Woodinville wall exemption and site development permits
WMC 21.62.070 says a building permit is not required for a retaining wall, provided it is not over four feet tall when measured from the footing up to the top edge of the wall. The exemption leaves out any wall carrying a surcharge, and any wall impounding liquids in Class I, II, or IIIA. A wall over four feet falls outside the exemption, and we confirm with the city how it reads a surcharge on your wall.
Earth moved on a Woodinville lot needs a site development permit under WMC 21.82.110(2), unless an exemption applies. One exemption covers less than 25 cubic yards of earth movement in the R-1 through R-8 zones (50 cubic yards elsewhere), within caps on new or replaced impervious surface and total disturbed area. Utility trenches that need a right-of-way permit are exempt under item (c).
Two items stay open here. The city confirms which permit covers a driveway apron or sidewalk section in the right-of-way, and it confirms stormwater requirements for each lot, which this page does not set out.
Nearby, we also build in Bothell, Kenmore, Redmond, and Duvall, and we serve the rest of western Washington.