Wichita, KS Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Sec. 070, 'Responsibility of owners and occupants generally,' is part of the Code of the City of Wichita's housing/property maintenance chapter and lists twelve separate owner and occupant duties, from keeping shared areas clean to correcting termite damage. Item (8) singles out fences, screening, and retaining walls: any dwelling owner on a property where fencing exists, whether built as a utility barrier or decorative screen, must keep it in sound condition, and the same duty explicitly extends to retaining walls of twelve inches or more in height.

The section defines fencing broadly to include metal, wood, masonry, or wire construction. Enforcement runs through the Director's inspection and notice authority in Sec. 100: when the Director finds a violation, written notice must particularize the defect, give a reasonable correction period, and be served on the owner personally, by certified mail, or by posting if the owner cannot be found. An owner who disagrees can file a written petition for an informal hearing before the Director within ten days, and appeal any adverse decision to the Board of Code Standards and Appeals under Sec.

150. Penalties are set out in Sec. 200: a misdemeanor conviction carries a fine of $300 to $1,000 on a first offense, $500 to $1,000 on a second, $1,000 to $2,000 on a third, and $2,000 to $2,500 on a fourth or later conviction, plus up to twelve months' imprisonment, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate offense. Separately, the city's fee schedule at Sec. 00 per linear foot annually for fences, walls, and retaining walls that encroach into the public right-of-way, a distinct permit obligation from the Sec. 070(8) maintenance duty.