Clearwater permits residential backyard composting and promotes it through sustainability programs, provided compost bins are managed to avoid attracting rodents, vermin, or pests under property maintenance and animal feeding nuisance rules.
The City of Clearwater actively promotes backyard composting through its Sustainability Greenprint and Waste Reduction programs as a way to divert yard waste and food scraps from landfills. Residential compost bins for yard trimmings and approved food scraps are allowed without a permit. Compost operations must comply with Code of Ordinances Chapter 32 sanitation rules and CDC Section 3-1502 property maintenance standards, which prohibit any accumulation that affords food or harborage for rats, attracts flies and mosquitoes, or threatens public health. Meat, bones, dairy, and oils should not be composted in open piles. Bins should be set back from property lines and covered or aerated to control odors.
Code Compliance citations for compost piles attracting pests, generating odors, or accumulating non-compostable waste; mandatory abatement or removal.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Clearwater, FL
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