Landscaping Rules in Sioux Falls, SD (2026)
5 verified landscaping rules for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
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.
Sioux Falls Tree Clearance Over Streets
Some RestrictionsSioux Falls Code of Ordinances § 94.041
Trim trees or woody plants so as not to cause a hazard to public places or interfere with the proper lighting of public streets by the streetlights or interfere with the visibility of any traffic sign. All trees or woody plants shall be trimmed to allow free passage of pedestrians and vehicular traffic and in a manner so as to allow ten feet clearance over sidewalks and 12 feet clearance over a...
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.
Sioux Falls Tree Removal Permit Rules
Few RestrictionsSioux Falls Code of Ordinances § 94.035(a)
No person shall remove trees in public places without first procuring a permit from the director. (b) Any permitted tree removal requires treatment of the residual tree stump by grinding the stump and major flare roots to a depth of six to eight inches below grade. (1957 Rev. Ords., § 11.903; 1992 Code, § 42-39) (Ord. 11-77, passed 2-14-1977; Ord. 94-08, passed 7-21-2008; Ord. 37-12, passe...
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.
Sioux Falls Grass and Weed Height Limit
Some RestrictionsSioux Falls Code of Ordinances § 150.096 (Property Maintenance Code § 302.4)
Premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from all actively growing plants declared to be statewide noxious weeds by the state weed and pest control commission, all actively growing weeds declared by the county to be locally noxious, and all other non-woody plants growing in the city to a greater height than 8 inches. All such plants are dangerous and unhealthful, are hereby decla...
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.
Sioux Falls Lawn Watering Restrictions
Some RestrictionsSioux Falls Code of Ordinances § 52.003.1
Municipal water users having even-numbered addresses may water lawns on even-numbered calendar dates. Municipal water users having odd-numbered addresses may water lawns on odd-numbered calendar dates. This annual lawn watering schedule is in effect when the water flow rate in the Big Sioux River is at 50 cubic feet per second (cfs) or more as measured at the United States Geological Survey (US...
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.
Sioux Falls Native Plant Landscaping Rule
Light RestrictionsSioux Falls Code of Ordinances § 150.096, part 302.4 (Vegetation)
The 8-inch restriction on non-woody plants does not apply to cultivated flowers and fruit and vegetable gardens, vegetation being grown as a crop, livestock pastures, wildflower display gardens, rights-of-way of rural section roads, vegetation designated by the director of Sioux Falls parks and recreation as a natural area or native planting area, or unimproved developments, except for a 25-foo...
Looking for Minnehaha County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sioux Falls city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Minnehaha County →