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Thurston County, WA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Citation
TCC § 21.22.050(C)
Min. screen height
6 feet
Container placement
Not street-side of building front
Applies to
Mixed Use corridor zone

Summary

In Thurston County's Mixed Use corridor zone, trash and recycling containers must be screened and can't sit between the street and a building's front.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Thurston County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

1.Refuse container screening shall be required and be native and drought tolerant landscaping or a material and design compatible with the overall architectural theme of the associated structure. Screening shall be at least as high as the refuse container, and shall in no case be less than six feet high. 2.No refuse container shall be permitted between a street and the front of a building.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 77).

Full Breakdown

Thurston County Code Section 21.22.050(C), covering the Mixed Use Moderate Density Corridor district, requires refuse containers to be screened with native, drought-tolerant landscaping or a material matching the building's architectural theme, with screening at least as tall as the container and never under six feet. Containers cannot be placed between a street and the front of a building, and collection areas must contain all refuse generated on site so nothing is visible from outside the enclosure between pickups.

Violations & Fines

Screening below six feet, a container sited between the street and the building front, or visible refuse outside the enclosure are code violations enforced through the county's zoning permit and code compliance process.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall must trash enclosure screening be in Thurston County?
At least as high as the refuse container, and never less than six feet, per TCC § 21.22.050(C)(1).
Can a dumpster sit between the street and my building?
No. TCC § 21.22.050(C)(2) bars refuse containers between a street and the front of a building in this zone.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Thurston County

Collection ScheduleSome RestrictionsBulk Item DisposalSignificant RestrictionsRecycling RulesLight RestrictionsPickup Rules & SchedulesSignificant RestrictionsIllegal DumpingSome RestrictionsRecycling RequirementsSome RestrictionsYard Waste CollectionSome RestrictionsDumpster RulesSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Cat RulesSome Restrictions

All Thurston County rules

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