Chino, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Section 15.04.180 amends California Building Code Section 105.2 to list the work Chino exempts from a building permit. Item 11 on that list is "retaining walls under eighteen inches in height"; anything taller needs a building permit, and the code separately notes that exemption from the permit requirement "shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be in violation of any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction," meaning a short retaining wall can still have to satisfy zoning setback and design standards. On the grading side, Section 15.04.192 (amending CBC Appendix J103.1) confirms that a grading permit issued by the city engineer "does not include the construction of retaining walls or other structures," and that separate permits and plan review fees, set by the City of Chino's Comprehensive Fee Schedule, apply to retaining walls.

Where a retaining wall forms part of a required perimeter wall for a new residential development of two or more units, Zoning Code Section 20.10.080(F)(4)(a)(iii) sets a specific height and design rule: if any part of the perimeter wall retains earth on either side of the property line, the wall must be built six feet high, measured from the residential side. If the retained portion is taller than two feet on the street side, the developer must build a second wall on the street side, set at least two feet away from the retaining wall itself. This double-wall rule sits on top of the general Table 20.10-1 height limits for fences and walls. The code's glossary at Section 20.24.020 defines a retaining wall as "a wall that is designed to resist lateral pressure and prevent the advance of soil or other materials."