Landscaping Rules in Lewis County, WA (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Lewis County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
In unincorporated Lewis County, a "significant tree" is any healthy tree 24 inches or more in diameter at breast height standing within or overhanging a county road right-of-way. Lewis County Code § 12.20.270 bars removing, topping, or otherwise impacting one without prior written approval from the county engineer, except during a genuine emergency.
Lewis County Significant Tree Removal Permit
Significant RestrictionsLewis County Code §§ 12.20.020, 12.20.270, 12.20.370
"Significant Tree" means a healthy tree (i.e., a tree that does not have a high probability of falling due to a debilitating disease or a structural defect) twenty-four inches in diameter at breast height (four and one-half feet above grade) located within the county rights-of-way or overhanging the rights-of-way. ... Significant trees shall not be impacted (e.g., tree removal, topping, locatin...
Water Restrictions
Customers of Lewis County's own water utility in unincorporated Lewis County face tiered outdoor watering cutbacks when supply runs short. Level II triggers voluntary reduced watering schedules; a Level III emergency lets the Board ban nonessential outdoor watering outright, with service shutoff for violators.
Outdoor Watering Rules, Lewis County
Some RestrictionsLewis County Code § 13.30.700
A Level II water supply problem may be declared by the administrator when water usage exceeds the rate of resupply. Voluntary water conservation measures will be used including reduced or altered outdoor watering schedules. A Level III water supply problem will be declared by the board when water supply fails to meet the demand for water and voluntary conservation measures are ineffective or ar...
Rainwater Harvesting
Unincorporated Lewis County treats rainwater harvesting as a regulated plumbing installation, folding Uniform Plumbing Code Appendix K and the ARCSA/ANSI 63-2020 catchment standard into its adopted building code along with the county's own Public Health rainwater catchment policy.
Rainwater Catchment Systems, Lewis County
Some RestrictionsLewis County Code § 15.05.020(d)
including Appendix Chapter K, ARCSA/ANSI 63-2020 along with recommendations from WA Department of Health guidance on Rainwater Catchment Systems and Lewis County Public Health Rainwater Catchment Policy (EH-POL-200-5) and Social Services Interim Spring/Surface Water Availability policy (EH-POL-200-4)
Composting
Unincorporated Lewis County exempts home composting from its solid waste rules. Lewis County Code § 8.45.030(7) excludes home composting, defined in § 8.45.060, from the permit and facility standards that otherwise govern solid waste handling, so a resident of a single-family home, duplex, or clustered dwelling of up to five families can compost on-site waste without a county permit.
Home Composting Is Permit-Exempt in Lewis County
Few RestrictionsLewis County Code §§ 8.45.030, 8.45.060
§ 8.45.030. Applicability. ... This chapter applies to facilities and activities that manage solid wastes as that term is defined in LCC § 8.45.060. This chapter does not apply to the following: ... (7) Home composting as defined in LCC § 8.45.060; § 8. ... 45.060. ... Definitions. ... "Home composting" means composting of on-site generated wastes, and incidental materials beneficial to the com...
All Lewis County ordinances
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