear yard unless it is an established front yard standard for the neighborhood. Barbed wire and above ground electric fencing are limited to lots of one acre or more in FD, AR, SF-R, CD-1, and CD-2, or to the HI district for security fencing. Vehicular gates must sit 25 feet back from the property line, and fences in easements have access and flow requirements. San Marcos zoning applies inside the incorporated city limits only; Texas counties do not zone, and ETJ parcels have no municipal zoning. A further Development Code update was adopted on second reading June 16, 2026 but is not yet published, so confirm current standards with the Planning Division at 512-393-8230 before design, purchase, leasing, or permitting decisions.