Greenwood, IN Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)
Key Facts
- Setback
- 10 feet from adjacent lot line
- Screening
- 4-ft plantings or fence
- Sanitation
- orderly, free of vermin
- First offense
- warning ticket, no fine
- Repeat fines
- $50, then $75, then $100
- Appeal window
- 10 working days to BZA
Summary
Greenwood's Unified Development Ordinance allows compost bins as an accessory use inside community gardens citywide, but Sec. 10-03-16(B)(2)(a) requires every composting receptacle to sit at least 10 feet from the adjacent lot line, screened by 4-foot plantings or a wood, stone, or brick fence, and kept in good order and free of vermin.
B. Community Garden. ... f. Compost bins as an accessory use. 2. Community Gardens must adhere to the following standards: a. Composting receptacles must be located no less than ten feet (10') from adjacent lot line and must be screened using plantings no less than four feet (4') tall, or a wood, stone or brick fence. Composting receptacles must be kept in good order, free of vermin;
Full Breakdown
Community gardens are a permitted use in any Greenwood zoning district, capped at one acre, and may include cultivation beds, greenhouses, hoop houses, sheds, gazebos, and compost bins as accessory features, though animals may not be kept on the site. Once a compost bin goes in, Sec. 10-03-16(B)(2)(a) of the Unified Development Ordinance sets the operating standard: the receptacle must be located no less than 10 feet from the adjacent lot line and screened with plantings at least 4 feet tall, or a wood, stone, or brick fence, and the operator must keep it in good order and free of vermin at all times.
This section was adopted under Ord. 20-29, Sec. 2 (9-21-2020) and amended by Ord. 21-44, Sec. 1 (10-4-2021). Community Development Services, through the Planning Director, reviews community garden and accessory-use compliance and can issue a warning ticket followed by a civil zoning citation for an unscreened or vermin-attracting compost pile under Sec. 10-04-09. A garden also must keep impervious surfaces under 20% of the lot and follow the district's accessory-structure height limits and signage rules for any related structure.
Violations & Fines
A first compost-bin violation draws a warning ticket, not a fine, under Sec. 10-04-09(B)(2), giving the operator a chance to add screening or clean up the site. If the problem continues, the Planning Director can issue a civil zoning citation carrying a $50 fine, $75 for a second citation, and $100 for each citation after that, with each additional day of noncompliance treated as a separate violation. A cited party has 10 working days to file for a variance or appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals before fines resume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a compost bin in a Greenwood community garden?
How far must a compost bin sit from my neighbor's property?
What happens if my compost bin draws complaints about pests?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenwood
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