Springfield, IL Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 170.17.14, Ch. 170
- Max bin size
- 125 cubic feet, 5 ft tall
- Rear yard setback
- 3 ft from lot lines
- Side yard setback
- Matches zoning district side setback
- Banned ingredients
- Lake weeds, cooked food scraps
- Fine
- $300-$750 per day
Summary
Springfield lets residents compost yard waste only inside a freestanding bin capped at 125 cubic feet and five feet tall under City Code § 170.17.14. Bins must sit at least three feet from rear lot lines, or meet the zoning district's side setback if placed in a side yard, and owners must keep piles free of rodents, pests and odors. Violators face a $300 to $750 fine per day.
(a) Purpose and intent. The purpose of this section is to promote the recycling of yard wastes through composting, and to establish minimum standards for proper compost maintenance. (b) Maintenance. All compost piles shall be maintained using approved composting procedures to comply with the following requirements: (1) All compost piles shall be enclosed in a freestanding compost bin. Each compost bin shall be no larger in volume than 125 cubic feet and shall be no taller than five feet, and further, said compost bin shall provide adequate penetration of moisture for the compost materials and provide adequate ventilation for products of decomposition. (2) All compost piles shall be maintained as to prevent the attraction or harborage of rodents and pests. (3) All compost piles shall be maintained as to prevent unpleasant odors. (4) No compost pile shall be located in any yard except as follows: a. In rear yard not less than three feet from all lot lines; and b. In side yard no closer to any lot line than the required side setbacks prescribed in the zoning district in which it is located.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 82).
Full Breakdown
14 sits in Chapter 170's garbage and rubbish division and exists, by its own purpose clause, to promote recycling yard waste through composting while setting minimum maintenance standards. Every compost pile has to be enclosed in a freestanding bin no larger than 125 cubic feet and no taller than five feet, built to let in enough moisture and ventilation for proper decomposition. Placement is restricted by yard: a bin in the rear yard must sit at least three feet from every lot line, while a bin in a side yard cannot sit closer to the lot line than the side setback required in that property's zoning district.
The ordinance also limits what can go in the pile. Lake weeds and cooked food scraps are barred outright, while yard waste, commercial compost additives and uncooked vegetable waste are the permitted ingredients. Maintenance duties fall on the property owner or operator, who must keep the pile from attracting or sheltering rodents and pests and from producing unpleasant odors that would bother neighbors. The section was adopted with the original garbage and rubbish rewrite in Ordinance No. 745-10-07 and amended by Ordinance No. 377-10-11 in October 2011.
Violations & Fines
Violating any part of § 170.17.14, an oversized bin, a pile placed too close to a lot line, or one that draws pests or odor, carries a fine of not less than $300 nor more than $750. Each day the noncompliant pile or bin remains in that condition counts as a separate offense, so an unresolved violation compounds quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a compost bin be in Springfield?
Where on my lot can I put a compost pile?
What can't go in a Springfield compost pile?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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