Retaining walls in unincorporated Marin County may reach 6 feet above grade when the exposed face points inward, or 4 feet when facing outward (8 feet if 25+ feet from all property lines), under Development Code § 22.20.052.
Marin County Development Code § 22.20.052 (Retaining Wall Standards) governs retaining walls separately from fences. A retaining wall whose exposed face points toward the interior of the property may reach a maximum height of 6 feet above grade. A retaining wall whose exposed face points outward (away from the center of the property) is limited to 4 feet above grade unless it is set back at least 25 feet from all property lines, in which case the maximum is 8 feet. Multiple stepped or terraced walls may be treated as a single wall for height calculation purposes. Retaining walls over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall require a building permit per the California Building Code adopted by Marin Title 19.
Walls exceeding the height limits or built without required permits are subject to stop-work orders, after-the-fact permits, and removal demands. Structurally inadequate walls may also be cited as unsafe under Title 19.
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