(A) General. All retaining walls are reviewed by the Design Review Board or the Administrator to determine compatibility to the existing topography of and the materials in use. Retaining walls shall not exceed an exposed face height of six feet, except in the CH-1, CH-2, or CH-3 Districts, where retaining walls shall not exceed an exposed face height of 15 feet. Within a front setback, retaining walls shall not exceed an exposed face height of three feet, unless related to access to or development of a structure on excessive slopes (in excess of 30%). Retaining walls associated with a street located within a public right-of-way or access to an underground covered parking structure are exempt from these height limits but shall be approved by the Design Review Board and shall meet the standards prescribed in § 14-10-3
.
(B) Height.
(1) Retaining walls shall not exceed an exposed face height of six feet, except in the H or H-2 Districts, where retaining walls shall not exceed an exposed face height of 15 feet.
(2) In a front setback, retaining walls shall not exceed an exposed face height of three feet, unless related to access to or development of a structure on slopes in excess of 30%.
(3) Retaining walls associated with a street located in a public right-of-way, or access to an underground covered parking structure are exempt from these height limits.
(4) All retaining walls over four feet in height, measured from the bottom of a footing to the top of wall as per the adopted Building Code, shall be engineered and stamped by a licensed Colorado professional engineer, and shall include engineered stamped plans, profiles, sections, details and engineering analyses and calculations.
(5) All retaining walls in a public right-of-way over three feet in height, measured from the bottom of a footing to the top of wall as per the adopted Building Code, shall be engineered and stamped by a licensed Colorado professional engineer, and shall include engineered stamped plans, profiles, sections, details and engineering analyses and calculations.
(6) The height limit for retaining walls is based on the exposed height of either a single or combined height of combination walls. If the batter (slope of the face of the wall) is greater than one to one (1:1), the wall shall be engineered and stamped by a licensed Colorado professional engineer, and shall include engineered stamped plans, profiles, sections, details and engineering analyses and calculations.
(C) Landscaping. To avoid excessive vertical expanses of retaining walls and to provide visual relief in areas highly visible to the public, the Design Review Board may require landscaping in front of walls and landscape benches between walls.
(D) Location. Retaining walls shall be located at least two feet from adjacent private property boundaries and at least ten feet from the edge of a public street unless otherwise approved by the Design Review Board.
(E) Combination retaining walls. A retaining wall is considered a combination wall if the upper wall falls within a prism defined as starting one foot behind the face of the lower wall at the lowest finished grade line and then back at a one and one-half to one (1.5:1) angle from the starting point. The minimum bench of combination retaining walls shall be four feet. All combination retaining walls shall be engineered and stamped by a licensed Colorado professional engineer, and shall include engineered stamped plans, profiles, sections, details and engineering analyses and calculations.
(Ord. 29(2023) § 3; amd. Ord. 6(2024) § 12)