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Building & Safety
Standard Details for Retaining Walls

Listed below are links to the standard details for retaining walls.

Masonry wall standard details

Concrete wall standard details

  • These details may be used with no additional design analysis when all of the following conditions are met:
    1. The retaining wall retains less than 4 feet of material with or without a surcharge, unless the surcharge is caused by a building.
    2. All design criteria specified by a soils or geologic report must be met by use of the standard detail for the wall.
  • Submit the permit applicatoin through  eplan. Please see the brochure Building Permit Application Requirements for Residential Structures for plan requirements.
  • One of these details should be part of each set of plans submitted with the application and the detail will serve as the structural plan for the wall.
  • The plans must include a plot plan, topographic map, elevations, and other information necessary for reviewing agencies in accordance with our current procedures. The height of the wall must be clearly shown on the plot plan and elevations.
  • The building plan checker must verify items 1 and 2 above.
  • The plans must specify the amount of grading to be done. If a grading permit or grading approval with the building permit is needed, the application will be processed in accordance with our current grading procedures.
  • The application will be routed to building plan check, zoning plan check, environmental health if on septic, and environmental planning if a grading permit or grading approval is needed.