Sioux Falls's Landscaping Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles landscaping rules a little differently. In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, there are 5 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Tree Trimming

Sioux Falls requires 10 feet of clearance over sidewalks and 12 feet over streets, rising to 16 feet on arterial or collector streets.

Key details: Sidewalk clearance: 10 feet minimum. Street clearance: 12 feet minimum. Arterial/collector clearance: 16 feet minimum. Enforcement: City forestry director. Duty holder: Abutting property owner.

No fixed fine is written into § 94.041 itself, so a failure-to-trim falls under the city's general penalty: up to a $500 fine and/or 30 days in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.

Native Plants

Sioux Falls exempts wildflower gardens and city-designated native plantings from its 8-inch weed height limit, letting residents grow natural landscapes without a nuisance citation.

Key details: General weed height limit: 8 inches, non-woody plants. Native planting area exemption: Parks director must designate it. Buffer from right-of-way: 25-foot mowed strip required. Buffer from occupied neighbor: 12 feet required. Parking-strip native plants max height: 3 feet (8 in. near hydrants).

Unpermitted tall vegetation outside these exemptions is a nuisance; the code official can order it cut, and after notice the cost can be certified as a special assessment against the property plus administrative citation under Title III, Ch. 40.

The rules around native plants in Sioux Falls lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Weed Ordinances

Sioux Falls caps non-woody vegetation, including grass and weeds, at 8 inches under the city's Property Maintenance Code. Taller growth is declared a nuisance, and the city can cut it and bill the property owner after notice.

Key details: Height limit: 8 inches for grass and weeds. Governing code: Property Maintenance Code Sec. 302.4. Enforcement: Notice, then city cuts and bills owner. Exemptions: Gardens, crops, pasture, natural areas. Penalty: Administrative citation under Ch. 40.

Ignoring a cure notice brings city abatement billed to the owner, a special assessment if unpaid, and administrative citations under Title III, Chapter 40, Administrative Code Enforcement.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Sioux Falls does not require a permit to remove a tree on private property. A permit is only required to remove a tree growing in a public place, such as the street parking strip.

Key details: Private tree removal: No city permit required. Public/right-of-way tree: Permit required from parks director. Nuisance trees: Owner must treat or remove. Stump grinding: 6-8 inches below grade required. Enforcing agency: Parks and Recreation Department.

Removing a public-place tree without a permit, or damaging/destroying trees through negligence or noncompliance, makes the responsible party liable for repair, removal and replacement costs under § 94.039, with general penalties under § 10.999.

The rules around tree removal & heritage trees in Sioux Falls lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Water Restrictions

Sioux Falls ties lawn watering to Big Sioux River flow: a standing noon-to-5 p.m. sprinkling ban, plus odd/even-address watering days, one-day-a-week limits, or a full ban as river flow drops through set thresholds.

Key details: Standing ban: No watering noon-5 p.m.. Normal-flow schedule: Odd/even address, odd/even dates. Low-flow trigger: 1 day/week at ≤49 cfs. Full ban trigger: ≤20 cfs, 5 days straight. Enforcement: Notice, then citation or shutoff.

First offense: posted and mailed notice of violation, correct within 24 hours. Second or later offense: administrative citation under Chapter 40. The city may also shut off water service and issue civil penalties for noncompliance.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Sioux Falls gives residents more room on landscaping rules. 2 of the 5 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

All of the above reflects Sioux Falls's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.