Gilroy, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

City Code § 30.34.30(a)(4) governs retaining walls combined with fences in residential districts: where a fence is built upon or in conjunction with a retaining wall within five feet of a property line, the retaining wall's maximum height is three feet. The rule then prevents stacking taller walls close together: no additional retaining wall may be built within five feet of that first wall, and any additional retaining wall built beyond that five-foot buffer is capped at six feet. The identical three-foot and six-foot limits apply in commercial and industrial districts under the parallel provision at § 30.34.30(b)(2), so the standard does not change based on zoning once a fence sits atop or beside the wall.

These limits sit within the broader fence article whose intent, stated in § 30.34.10, is to control the location, height and materials of fences and obstructions so they do not adversely affect adjacent properties or block sightlines along public streets. A retaining wall built without any accompanying fence is not covered by this height cap and instead falls under the city's building and grading permit requirements administered by Community Development.