Fort Myers, FL Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LDC § 110-122 (retaining walls, floodways)
- Standard
- No increase in base flood elevation (§ 110-93)
- Scope
- Only within mapped regulated floodways
- Enforcement
- Floodplain administrator; stop-work orders (§ 110-76)
- Outside floodways
- Governed by state Florida Building Code
Summary
Retaining walls that place fill inside a Fort Myers regulated floodway must meet the no-rise floodway encroachment analysis in Sec. 110-93 before the city's floodplain administrator will issue a permit.
Sec. 110-122. - Retaining walls, sidewalks and driveways in regulated floodways. Retaining walls and sidewalks and driveways that involve the placement of fill in regulated floodways shall meet the limitations of section 110-93 of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 60).
Full Breakdown
Fort Myers Land Development Code § 110-122 requires retaining walls, sidewalks and driveways that involve placing fill inside a FEMA-mapped regulated floodway to meet the encroachment limitations of § 110-93: an engineering analysis must show the work causes no increase in the base flood elevation before a development permit issues (§ 110-40). This rule, part of Chapter 110's flood-damage-prevention program (which mirrors Florida's state model floodplain ordinance), applies only within mapped regulated floodways, most residential retaining walls outside those zones fall under the state-adopted Florida Building Code's general structural and permitting standards rather than a distinct city height or size threshold.
Violations & Fines
Building without the required floodway permit, or continuing work after a stop-work order, is a violation under § 110-75; the floodplain administrator can issue notices of violation or stop-work orders under § 110-76, with continued defiance penalized under § 110-77.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Fort Myers?
How tall can a retaining wall be in Fort Myers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Myers
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Fort Myers to another location·View the Florida fence regulations overview
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How other cities in Lee County handle retaining walls.