South Fulton, GA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

South Fulton's Zoning Ordinance Sec. 406.02(c)(9) sets a tiered retaining-wall permitting scheme. Walls that are monolithically placed and structurally tied to a house or building foundation wall do not require a separate wall permit if shown on the plans for which a building permit was issued. All other retaining walls over 4 feet high require a permit if they were not shown and permitted on a Land Disturbance Permit. Walls 4 feet to 6 feet high may be permitted upon execution of an Owner Certification/Indemnification form. All walls over 6 feet high — and any 4-to-6-foot wall for which the owner will not execute the owner form — require an Engineer Certification/Indemnification form (which needs both an engineer's certification and an owner's certification). A Checklist for Retaining Wall Permit Drawing must be completed, and a separate permit form and fee is required for each wall. In large-scale retail developments, Sec. 407.03(a)(4) additionally requires retaining walls to be faced with stone, brick, or decorative concrete modular block (landscape timber is prohibited), and walls above 5 feet must have evergreen plantings in front. Retaining walls are listed among the city's permittable items processed through Development Services.