Craven County, NC Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Section 18-41(10)(b) of the Flood Damage Prevention chapter singles out retaining walls, sidewalks and driveways in regulated floodways and non-encroachment areas: any of these that involve placing fill in a regulated floodway must meet the limitations of § 18-43. That section treats floodways and non-encroachment areas as extremely hazardous because of erosion potential and the debris and projectiles floodwaters carry. Under § 18-43(1), no encroachment, including fill for a retaining wall, new construction, substantial improvements or other development, is permitted in a floodway or non-encroachment area unless one of two things happens: a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis performed to standard engineering practice, and presented to the floodplain administrator before the permit issues, demonstrates the proposed encroachment will not increase flood levels during the base flood, or FEMA has approved a conditional letter of map revision (CLOMR), with a final letter of map revision (LOMR) required within six months after the encroachment is completed.

If that showing is made, § 18-43(2) requires the retaining wall project to still comply with all other flood hazard reduction provisions of Chapter 18, including the anchoring, flood-resistant materials, and elevation standards in §§ 18-40 and 18-41. 1(15)(a) separately lists bulkheads, seawalls, retaining walls, revetments and similar erosion-control structures among development activities permitted only with authorization from the appropriate state or local authority and an engineering analysis showing no harmful diversion of floodwaters or wave action onto neighboring structures.