Parma, OH Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

19(a) confines composting to porous containers or pits, restricted to the rear yard only, covering no more than 25 square feet. The pile, pit, or container cannot rise above four feet measured from ground level or dig deeper than two and a half feet. Placement must clear the rear property line by at least two feet, the side property line by at least two feet, and any habitable structure, porch, or patio, whether the resident's own or a neighbor's, by at least 40 feet. Material inside must be turned and mixed with approved compost material, lime, or dirt at least once a month, and the setup has to stay orderly enough to avoid blowing debris, attracting insects or rodents, throwing off odors, or looking unsightly; the Director of Public Safety can issue further rules to keep composting sanitary.

19(b) limits what can go in the pile to grass, shrub clippings, leaves, flowers, and garden plants, and separately bans putting human waste or dead animal bodies in a compost container or pit, dumping manure, garbage, or other vector-attracting material into it, using it to store or discharge sewage, human waste, or wash water that could spread disease, or depositing anything that would pollute the soil or water.