Per SMC 19.46.040, retaining walls in Sonoma may not exceed 6 feet measured from finished grade at the base of the wall. Walls over 4 feet of unbalanced fill (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall) require a building permit under the California Building Code.
Sonoma Municipal Code 19.46.040 (Height limitations for retaining walls) provides that 'retaining walls shall not exceed a height of six feet measured from the finished grade at the base of the wall.' This is a separate height standard from general fence height in SMC 19.46.030 and is measured at the downhill side of the wall. Where a fence is placed atop a retaining wall, the fence height is measured from finished grade on the uphill side, but the combined effect must still meet sight-triangle limits at intersections (30 inches if less than 75% open). A building permit is required for any retaining wall supporting a surcharge or impounding flammable liquids, or more than 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of footing to top of wall, per California Building Code §105.2 as adopted in Sonoma. Walls in hillside or geologic hazard areas may require additional geotechnical review.
Building a retaining wall taller than 6 feet without a use permit is a violation of SMC 19.46.040 and is enforced under SMC Ch. 19.90. Building a permit-required wall without a building permit triggers stop-work orders, investigation fees, and potential double permit fees from the Building Division. Continuing violations may result in administrative citations and abatement actions.
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