Clark County, IN Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- I-265 Corridor Overlay District only
- Placement
- Side or rear of building
- Screen height
- 7 ft, or 1 ft above bin
- Materials
- Shrubs, masonry, or wood fence
- Penalty
- Up to $2,500 per day
Summary
Inside the I-265 Corridor Overlay District, Clark County requires every dumpster and outside storage area to sit on the side or rear of the building and be screened from adjacent properties and public streets. The screen must be at least seven feet tall, or one foot above the trash bin, built of solid material under Code § 156.32(H)(2).
(2) Screening of outside storage and trash collection. (a) Outside storage and trash collection shall be located on the side or rear of the building and screened from view on adjacent properties or public streets. (b) Screening shall be a minimum of seven feet tall or a minimum of one foot above the top of the storage materials or trash bin/dumpster. (c) Screens shall be constructed of evergreen shrubs or other planting screens that create a solid screen all year long; brick, stone or other masonry materials that are similar to the primary building; shrubs or other planting screens; or fences built with pressure treated wood or similar materials that create a solid screen.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2019 S-0: Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 31-2014, passed 12-18-2014).
Full Breakdown
The I-265 Corridor Overlay District runs along the I-265 corridor in unincorporated Clark County and otherwise defers to each parcel's underlying zoning district for setbacks, height, lot coverage and parking. 32(H) carves out one exception: added screening for mechanical equipment and for outside storage and trash collection, meaning dumpsters and roll-off bins specifically. 32(H)(2)(a), trash collection areas cannot sit in front of a building; they must be placed on the side or rear and screened from view from adjacent properties and public streets. Subsection (b) sets the screen at a minimum of seven feet tall, or one foot taller than the top of the dumpster or stored material, whichever is greater.
Subsection (c) limits acceptable materials to evergreen shrubs or other plantings that stay solid year-round, brick, stone or masonry matching the primary building, or a pressure-treated wood fence built to form a solid screen; a chain-link fence or open lattice would not satisfy this standard. 32(H)(1), which requires roof, ground and wall-mounted HVAC and similar equipment to be hidden from ground-level view the same way. The Plan Commission administers Chapter 156 for the unincorporated county; the County Building Commissioner handles inspections for related sign and display standards in the same subchapter.
Violations & Fines
Failing to screen a dumpster or outside storage area as required is a violation of Chapter 156. Under § 156.99(A), the Plan Commission can pursue a civil penalty of up to $2,500 against the property owner, and § 156.99(B) makes each day the violation continues a separate offense. The Plan Commission's attorney may also seek an injunction to force compliance or a mandatory injunction requiring removal of a noncompliant structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this dumpster screening rule apply everywhere in Clark County?
How tall does the screen have to be?
What materials satisfy the screening requirement?
Who enforces this and what is the penalty?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clark County
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