In Tustin, retaining walls 2 feet and over in height above finished grade require a building permit - a lower threshold than the 3-foot trigger for ordinary fences. The City has a standard CMU wall detail; walls that vary from it, or that are over 6 feet, may need engineering calculations by a registered engineer.
The City of Tustin's Fences, Hedges and Walls user guide states that building permits are required to construct retaining walls two feet and over in height, above finished grade. This 2-foot retaining-wall threshold is lower than the over-3-foot threshold for ordinary fences and walls, reflecting the greater structural and drainage risk of soil-retaining structures. The City publishes a standard '6" or 8" C.M.U. Fence Wall' detail (Community Development Department) with prescriptive footing dimensions tied to wall height: for a 3-foot wall the footing width is 1'-6", for 4 feet it is 1'-8", for 5 feet it is 2'-0", and for 6 feet it is 2'-2", with a height maximum of 6'-0" for the standard detail. Footings must be a minimum of 12 inches into undisturbed natural soils, increasing to 24 inches in a liquefaction zone, and footings adjacent to slopes must be at least 5 feet to daylight. Material specifications reference the California Building/Residential Code, ASTM standards, and ACI 530. Walls that propose to vary from the City's standard wall detail require submission of calculations by a California registered Civil/Structural Engineer, shown on the grading plan; using the standard wall avoids separate engineered details. Required inspections include a footing inspection (steel in place), a pre-grout inspection for masonry, and a final inspection after grouting and cap installation.
Building a retaining wall 2 feet or taller without a permit, or deviating from the standard detail without engineered calculations, is a violation; the City can require permitting, engineering review, inspections, or correction of unpermitted retaining walls.
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