Linn County, IA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- over 6 ft tall
- Height measured
- from lowest adjacent grade
- Materials covered
- timber, block, concrete, stone
- Coverage
- unincorporated county only
Summary
Linn County requires a zoning permit for any retaining wall over 6 feet tall that also needs a building permit, with height measured from the lowest ground point next to the wall.
A zoning permit shall be required for retaining walls that are greater than six feet in height and for which a building permit is required. Height of retaining walls for the purpose of meeting the requirements of this subsection shall be measured from the lowest grade adjacent to any point of the wall. Retaining walls can include, but are not limited to, structures of timbers, boulders, concrete or stone blocks, or other materials. (f)Exceptions to height limitations. Height limitations specified for structures in various zoning districts in article V and article VII of this chapter shall not apply to the following appurtenances and structures: (1)Church spires and church towers that are an architectural element of the church building and not a communication tower, and provided no communications device co-located on the spire or tower is higher than the spire or tower. (2)Belfries. (3)Public monuments. (4)Typical residential telephone and television antennas and aerials not mounted on towers. (5)Chimneys. (6)Smoke stacks. (7)Flag poles. (8)Silos and storage elevators in an agricultural, village mixed, highway commercial, general commercial or industrial zoning district. (9)Windmills, or wind turbines as part of a utility scale wind energy conversion system. (10)Emergency sirens and similar devices. (11)Elevator and stairway bulkheads and air conditioning equipment. (12)Water towers, cooling towers, and fire towers. (13)Utility poles.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 107-94(e) sets the retaining wall trigger: a zoning permit is required for retaining walls greater than six feet in height and for which a building permit is required. Height is measured from the lowest grade adjacent to any point of the wall, not an average grade, so a wall stepped into a slope is judged at its tallest exposed face. The rule covers timber, boulder, concrete block, stone block and other retaining wall materials. Walls at or under 6 feet, or that don't independently need a building permit, fall outside this requirement. This governs unincorporated Linn County; Cedar Rapids and Marion apply their own rules.
Violations & Fines
Building a permit-required retaining wall over 6 feet without a zoning permit is a code violation the planning and development department can order corrected or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is retaining wall height measured in Linn County?
Does a short retaining wall need a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Linn County
Compare Linn County to another location·View the Iowa fence regulations overview
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