Yorba Linda, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Yorba Linda Municipal Code Section 15.04.020 amends Section 105.2, Work exempt from permits, item 4, to exempt only retaining walls not over 4 feet in height, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, and only when the wall does not support a surcharge, does not support a sloped backfill with a slope greater than 2:1, and does not impound flammable Class I, II, or III-A liquids. Any retaining wall exceeding 4 feet, or a shorter wall that supports a surcharge, a steep sloped backfill, or flammable liquids, therefore requires a building permit reviewed by the Building Official.

Section 18.26.090, in the zoning title, separately caps height for the walls it regulates: the maximum height of individual retaining walls shall not exceed 9 feet, and retaining walls are also made subject to the hillside development provisions of Chapter 18.30, which apply given Yorba Linda's hillside terrain. The Community Development Director can administratively approve a deviation of up to 10 percent from the standards in Section 18.26.090, and retaining or combination retaining-and-screen walls up to 9 feet may be approved through an administrative adjustment under Chapter 18.38 for deviations between 11 and 20 percent over the prescribed standards.