North Charleston, SC Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

The retaining wall standard sits in Appendix A (Zoning Regulations), Article X, Section 10-15(a)(3)o, and it governs only the Olde North Charleston Historic District, not the whole city. Material comes first: fences and retaining walls shall be constructed of stone, brick, stuccoed concrete, or wood pickets, and fences made of any other material are not permitted. Height is the second limit. A front yard retaining wall shall not exceed two (2) feet absent a certification of necessity from a registered South Carolina engineer. The same paragraph caps front yard fences at four (4) feet and bars a solid façade, so a fence set on top of a retaining wall has to satisfy its own limit as well.

The rule is also a permit trigger. Section 10-15(a)(2) puts all construction, renovation, repair and demolition activities outside the short exempt list under advance review and approval by the planning director or a designee. The exempt list covers general maintenance that does not change the appearance of the structure or site, exterior alterations not visible from a public right-of-way, house painting, landscaping including sprinkler system work, interior alterations, and window screens and grilles. A new wall in view of the street is not on that list. Section 10-10 bars anyone from starting work that needs design review without first obtaining a historic district/conservation district permit.

The application goes to the planning director with a scaled site plan, scaled plans and details of the work, the landowner's written consent and photographs of the property. The director must tell the applicant within thirty (30) calendar days if the application is incomplete, and must decide within thirty (30) calendar days once it is complete. A complete application that meets the article and all other laws is approved, and a denial must state its reasons. Appeals of a director decision go to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA). The adjoining Neighborhood Conservation District repeats the same front yard retaining wall limit in Section 10-20(10).