Landscaping Rules in Sioux Falls, SD (2026)
9 verified landscaping rules for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Grass Height Limits
Sioux Falls Property Maintenance Code (IPMC 2021 as adopted) Section 302.4 caps non-woody plants on residential premises at 8 inches. Taller grass, lawn weeds, and rank vegetation are deemed nuisance vegetation enforced by the city's Code Enforcement division. Cultivated gardens, designated native/prairie planting areas, and crop or pasture land are exempt.
Grass and Weeds Over 8 Inches Prohibited
Some RestrictionsTree Trimming
Chapter 94 (Forestry) makes the abutting property owner responsible for trimming, deadwooding, and maintaining street/boulevard trees in the parking strip. Section 94.038 requires a free Street Tree Planting Permit before planting any tree in the public right-of-way, and ash trees may not be trimmed, removed, or transported within the Minnehaha/Lincoln/Turner County emerald ash borer quarantine between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Forestry Code: Boulevard Trees, EAB Quarantine, and Permits
Some RestrictionsTree Removal & Heritage Trees
Private tree removal on residential property in Sioux Falls generally does not require a permit. However, boulevard trees between the sidewalk and street are city property and require approval from Urban Forestry before removal. Dead or hazardous trees must be removed by the property owner.
Sioux Falls Tree Removal Regulations
Some RestrictionsWeed Ordinances
Sioux Falls enforces both the city's 8-inch grass/weed limit (IPMC § 302.4) and the South Dakota statewide noxious-weed list adopted under SDCL Chapter 38-22. The eight statewide noxious species — Canada thistle, leafy spurge, purple loosestrife, hoary cress, perennial sow thistle, salt cedar, absinth wormwood, and gypsy moth — must be actively suppressed by every property owner regardless of height.
Noxious Weed Control Under SDCL 38-22 and IPMC § 302.4
Some RestrictionsWater Restrictions
Sioux Falls operates a permanent Stage 1 lawn-watering ordinance: no irrigation between noon and 5 p.m. any day, and lawns may only be watered on calendar dates matching the address parity (odd-address/odd-date, even-address/even-date). Stage 2 cuts watering to one day per week; Stage 3 prohibits all outdoor watering. Hand-watering of shrubs, trees, and gardens with a shut-off nozzle is allowed anytime.
Year-Round Stage 1 Lawn Watering Schedule
Some RestrictionsRainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is fully legal in South Dakota and actively encouraged by the City of Sioux Falls. There is no state water-rights restriction on rooftop collection, and the city's Water Conservation Division publishes a DIY 'Garbage Can into a Rain Barrel' guide. No permit is required for typical residential rain barrels.
Rain Barrels Legal and Encouraged
Few RestrictionsNative Plants
Sioux Falls encourages native prairie and pollinator landscaping. IPMC § 302.4 explicitly exempts cultivated flower beds, wildflower display gardens, and areas designated by the Parks and Recreation director as natural or native planting areas from the 8-inch height limit. The city sells subsidized Prairie and Pollinator Garden Kits in partnership with the Minnehaha Conservation District.
Native and Pollinator Plantings Allowed as Designated Landscape Features
Few RestrictionsArtificial Turf
Under Sioux Falls Code § 160.485 (Landscape Standards), artificial turf and artificial plantings cannot be used to satisfy the required minimum landscape standards, and at least 90% of the required front-yard setback in any zoning district must be living ground cover. Synthetic turf may be used as a supplemental ground cover in back/side yards or recreation areas, but not as the principal landscape material in a required setback.
Artificial Turf Prohibited in Required Front-Yard Landscape Setbacks
Heavy RestrictionsComposting
Sioux Falls has no specific ordinance prohibiting residential backyard composting. Chapter 57 of the city code addresses yard waste through licensed haulers and the municipal landfill's free composting center, making backyard composting a permissive activity.
Backyard Composting and Yard Waste Reduction Rules
Few RestrictionsLooking for Minnehaha County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sioux Falls city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Minnehaha County →