Cass County, MO Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

530(G) of the Cass County Zoning Order sets up the Outer Zone as the outermost of three stream buffer zones (Streamside, Middle Core, and Outer) running from any qualifying stream. The Outer Zone is defined as an additional setback from the outer edge of the Middle Core Zone to the nearest permanent above- or below-ground structure. Unlike the Streamside and Middle Core Zones, which restrict land use to protect the stream ecosystem, the Zoning Order states that uses which do not require structures are generally permitted within the Outer Zone, and specifically lists gardening, compost piles, and other common residential activities as promoted within the zone.

The vegetative target for the Outer Zone is described as usually natural vegetation, since it often overlaps with adjacent residential yard space, though property owners are encouraged to plant shrubs and trees. The one real limit on residential activity there is the fertilizer rule: the use of fertilizers that contribute to pollution is prohibited in the Outer Zone. Because stream buffer widths vary with the size of the contributing watershed, from twenty-five feet up to seventy-five feet for the Middle Core Zone depending on drainage area, a property owner should confirm where the Outer Zone falls on their lot with the Planning and Zoning Department before placing a compost pile, particularly on parcels near Big Creek or other mapped streams.