Concrete Retaining Walls in Fox Island, WA

Retaining walls in Fox Island: what to know

The county’s wall bulletin sets the no-permit line at four feet for an unsurcharged wall, measured from the bottom of the footing, and at two feet for a wall that carries a surcharge. A surcharge that falls inside the 45-degree line drawn up from the footing bottom takes the wall out of the four-foot exemption, so the slope and any structure above the wall are mapped before the wall is sized. Walls past the line need plans drawn for the site by a registered engineer in Washington.

The bulletin also says every retaining wall must be drained, citing Section R404.4 of the International Residential Code. On a Fox Island lot that means a drain outlet kept on the parcel and off the neighbor’s ground, shown on the plan before excavation starts. A wall inside the county’s right-of-way needs Planning & Public Works approval as well, so the property line is checked before the footing is staked.

Permits and rules in Fox Island

We take the height from the footing bottom to the wall’s top edge, we look for any surcharge that falls inside the 45-degree line, and we check whether any part of the wall lies in the county’s right-of-way. Walls past the line go to a registered engineer before the price is set.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Measure height from the bottom of the footing, not the visible face
Mark any driveway, structure, or stored load inside the 45-degree line
Route the drain outlet onto the lot and draw it on the site plan
Send any wall past the county line to a Washington registered engineer

For the full process, see our Retaining Walls page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our retaining walls work, serving Fox Island

Examples of our work. We build retaining walls in Fox Island and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Fox Island homeowners

How tall can a Fox Island wall stand before the county asks for plans?

Four feet, counted from the footing to the wall’s top edge, provided the wall carries no surcharge. Surcharged walls get a two-foot exemption instead, and a surcharge inside the 45-degree line removes the four-foot exemption as well.

Do I need an engineer for a Fox Island retaining wall?

Past the county’s line, the bulletin calls for plans drawn for the site by a registered engineer in Washington. Below the line, we still check the slope and the drain before the footing goes in.

What outlet does a retaining wall on my Fox Island lot need?

The bulletin requires all retaining walls to be properly drained, citing Section R404.4 of the International Residential Code. We route the outlet onto your own parcel, keep it off the neighbor’s ground, and draw it on the site plan before excavation.