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

Sec. 14 targets the specific friction point where nonresidential development sits next to residential property. Subsection A triggers the section: special grading treatment is required whenever a nonresidential use abuts a residential use or zone and the development proposes an elevation difference of two feet or more within 20 feet of the shared property line, with the graded slope capped at 2:1 and erosion control such as grass or landscaping required. Subsection B then sets the engineering standard for retaining walls built to handle that grading: any retaining wall five feet in height or greater must have its plans designed, signed, and sealed by a professional engineer or a registered architect licensed to practice in North Carolina, and both the wall and any required slope must be installed according to those approved plans with the design engineer's sign-off on the installation.

Subsection C folds the requirement into the development review process: every retaining wall and graded slope covered by the section must appear on the site plan submitted for review under Sec. 2, with plan and section details of the proposed grading treatment included in that application. This is a targeted trigger, not a blanket rule for every retaining wall in the county: a wall built entirely within a residential subdivision, away from a nonresidential boundary, does not fall under Sec. 14's engineering mandate.