Lakewood, NJ Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Lakewood Township's grading standard at UDO § 18-822B2 (Article VIII, Design Standards) sets the trigger for engineered retaining walls: any wall rising more than three feet above natural grade needs material certifications and engineering drawings before the Township Engineer will sign off. The same subsection ties height to setback: for every six inches a wall climbs above natural grade, it must pull back an additional two feet from the adjoining property line, so a taller wall automatically needs more room between it and the lot line.

5 feet above existing ground level measured 20 feet from the property line, and grading within five feet of a property line is restricted outright, with a swale required where needed to protect abutting land from surface water. Anyone pulling a residential construction permit for a retaining wall also has to satisfy § 18-823, which requires two signed and sealed copies of an individual plot plan showing the wall's location, submitted to the Township Engineer alongside applications for new dwellings, additions, pools, and other permitted improvements.

The Engineer checks the plot plan for adequate drainage, correct grading, and compliance with these Township standards before releasing the permit. Because the certification and setback duties attach automatically once a wall crosses the three-foot line, homeowners planning anything taller than a low garden wall should get an engineer involved at the design stage rather than after footings are poured.