Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup
Key FactsOrdinance TextFull BreakdownViolationsFAQSourcesMore in Roanoke County

Roanoke County, VA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Height cap
4 feet per retaining wall in a buffer yard
Stacked walls
6-foot planting strip required between walls
Applies to
Buffer yards on sites needing a site plan
Max buffer slope
3:1 horizontal to vertical
Governing section
Roanoke County Code § 30-92-5(B)(3)

Summary

In Roanoke County, Virginia (outside the independent cities of Roanoke and Salem), a retaining wall built inside a required buffer yard on a site plan cannot exceed four feet in height. Roanoke County Code § 30-92-5(B)(3) caps buffer-yard walls at that height and requires a six-foot planting strip between stacked walls.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Roanoke County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

3.The maximum slope of any required buffer yard shall be 3:1 (horizontal:vertical). Sufficient vegetation and ground cover shall be established and maintained on any slope to ensure stabilization and re-vegetation. In areas where extreme slopes exist, retaining walls no greater than four (4) feet in height may be used. If more than one (1) retaining wall is used, a planting area at least six (6) feet wide with a slope no greater than 3:1 must be left between the retaining walls.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Section 30-92-5(B) governs buffer yards, the screening and landscaping strips required between differently zoned properties on any site that needs a site development plan under § 30-90. ' That planting strip has to carry sufficient vegetation and ground cover to stabilize the slope and re-establish growth, per the same subsection. Buffer yards themselves are reserved solely for screening and landscaping, so a retaining wall built there cannot double as a building foundation, parking surface or other improvement under § 30-92-5(B)(1); only a driveway or road crossing, or a greenway, is allowed to interrupt one.

This four-foot cap applies specifically to retaining walls inside the landscaped buffer strip required by the zoning ordinance between differently zoned parcels; it is not a county-wide height limit on every retaining wall on private property, since the ordinance ties the number to the buffer-yard grading standard rather than to fences or walls generally.

Violations & Fines

A retaining wall over four feet inside a required buffer yard, or one built without the mandated six-foot planting strip between stacked walls, fails site plan compliance and can draw a notice of violation from the administrator under § 30-21. An uncorrected violation is a misdemeanor under § 30-22, fined $10 to $2,500 per day it continues.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can a retaining wall be in Roanoke County?
Where a retaining wall sits inside a required buffer yard on a site subject to zoning plan review, § 30-92-5(B)(3) caps it at four feet. The ordinance addresses this height specifically for buffer-yard grading; it does not set a separate county-wide limit for retaining walls built elsewhere on private property outside a buffer yard.
Can I build two retaining walls to handle a steep slope?
Yes, but § 30-92-5(B)(3) requires a planting area at least six feet wide, sloped no steeper than 3:1, between any stacked retaining walls in a required buffer yard, and each individual wall is still capped at four feet.
Does this retaining wall rule apply to my house?
It applies to buffer yards required on sites that need a site development plan under § 30-90, meaning commercial, multi-family and other developments, not an individual single-family or two-family lot, which § 30-90(A)(1) exempts from the site plan requirement.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Roanoke County

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome RestrictionsHeight LimitsLight RestrictionsFence Permit RequirementsLight RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome Restrictions

All Roanoke County rules

Compare Roanoke County to another location·View the Virginia fence regulations overview

Get notified when Retaining Walls in Roanoke County, VA changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.