Retaining walls are excluded from the residential 7-foot fence height limit in unincorporated Richland County, but masonry or concrete walls generally require a building permit and structural review. Larger walls may also involve grading and stormwater review under the county's land-disturbance program.
Under the Richland County Land Development Code (Chapter 26), retaining walls are not counted toward the 7-foot side-and-rear fence height limit because they serve a structural grading function rather than acting as a privacy barrier. However, walls built of masonry or concrete generally require a building permit and structural (engineering) review to confirm they are safe. Substantial retaining walls that involve regrading, cut/fill, or drainage changes can trigger the county's stormwater and land-disturbance requirements. Position walls to avoid encroaching on neighboring lots or altering drainage onto adjacent property. Inside incorporated cities, the municipal building code applies instead.
Constructing an engineered wall without the required permit can bring a stop-work order, after-the-fact fees, and orders to remedy unsafe or non-permitted construction.
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See how Richland County's retaining walls rules stack up against other locations.
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