Spokane Valley, WA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Chapter 24.50 SVMC regulates land disturbing activities separately from the building permit for the wall itself. Section 24.50.020(C) exempts 'an excavation below finished grade for basements and footings of a building, retaining wall, or other structure authorized by a valid building permit; provided excavation having an unsupported height greater than four feet after the completion of such structure shall not be exempt.' That means a retaining wall's excavation only avoids a separate grading permit if the wall already has its own building permit and the unsupported cut stays at four feet or under; fill and spoil material from any such excavation still has to meet Chapter 24.50's requirements even when the cut itself is exempt.

Retaining walls resurface again at § 24.50.030(A)(13), which requires an engineered grading permit for 'grading to support other engineering works such as, but not limited to, tanks, towers, machinery, retaining walls, and paving,' so a taller or load-bearing wall can trigger the engineered track even beyond the four-foot excavation threshold. Grading permits under Chapter 24.50 also carry their own procedural requirements: a surety in an amount set by the city manager or designee under § 24.50.010(G), city inspection of the work under § 24.50.010(H), and a written hazard notice to the owner if the activity threatens life, property, erosion control or drainage under § 24.50.010(I).