Does the Jekyll Island Authority allow vinyl fencing?

Authority guidelines dictate what's allowed on your leased lot for residential. It's not just about the material. It's also about height, solidity, location, and color. Our experience has been that a lower or semi-open vinyl fence in a subdued color that is used only where needed will be allowed much more often than a tall white privacy fence. We will design and submit with you per the guidelines.

Why do you steer people away from bright white on Jekyll?

Residential area is in a maritime forest and the guidelines seem to favor fencing which blends into the forest. Tan, clay, gray and woodgrain vinyl (they all have the same UV protection as white) can blend much better with palmetto and oak than bright white. Sometimes it helps if you bring some subtle samples for review.

Can I fence my whole yard in vinyl privacy panels?

Generally not that way. You're almost never going to have the entire lot fully covered in full height solid screening after a Jekyll review. More often it'll be a solid portion for a patio or pool equipment, and other lower or open fencing. We're very upfront and honest with that when we visit the first time.

Why is vinyl a good fit for Jekyll's exposure?

For most Jekyll homes you have the salt air from the Atlantic on one side and the salt air from the Jekyll River on the other and not much land in between. The salt doesn't bother vinyl one bit. And when you combine it with the stainless and aluminum hardware it's the only fence material on Jekyll that doesn't have a maintenance schedule.

How do you handle wind on a barrier island?

Posts. 5 inch posts set down in concrete with internal metal stiffeners. Space 'em close on any open run. Semi-open is best, to let the pressure flow thru. Less pressure to deal with because Jekyll fences are often shorter and more open than privacy fences on the mainland. If the posts are right, wind load is pretty easy.

What does the causeway mean for my project?

All deliveries cross the Downing Musgrove Causeway and pay the entrance fee. Also, there is limited residential street parking. We are trying to plan as few trips as possible for material. We stage it on your lot. We agree on where we're going to park the truck on the first day. It's not complicated but it's planned, not ad lib.

Vinyl fencing on Jekyll Island: a no-maintenance fence that still passes review

Jekyll asks two things of a fence: fit into the forest, and stand up to salt from both sides. Vinyl can do both if it is designed right.

Jekyll Island is a state park in Georgia. Beachview Drive, Riverview Drive, and the other quiet streets are all on lease lots under the control of the Jekyll Island Authority. Any exterior modifications, including fence installation, are subject to the review of the Authority. Residential design guidelines dictate what's ok and what's not. So... that's the first fact about fencing on Jekyll. The second is that the residential area is a thin ribbon sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Jekyll River and marsh. There's just not much lot in this area that's not exposed to salt air.

Vinyl fencing is one solution to salt that Golden Isles Fencing and Excavation (family-owned, Christian-based, out of Brunswick) will install on Jekyll Island. We're very concerned with both facts. Vinyl will clear up the salt issue for you. And the review... it's all about design. It would be better if we could design for it and not have a plan sent back.

Designing vinyl for the Authority's review

Authority guidelines are what govern. But here is the general pattern in all jobs that we have dealt with. A fence that looks like it is part of the maritime forest? Ok. A tall bright solid fence all around the lot? Not so much. Which leaves vinyl with 3 options. Keep the height low and the solid parts of it restricted to function (ie: patio screening or pool equipment & bins cage). Get a muted color like tan or clay or gray or even woodgrain (versus a bright white) to blend in with the palmetto and oak. Semi-open patterns (spaced picket, lattice top, etc) on any street side or undeveloped side.

We provide the drawings, sample materials & color chips to be submitted as the review requests and submit along with you. No post in ground until we get approval back.

Grey woodgrain vinyl privacy fence with black posts running alongside a stucco building — Grey woodgrain vinyl on black posts: the same maintenance as white vinyl, without the glare.

Why vinyl suits Jekyll's salt

Wood fences in Jekyll gray quickly. Requires resealing every couple of years. Steel will rust at the welds. Vinyl is not affected by the salt. The stainless and aluminum hardware we use with it isn't either. So if you are the owner who comes to the island part time or rents it out you'll have a fence that won't need anything done to it between your visits. Just a rinse after the storm dumps some salt all over the yard.

Posts in barrier-island sand

The weakest link for any vinyl fence is the post. The lower streets in Jekyll have a high water table and clean sand for ground. We set 5" posts deeper than we normally do on the mainland. We put them in large concrete footings that top out at grade. We'll have some stiffeners made of aluminum or steel in the posts on long runs. Also corners and gates. The fence on Jekyll often is a little shorter and more open than a privacy fence on the mainland so when you get your posts right the wind load isn't a big deal. The usual killer of a post here is rot. That is no big deal to vinyl.

Trees, dunes and the forest floor

Tree removal and root damage is a concern and strictly regulated by the Authority around the residential area of Jekyll. We have a maritime forest in that area which is protected. We work around trees. We hand dig near trees. We adjust post spacing to avoid large roots. We stop and discuss with you if we can't avoid a root. State shore protection regulates dunes on the ocean side. Fencing is not allowed. If your lot is adjacent to undeveloped land we try to keep equipment in the leased area. We don't disturb the forest floor.

White vinyl picket fence with a scalloped top and a gate enclosing a small side yard — A low vinyl picket fence and gate, the usual answer on a small lot where a solid wall would feel closed in.

Styles that tend to fit Jekyll

Patio privacy screen. A little series of tongue and groove paneling in tan or clay to screen a patio or outdoor shower area without closing in the property.
Spaced picket. Low fencing to define the yard and hold a dog, while still letting the eye pass through to the trees.
Lattice-top. Something in between when you want a little screening for one sideyard. Solid down low and open up top.
Enclosures. Small solid vinyl enclosures for your bins, tanks and pool equipment matching the trim color of your house.

Logistics on the island

We get materials delivered over the Downing Musgrove Causeway, every vehicle pays the entry fee, the neighborhood streets are narrow and have limited parking. We consolidate deliveries, set materials on your lot, work with you ahead of time on placement of truck and trailer. If it's a rental house, we work around bookings. Etc. That is all a part of why fencing Jekyll is quoted differently from Brunswick.

Getting started

Site visit. We look at the property, exposure, trees. What do you want the fence to do?
Design to the guidelines. We suggest a style and color which should pass (and we tell you why we think so)
Submission. We bring samples and drawings to the Authority with you.
Build. Deep footings, stiffened posts, stainless hardware. Walk-thru at end

No charge for estimates on Jekyll. Larger projects we have financing. Give us the street you are on and what you want the fence to do. We will tell you what the island will allow us to do.

Vinyl fencing in Brunswick and on St. Simons

For a lot outside the Authority's review, read about vinyl fencing in Brunswick, GA, vinyl fencing on St. Simons Island, and everything we do as a fence company on Jekyll Island.

Other options on Jekyll

Where the review calls for something more open, see our aluminum fencing on Jekyll Island, wood fencing on Jekyll Island, fence repairs on Jekyll Island, and vinyl fencing service overview.

White vinyl privacy fence with a double gate beside a house

Questions and answers

Common questions about vinyl fencing on Jekyll Island

Jekyll has its own rules and its own weather. Here is what leaseholders ask us.

Authority guidelines dictate what's allowed on your leased lot for residential. It's not just about the material. It's also about height, solidity, location, and color. Our experience has been that a lower or semi-open vinyl fence in a subdued color that is used only where needed will be allowed much more often than a tall white privacy fence. We will design and submit with you per the guidelines.
Residential area is in a maritime forest and the guidelines seem to favor fencing which blends into the forest. Tan, clay, gray and woodgrain vinyl (they all have the same UV protection as white) can blend much better with palmetto and oak than bright white. Sometimes it helps if you bring some subtle samples for review.
Generally not that way. You're almost never going to have the entire lot fully covered in full height solid screening after a Jekyll review. More often it'll be a solid portion for a patio or pool equipment, and other lower or open fencing. We're very upfront and honest with that when we visit the first time.

For most Jekyll homes you have the salt air from the Atlantic on one side and the salt air from the Jekyll River on the other and not much land in between. The salt doesn't bother vinyl one bit. And when you combine it with the stainless and aluminum hardware it's the only fence material on Jekyll that doesn't have a maintenance schedule.
Posts. 5 inch posts set down in concrete with internal metal stiffeners. Space 'em close on any open run. Semi-open is best, to let the pressure flow thru. Less pressure to deal with because Jekyll fences are often shorter and more open than privacy fences on the mainland. If the posts are right, wind load is pretty easy.
All deliveries cross the Downing Musgrove Causeway and pay the entrance fee. Also, there is limited residential street parking. We are trying to plan as few trips as possible for material. We stage it on your lot. We agree on where we're going to park the truck on the first day. It's not complicated but it's planned, not ad lib.