Retaining Walls

A permit and engineer design is required for any retaining wall in Peachtree City 4 feet or more in height as measured from the top of the footing.

Application Requirement

Application
Site plansshowing
- Distances to property lines and any existing structures
- Location of all easements and utilities (sewer, water, electric, and cables)
- Setback lines
- Water run-off direction (use arrow to indicate flow of water) and Perimeter control measures (silt fence)
- Height of the top of the wall elevation (T.W.) and bottom of the wall elevation (B.W.)
- Which side of the wall is retaining soil
Detailed construction plansand retaining wall plans drawn to scale containing the following information:
- Loads used in the designs and impact/vibration consideration. Loads imparted by other structures and how they affect the design.
- Profiles for all walls showing station numbers, elevations (existing and proposed), and any penetrations (utilities, etc.) Plans must be sealed by a Professional Engineer registered in Georgia.
- Structural analysis for each retaining wall. All plans and structural analysis must be sealed and signed by a registered Professional Engineer licensed in the state of Georgia.
- Design calculations for each wall. The calculations should include soil parameters (for footing/leveling pad, backfill behind the walls or any other use), safety factors (names, required value, and calculated value), slope conditions on both sides of the walls, design loads, etc. Calculations must be sealed by a Professional Engineer registered in Georgia. Include Global Stability Analyses if applicable.
- Typical sections. Show wall batter, drainage aggregate or geotextile behind the wall, swale behind the wall for stormwater drainage, footing or leveling pad, stabilization details downstream of a storm pipe penetration where the effluent is released at the wall, etc.
- Details/specifications for the wall blocks, features which retain the wall blocks in place, geogrid, a system to ensure proper tensioning of the geogrid, grout for sealing wall penetration areas, etc. State construction sequences for unusual/unique situations such as where geo-grid extends under a structure or must go around a storm pipe and/or its related structure.
- Limits for safety restraint systems atop or immediately behind walls. Guardrail for vehicular restraint should be clearly shown on the plans and detail for the guardrail shown.
- Narrative and design for groundwater behind and in front of the retaining wall.
Letter to the owners from the wall design engineer instructing them as to proper repair procedures for damage to a wall face or geogrid area.
Executed Engineer’s Certificate of Retaining Wall Design for the wall or walls signed by the Engineer who seals the plans & design calculations for the design. Upon completion of the wall, you will be required to submit an Executed Engineer’s Certificate of the Retaining Wall Construction.

Additional Standards:

If trees fall within 10 feet of the retaining wall foundation then special steps must be shown by the design engineer to ensure that the trees will not impact the foundation.
Special design will be required if the existence of irrigation, storm drains or water lines are within the reinforced zone behind the retaining wall.
Under no circumstance will trees be allowed in the reinforced zone behind the retaining wall.
Maximum allowable height for modular retaining walls in the City of Peachtree City shall be reviewed and approved by the city.
No geogrids will be acceptable within any right-of-way limit nor within any drainage or sanitary sewer easement.
Wing walls part of building foundation shall not be higher than 10 feet
Restraint systems are required at wall heights exceeding 30 inches. Minimum height for human restraint system is 42 inches with openings complying with the requirements that a 4 inches sphere cannot pass between members.
All retaining walls (to include modular) are to be built under the supervision of a Professional Engineer registered in Georgia (preferably the engineer that sealed the design plans and calculations) who will certify to Peachtree City Building and Engineering Departments that the walls were built per approved plans.

The preceding requirements apply to most simple retaining wall projects; however, Peachtree City may determine that unusual circumstances dictate the need for additional information.