Converse, TX Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Engineering trigger
- Cuts/fills over 3 feet
- Max unengineered slope
- 3 horizontal to 1 vertical
- Enforced by
- City stormwater inspector
- Permit needed
- Clearing and grading permit
- Penalty
- Up to $500 per day
Summary
Converse requires an engineered retaining wall for any cut or fill slope over three feet high; without one, slopes must lay back to a 3:1 horizontal-to-vertical grade under the city's land-disturbing activity rules.
Cut and fill slopes shall be no steeper than is safe for the intended use. Slopes greater than three feet in height shall be no steeper than three horizontal to one vertical foot, except where approved retaining walls are engineered and installed and where trenches are refilled with material from the excavation.
2. All topsoil scraped during ground surface preparation shall be immediately removed or stockpiled on the site. Stormwater controls shall be implemented and maintained around stockpiles until stabilized. Stockpiles shall be stabilized within 14 days. All scraped topsoil shall be removed from site or reused prior to final inspection.
3. When the owner of any parcel shall raise, lower or alter the level or existing grade of a site by fill or excavation, they shall, at their expense:
(i) Protect all adjoining property from encroachment by such fill or excavation, or danger of collapse due to such excavation either by the erection of an engineered retaining wall or by sloping the sides of such fill or excavation entirely within the confines of the site; and
(ii) Cuts and fills shall not compromise the intent or use of existing drainage and utility easements as originally designed and approved by the city.
c. Temporary stabilization. Temporary stabilization shall be established on all graded or disturbed areas not intended to be developed within 30 days.
d.
Full Breakdown
The rule sits inside Converse's land-disturbing activities ordinance (Chapter 46, drainage and stormwater), enforced by the city's stormwater inspector under the utility director. Any cut or fill exceeding three feet must either be laid back to a maximum 3-horizontal-to-1-vertical slope or supported by an approved, engineered retaining wall. The same cut-and-fill standard requires anyone who raises, lowers, or alters a site's grade to protect adjoining property from encroachment or collapse: either by erecting an engineered retaining wall or by sloping the excavation entirely within their own property line.
Violations & Fines
Building a slope over 3 feet without an engineered wall, or grading without the required clearing and grading permit, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 per day under the drainage chapter's general penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Converse require a permit for a retaining wall?
How tall can a retaining wall be before it needs engineering in Converse?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Converse
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Converse to another location·View the Texas fence regulations overview
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Retaining Walls in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bexar County handle retaining walls.