St. Michael Code Sec. 155.030 requires any retaining wall over 4 feet in height (or a series of retaining walls with a greater vertical drop than horizontal distance) to be protected at the top by a minimum 3-foot-high fence.
The retaining-wall rule in Sec. 155.030 is a safety provision — once a wall reaches the 4-foot fall-hazard threshold, a 36-inch protective fence is required along the top edge. Retaining walls over 4 feet also require structural engineering and a building permit. The 'series' clause prevents owners from stacking 3-foot walls a foot apart to dodge the rule: if the total vertical drop exceeds the horizontal distance between walls, they are treated as one retaining wall for the fence requirement. The fence on top must meet the general fence-material standard (cut lumber, brick, wrought iron, PVC, chain link, etc.).
Failure to install the top-of-wall fence on a retaining wall over 4 ft is a zoning violation, citable as a misdemeanor under Sec. 10.99 up to $1,000 / 90 days. Engineered structural calcs are required for any retaining wall above 4 ft under the Minnesota State Building Code.
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