Knoxville, TN Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)
Key Facts
- Location
- rear yard only
- Setback
- 5 ft from lot lines
- Max size
- 5% of lot or 6 ft tall
- Contents
- no meat or dairy
- Containment
- must be enclosed or contained
- Odor
- subject to odor performance standards
Summary
Knoxville's zoning code lets homeowners compost in their own backyard, but Article 10, Section 10.3.I of Appendix B confines bins and piles to the rear yard, caps their footprint at 5% of the lot or six feet tall, bars meat and dairy, and keeps the pile out of any required riparian buffer.
I. Composting
1. Bins or piles are allowed only in rear yards and must be set back five feet from lot lines.
2. Bins or piles must not exceed 5% of the total lot area and six feet in height.
3. Bins or piles must be located outside of any required riparian buffer zone.
4. Compost must be enclosed or contained.
5. Compost must only be used for the composting of materials generated on-site, and cannot contain any meat or dairy.
6. Compost is subject to enforcement of odor performance standards.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Section 10.3.I is Knoxville's full backyard composting rule, part of the Recode Knoxville accessory-use standards. Item 1 confines bins or piles to rear yards only, with a five-foot setback from lot lines, so a compost pile in a front or side yard doesn't conform even if it's small. Item 2 caps the size at whichever is smaller of 5% of the total lot area or six feet in height, keeping a backyard operation from turning into an unscreened mound. Item 3 keeps composting out of any required riparian buffer zone along a stream or waterway. Item 4 requires the compost be enclosed or contained, not simply piled loose on bare ground.
Items 5 and 6 define what backyard composting can be used for: material must be generated on-site, and the code specifically bars meat or dairy from the pile, tracking the zoning code's own definition of 'Compost, Backyard' as onsite composting of grass clippings, leaves, or food waste excluding meat and dairy, for on-site use only. Item 6 also subjects the pile to the City's odor performance standards, so a compost operation that becomes a persistent smell nuisance for neighbors is itself a code violation independent of the size and setback rules.
Violations & Fines
Composting violations run through the same Article 18 enforcement as the rest of Appendix B: the Director of Plans Review and Building Inspections enforces the standards, can involve the City Attorney to seek an injunction or abatement, and each day an oversized, unenclosed, or foul-smelling pile stays out of compliance counts as a separate fined offense under Section 18.2 until it's fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I compost in my front yard in Knoxville?
How big can my compost bin be?
Can I compost meat scraps?
What if my neighbor's compost pile smells?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knoxville
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