Shoreline, WA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

Section 13.14.050 starts from a general rule that owners and occupants may not deposit or let garbage accumulate on private property, and that garbage otherwise must be removed at least every two weeks. Composting is carved out of that rule by name: the use of a compost pile or bin shall not be prohibited if it is used and maintained so as to prevent the attraction, breeding or harboring of insects and rodents. That maintenance condition is the entire legal test; no permit, size limit or setback is specified in this section, but a compost pile that draws rodents or pests loses the protection and reverts to being an unlawful accumulation of garbage.

The section also cross-references the nuisance definition at § 20.30.750 and state law, meaning a poorly kept pile can still be pursued as a nuisance even where it technically qualifies as composting. For residents who would rather not maintain a backyard pile, § 13.14.180 offers a curbside alternative: food scraps and compostable paper may be placed in the 32-, 64- or 96-gallon yard debris cart supplied by the authorized collection company, alongside yard debris such as grass clippings, branches and brush, provided plastic bags are not used and only yard debris generated at the dwelling is set out.