Lawrence, MA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

70(C) of the Building and Property Maintenance Code addresses retaining walls directly, but as a structural-upkeep duty rather than a construction-permit or height-limit rule: all fences, retaining walls or similar structures shall be firmly anchored in the ground and maintained in good structural repair. The same subsection then singles out wooden components for extra care: wooden elements or other elements subject to deterioration from weathering shall be maintained with chemicals or paint to preserve the element and to retard deterioration. Read together with subsection A, which folds fences and retaining walls into the list of landscape elements that must be kept in a safe and sanitary condition and repaired, replaced or removed if they become a danger, the ordinance is really an anti-neglect provision: a leaning, rotting or unanchored retaining wall is a code violation regardless of when it was built or whether it ever had a permit.

Lawrence's code does not set a numeric retaining-wall height threshold or require an engineer's stamp in this chapter; any such requirements would sit in the separate zoning ordinance or the state building code, neither of which is reachable in this file. 080, is the official responsible for inspecting and enforcing this maintenance duty, typically after a complaint or a routine property inspection turns up a failing wall.