Cleveland County, NC Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Section 12-229 of the Unified Development Ordinance requires every development that wants to use dumpsters for temporary collection and storage of solid waste to provide a screened site, but the screening duty is triggered only if, absent screening, the dumpster would be clearly visible to one of three groups: people inside a dwelling unit on other residential property, occupants or customers inside a building on other nonresidential property (unless that property is zoned industrial), or people traveling on a public street, sidewalk or other public way.

The screening itself draws on the county's general screening standards in article XV: section 12-305 defines three screen types, with a Type A opaque screen (opaque from the ground to six feet, with intermittent visual obstructions up to 20 feet, using evergreen planting or an earth berm) and a Type B semi-opaque screen available depending on the abutting district under section 12-302. The administrator has discretion under section 12-304 to require more intensive or allow less intensive screening than the presumptive standard where that better serves the underlying screening purpose without imposing unnecessary cost on the developer. Screening required under section 12-229 must be installed and maintained, including replacing any planting that dies, before a certificate of occupancy issues.