Rio Rancho, NM Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Retaining wall threshold
- >18 inches of retained soil
- Fence-atop-wall measurement
- from retained grade, not wall base
- Grade changes
- require DSD approval
Summary
Rio Rancho defines a retaining wall as any structure holding back more than 18 inches of soil, and fences on top of one are measured from the retained grade, not the wall base.
RETAINING WALL. Any structure that is intended to retain more than 18 inches of soil or similar material. ... Fences may be placed on top of retaining walls and height will be measured from the grade level of the retained material behind the retaining wall or, in other words, from the highest soil or similar material point.
Full Breakdown
City Code § 154.77(A)(1) defines a RETAINING WALL as any structure intended to retain more than 18 inches of soil or similar material. Where a fence sits atop a retaining wall, § 154.77(E)(2) requires height to be measured from the grade level of the retained material behind the wall, the highest soil point, not from the ground at the base of the wall. DSD must also approve any grade change used to establish a new measuring point under § 154.77(E)(1). This governs fence/wall interaction inside Rio Rancho, Sandoval County; it is not a general structural retaining-wall engineering code.
Violations & Fines
DSD can require a fence-plus-wall combination to be lowered or reconfigured if it exceeds the applicable height limit once measured from retained grade, per the § 154.77(G) plan review process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a retaining wall in Rio Rancho?
How is fence height measured on top of a retaining wall?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rio Rancho
Compare Rio Rancho to another location·View the New Mexico fence regulations overview
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