Green Bay, WI Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- weather-tight, water-tight, good repair
- Rodent-proofing
- required per § 6-7
- Applies to
- retaining walls on any premises
- Not covered
- no separate height/permit rule for walls
Summary
Green Bay requires every retaining wall to be kept weather-tight, structurally sound, and free of significant wear as part of the City's non-dwelling structure maintenance code.
No owner shall permit any non-dwelling structure or fence to exist on any premises which does not comply with the following requirements:(1)Maintenance of non-dwelling structures. Every foundation, retaining wall, exterior wall, roof, window, exterior door, basement hatchway... shall be weather-tight, water-tight, and insect-proof; shall be rodent-proof...; shall be well maintained and kept in a state of good repair; and shall have no significant signs of wear, weathering, or other forms of deterioration.
Full Breakdown
City Code § 8-597(1) treats a retaining wall the same as a building foundation for maintenance purposes: it must be weather-tight, water-tight, insect-proof, rodent-proof under § 6-7, well maintained, kept in good repair, and free of significant wear, weathering, or deterioration. This is a maintenance mandate rather than a standalone permit or height rule, the code's only height standard for a wall sits in the fence provisions at § 44-450, which measures fence height off a retaining wall's grade separation rather than regulating the wall itself.
Violations & Fines
A deteriorated or unsound retaining wall is a Code violation the Director can order corrected under Chapter 8's maintenance enforcement provisions, same as any other non-dwelling structure defect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Green Bay set a maximum height for retaining walls?
Who has to fix a crumbling retaining wall in Green Bay?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Green Bay
Compare Green Bay to another location·View the Wisconsin fence regulations overview
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Retaining Walls in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brown County handle retaining walls.