Retaining walls are governed by your municipality and Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, not by York County. In York Township, retaining walls over 4 feet must meet the UCC, and walls over 6 feet need a 42-inch protective fence on top.
Retaining-wall standards in York County come from municipal zoning ordinances and the statewide Uniform Construction Code (UCC, 34 Pa. Code Ch. 401), administered by your local code office, not the county. York Township requires that retaining walls over 4 feet high be built to UCC standards. Walls over 6 feet must have a minimum 42-inch protective fence within one foot of the fill-side edge. Walls 4 to 6 feet high must sit at least 6 feet from any property line, and walls over 6 feet add one foot of setback for each additional foot of height. All retaining walls need satisfactory drainage. A building permit under the UCC typically applies to walls over 4 feet; verify with your municipality.
Building a non-compliant or unpermitted retaining wall violates the UCC and zoning ordinance; enforcement is by the municipal code/zoning officer, with zoning fines up to $500 per day under 53 P.S. §10617.2.
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