5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Galveston County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
The county sets no trash-cart rule; your city does. In the City of Galveston, refuse must go in city-issued carts, bagged, with the lid able to close, and the area around the cart kept clean and clear.
Galveston Code § 15-3(a)
Receptacles for refuse shall be limited to city issued carts. (1) City issued carts are for household garbage and trash only. All garbage and trash shall be bagged and placed within the cart as to allow the lid to close. (2) Area around the cart must be kept clean and clear of loose trash and garbage.
Texas counties cannot zone, but state law bans public nuisances in unincorporated areas: accumulated rubbish, junk vehicles, and debris visible from the street. Inside cities like Galveston, the adopted 2021 International Property Maintenance Code governs blight.
Tex. Health & Safety Code § 343.011(c)(2)
keeping, storing, or accumulating rubbish, including newspapers, abandoned vehicles, refrigerators, stoves, furniture, tires, and cans, on premises in a neighborhood or within 300 feet of a public street for 10 days or more, unless the rubbish or object is completely enclosed in a building or is not visible from a public street
Dumping litter on any open or vacant lot is prohibited in the City of Galveston, whether or not you own it. In unincorporated county areas, state nuisance law covers rubbish accumulated near homes or streets.
Galveston Code § 20-3
No person shall throw or deposit litter on any open or vacant private property within the city whether owned by such person or not.
Galveston County sets no garage-sale rule because Texas counties cannot zone. If your property is inside a city such as Galveston, League City, or Texas City, that city's code may cap the number of sales per year and restrict signs.
The county cannot set a grass-height limit, but cities do. League City bans weeds over 12 inches; Texas nuisance law also treats tall weeds near homes as abatable in unincorporated county areas.
League City Code § 54-33(b)
It shall also be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any lot or premises in the city to allow or permit the growth of weeds over a height of 12 inches on such lot or premises, or any contiguous, unpaved portion of a right-of-way in the city that is open for public travel.
1 cities in Galveston County have their own property maintenance rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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