Eagan, MN Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

Eagan City Code § 10.01, Subd. 2(F) limits backyard composting to residential dwelling districts and agricultural districts, and only if the pile meets several structural and material rules. The enclosure needs a minimum of three sides, or can be circular, and its volume is capped by lot size: no more than 100 cubic feet on residential lots of 12,000 square feet or less, and up to 150 cubic feet on larger lots, built from durable material such as wood, plastic, fiberglass or metal fencing. Only yard waste, sawdust, wood ash, straw and kitchen waste placed in the center of the pile, plus commercial compost accelerants, may go in; the section separately bans meat, bones, fat, oils, dairy products, food other than defined kitchen waste, synthetic fibers, human or pet waste, and diseased plants.

Placement is restricted too: the enclosure must sit behind the residential dwelling, at least 30 feet from any habitable building, 30 feet from a public right-of-way, and five feet from any property line, and it must be located above the 100-year high water level for the closest adjacent pond. 'Kitchen waste' itself is a defined term under Subd. 1(K), limited to rinsed egg shells, coffee grounds and chopped vegetable and fruit remains, which is why the composting rule cross-references that subparagraph rather than allowing any food scrap.