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Corner Lot Sight Triangles and Gate Placement

By georgetown metal gates files

A corner lot carries a stricter limit than a lot in the middle of the block, because drivers need to see across the corner. In Georgetown's code, fences and gates near a street intersection fall under a sight triangle rule that holds them to a low height and a mostly open design within a set distance of the corner. A gate on a corner lot should be placed outside that triangle or built to meet it, and the choice shapes the entire fence plan.

What a sight triangle is

Picture the two street edges meeting at the corner. A sight triangle is the area formed by measuring a set distance along each street edge from the corner and drawing a line between the two points. The triangle is kept clear of anything that blocks a driver's view of cross traffic and pedestrians. Fences, walls, hedges, signs and parked trailers all count.

Georgetown's code ties its rule to the right of way line. Within the triangle, fences are limited to a low height, on the order of three feet, and may be only partly solid. The distance along each street is specified in the code. A property owner should confirm the current numbers with the planning office, since they can change, and then measure on the plat or the survey.

Why it matters for gates

A side street gate on a corner lot often sits right in the triangle. A driveway that opens onto the side street, with a gate across it, can fall within the area where tall solid sections are not allowed. A tall column at the edge of the opening can also block the view. A homeowner who draws the gate first and checks the triangle later may find the whole design needs to move back from the street.

Measure before drawing

Start with the survey or the recorded plat. Mark the corner where the two right of way lines meet. Measure along each line the distance given in the code and connect the points. Shade the triangle on a copy of the site plan. Now place the gate and the fence line and see what falls inside.

The right of way line is not always the curb or the sidewalk. In many Georgetown neighborhoods the right of way extends several feet behind the sidewalk, and the property line sits behind that. Using the curb as the reference gives the wrong triangle. The plat shows the real line.

Placing a gate outside the triangle

The simplest solution is to set the gate far enough back from the corner that it sits outside the triangle. On a corner lot with a long side street frontage, the driveway can often be placed toward the middle of the lot, which keeps the gate clear. A walk gate to the side yard can also be placed behind the triangle. Moving the gate costs nothing on paper and avoids a variance request.

Building within the triangle

Sometimes the lot leaves no choice. In that case the gate has to meet the low height and open design rule. A gate made of slender vertical bars, with no solid panel and a top line under the limit, can sit inside the area. The adjoining fence has to follow the same rule within the triangle, and then it can rise to a taller height once it leaves the triangle. This produces a stepped line, with the fence lower near the corner and taller along the rest of the side. Done well, the step looks planned, with a post at the transition point.

Columns and posts

Masonry columns beside a gate are heavy, wide and solid, and they are the part of a design most likely to fall foul of the rule. A column that is a foot and a half wide can hide a pedestrian or a child on a bicycle. If a column must sit in the area, keep it slim and low, or set it back outside the triangle and use a lighter post at the corner side.

Driveways and vehicles

A driver backing out of a gated drive needs to see traffic and be seen. A gate set close to the street forces the driver to stop partly in the street to open it, and a gate set back lets the car pull off the road. The sight triangle and the stacking space interact. A drive that is gated well back from the corner serves both the rule and the practical need.

Landscaping counts too

Plants near the gate can cause the same problem as a fence. Hedges, ornamental grasses and shrubs that grow tall inside the triangle can create a violation even when the gate is fine. A thoughtful design includes low plants near the corner and keeps taller material back. After storms and spring growth, a quick check of the corner keeps it compliant.

Streets with different classifications

Larger streets sometimes have wider triangles because speeds are higher. A lot at the intersection of a collector road and a neighborhood street can face a larger triangle on the busy side. If the lot touches a state highway or a county road, other agencies may set their own standards. Check with each agency whose road touches the lot.

Checking with the city

A short call or email to the planning office, with the address and a sketch, usually gets a quick answer on the triangle. Ask how the distance is measured, whether a gate or a column counts, and what height applies inside the area. Keep the reply with the project papers.

For more on gates and local rules, see georgetown metal gates files.

A corner lot gate is not a problem when planned from the start. Draw the triangle, move the gate or lighten the design, and the result keeps the corner safe and the owner out of trouble.

Common corner lot situations in Georgetown

Georgetown's newer neighborhoods on the north and east sides include many corner lots on curving streets, where the corner is not a neat right angle. On a curved corner the sight triangle is measured from the point where the right of way lines would meet if extended, and the survey is the only reliable way to find it. Older blocks near downtown have square corners and narrow lots, where a side street gate may sit only a few feet from the intersection.

A cul de sac corner is a different case. Traffic is slow and light, and the planning office may treat the sight area differently. The rule is still checked by address, not by habit.

Fence lines that turn the corner

Where a side fence turns the corner and runs along the street, the portion inside the triangle must meet the low and open rule, and the rest may rise to the usual height. A neat way to handle the change is a post at the edge of the triangle, with the lower open section on the corner side and the taller section beyond. The post marks the change and makes it look planned.

Owners sometimes prefer to pull the whole fence back from the corner so the line never enters the triangle. That costs a little yard, and it often looks cleaner than a stepped line.