In most of unincorporated Yellowstone County, livestock is not capped by the county under Montana's right-to-farm tradition. Only within the county zoning jurisdiction near Billings does the agricultural-open space zone limit livestock to two units per acre.
Rural, unzoned land in Yellowstone County has no county livestock density limit, so cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and poultry may be kept subject to nuisance and cruelty law. County zoning reaches roughly 4.5 miles from the Billings city limits; there the agricultural-open space zone allows two livestock units per acre, with additional units per additional half-acre increment. Montana is an open-range and strong right-to-farm state, so agricultural operations are broadly protected. Incorporated towns restrict or prohibit livestock. Confirm your parcel's zoning with County Planning.
Within a zoning district, exceeding density limits is a zoning violation enforced by county code enforcement; otherwise nuisance/cruelty statutes apply.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Yellowstone County, MT
Yellowstone County has no ordinance banning backyard composting. Residents may compost yard and food waste; keep piles from becoming a rodent, odor, or vecto...
Yellowstone County, MT
Yellowstone County has no ordinance banning or requiring a permit for artificial turf on residential lawns. Homeowners may install synthetic grass; HOA coven...
Yellowstone County, MT
Yellowstone County does not require or prohibit native-plant landscaping. Residents may plant Montana natives and drought-tolerant xeriscape freely, provided...
Yellowstone County, MT
Rainwater harvesting is legal in Montana and encouraged. Yellowstone County has no ordinance restricting rain barrels. Rooftop collection for outdoor landsca...
Yellowstone County, MT
Unincorporated Yellowstone County imposes no standing lawn-watering rule. The City of Billings enacts temporary Stage 1 restrictions during peak demand, typi...
Yellowstone County, MT
Montana law makes noxious-weed control MANDATORY for every landowner. State statute makes it unlawful to let a noxious weed go to seed on your land, and the ...
See how Yellowstone County's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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