Mendocino County, CA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

Home composting of yard trimmings and food scraps is permitted in unincorporated Mendocino County and supports compliance with California's statewide organic-waste law. SB 1383 (in effect since 2022) requires jurisdictions to provide organic-waste recycling and to divert organics from landfills; Mendocino County's solid-waste program is administered under Title 9A of the County Code, including public health and safety regulations (Chapter 9A.08), franchised collection (Chapter 9A.12), edible-food recovery for large generators (Chapter 9A.28), and the MWELO compost/mulch chapter (Chapter 9A.32). Chapter 9A.32 ties the loop to landscaping by requiring, for qualifying projects, compost at a minimum of 4 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet of permeable area tilled 6 inches into the soil (soils already above 6 percent organic matter are exempt) and a minimum 3-inch mulch layer, giving recycled and post-consumer organic mulch precedence over virgin forest products. Residents who compost at home should manage piles so they do not create odors, attract vectors, or add to the fuel load near structures, since hazardous accumulations can fall under the Chapter 8.77 fire-hazard nuisance rules in the State Responsibility Area.