9 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Rock County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
Rock County itself sets no countywide maximum grass height. Turfgrass mowing limits are a city or village matter (Janesville, Beloit, etc.), not county code. State law only compels destruction of noxious weeds, not routine lawn mowing.
Rock County sets no general tree-trimming permit for private yards. The main county-level limit is on shoreland: near navigable water, cutting trees and shrubs is restricted under Wisconsin's NR 115 shoreland-protection standards. Elsewhere trimming is a municipal matter.
Rock County has no general private-property tree-removal permit. The binding county-level restriction is near water: within 35 feet of the ordinary high water mark, clear-cutting trees and shrubs is prohibited and other removal needs a county permit under NR 115 shoreland zoning.
Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 115 (shoreland vegetation)
Clear-cutting of trees and shrubs is not allowed in the strip of land from the ordinary high water mark to 35 feet inland unless... Removal of trees and shrubs to create an access or viewing corridor that may not exceed 30 percent of the shoreline frontage or 200 feet.
Wisconsin law makes destroying noxious weeds mandatory statewide: every landowner must destroy Canada thistle, leafy spurge, field bindweed and other designated weeds. Towns, villages and cities may appoint a weed commissioner who can destroy weeds and bill the cost.
Wis. Stat. 66.0407(3)
A person owning, occupying or controlling land shall destroy all noxious weeds on the land. The person having immediate charge of any public lands shall destroy all noxious weeds on the lands.
Rock County sets no countywide lawn-watering schedule. The state does not require a permit to water a lawn or private garden. Odd/even or drought watering limits, when they exist, come from your city or water utility, not the county.
WI DNR Water Withdrawals & Irrigation guidance
A permit is not required to pump water to water a lawn or private garden, provided that produce from the garden is non-commercial.
Collecting rainwater is legal in Wisconsin and Rock County sets no barrier to rain barrels. There is no state permit for a basic downspout rain barrel used for outdoor, non-potable purposes. Some cities add setup conditions.
Rock County does not ban native or naturalized landscaping, but the mandatory noxious-weed duty still applies. Near navigable water, native shoreland buffers are actively encouraged under NR 115. Any grass-height limits come from your municipality.
Rock County has no countywide ordinance regulating artificial turf. Whether synthetic grass is allowed, and any coverage or stormwater conditions, is decided by your city, village or town zoning, not the county.
Rock County encourages waste reduction and does not ban backyard composting. Wisconsin bans yard waste from landfills, so composting is favored. Nuisance conditions like odor or vermin are handled by municipal property-maintenance rules.
3 cities in Rock County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Rock County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Rock County Ordinance Hub →