Showing ordinances that apply to Ajo, AZ
Ajo is an unincorporated community (population 3,039) in Pima County, Arizona. Because Ajo is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Pima County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The retaining walls rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Building permits required for retaining walls over 4 ft in Pima County. Licensed engineer must design walls exceeding 4 ft. Hillside zones require terracing and natural colors.
Pima County Development Services requires building permits for retaining walls exceeding 4 feet in height from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, consistent with the adopted International Building Code (IBC). Walls over 4 feet must be designed by a licensed structural engineer or architect. The hillside development zone (HDZ) in the Catalina Foothills and Tanque Verde hillside areas imposes additional requirements for retaining walls related to grading, cut-and-fill limits, and visual impact. The HDZ may require retaining walls to be terraced rather than built as single tall structures, and wall surfaces must use natural-color materials that blend with the desert landscape. Drainage behind retaining walls must be properly designed to handle monsoon runoff -- weep holes or drainage systems are required. The Pima County Regional Flood Control District may review retaining walls in floodplain or drainage areas. Multiple retaining walls in a terraced configuration may trigger grading permit requirements. Walls supporting surcharges such as driveways, pools, or structures require additional engineering regardless of height.
Wall construction without required permit: stop-work order, potential demolition order. Non-engineered walls over 4 ft: notice of violation, retroactive permit with engineering required. HDZ violations: potential removal and site restoration.
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