CC MEETING: December 2, 2025
DATE: November 20, 2025
TO: Erin Rinehart, City Manager
FROM: Brett L. King, Director of Development Services / Building Official
Shannon Hicks, Assistant City Manager
Title
Consider An Ordinance Adopting Additional Amendments To The 2024 International Construction Codes.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The International Construction Codes require a permit for retaining walls four feet or greater in height. Staff is proposing amendments to the codes which will also require a permit for retaining walls of any height which are within four feet of any right-of-way. This is intended to provide the City with enforcement oversight to ensure that such walls do not encroach a right-of-way or use elements in the right-of-way, such as City-owned sidewalks, for structural support. Additionally, this will help homeowners from inadvertently constructing a retaining wall within a right-of-way.
COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY
The proposed amendments will help to ensure that the City is able to maintain public infrastructure without encroachment from private retaining walls.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no direct financial impacts to the city to process the adoption and amendments to the International Codes.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION/ACTION DESIRED
On November 20, 2025 Property Standards Board (PSB) recommended approval of the proposed additional amendments requiring a permit for any type of retaining wall located within four feet of any right-of-way. Staff is requesting that City Council approves the ordinance adopting the additional amendments to the 2024 International Construction Codes to be effective January 1, 2026.
ATTACHMENTS
Proposed ordinance