Rowlett, TX Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- § 77-504(F)(3)
- Dumpster enclosure
- 3 sides, 6-ft masonry wall
- Fourth side
- solid double metal gate, kept closed
- Compactor wall
- 8 feet, matching building materials
- Site plan
- must be shown on approved plan
- Wall design standard
- § 77-504F.4, 6-8 ft matching finish
Summary
Commercial dumpsters and trash compactors in Rowlett must be screened from public view: dumpsters need six-foot masonry walls on three sides with a solid double metal gate on the fourth, and compactors need an eight-foot wall of matching materials. Section 77-504(F)(3) requires every dumpster to be shown on the development's site plan, so screening is checked before a project ever breaks ground.
3.Dumpster and trash compactor screening.(a)Dumpsters shall be enclosed on three sides with six-foot masonry walls constructed of the same materials and finishes as the buildings; a solid double metal gate shall be required on the fourth side, and shall be kept closed at all times other than for immediate access. The opening shall not face, or shall be screened from, a public street or access easement.(b)An eight-foot wall constructed of the same materials and finishes as the buildings shall be provided around compactors.(c)Screens are not required for dumpsters in nonresidential developments when located in the service area and screened by the buildings, wing wall or screening wall from public view.(d)Dumpsters are required and shall be identified on a site plan for all developments that require a site plan. The specific screening requirements specified in this section shall be placed on the site plan.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29).
Full Breakdown
Section 77-504(F)(3), "Dumpster and trash compactor screening," provides: "(a)Dumpsters shall be enclosed on three sides with six-foot masonry walls constructed of the same materials and finishes as the buildings; a solid double metal gate shall be required on the fourth side, and shall be kept closed at all times other than for immediate access. (d)Dumpsters are required and shall be identified on a site plan for all developments that require a site plan. 4: a reinforced wall matching the primary building's materials, color, and texture, built between six and eight feet tall.
2, which keeps loading and service areas out of view of public streets to the maximum extent feasible and bars locating them within 20 feet of a public street, sidewalk, or internal pedestrian walkway. Because the requirement is tied to the site plan process, a developer who wants to change dumpster placement or screening after approval has to seek relief through the review procedures in Chapter 77-800, the same variance path used for other nonconforming site features under the development code.
Violations & Fines
Failing to provide the six-foot (or eight-foot, for compactors) screening required by section 77-504(F)(3), or building a dumpster enclosure that was never shown on the approved site plan as subsection (d) requires, is a violation of Chapter 77-500's design standards. Absent a specific fine listed in chapter 77, a violation defaults to the chapter 1 general penalty, a fine of up to $500.00 per offense, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense under section 1-13(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all commercial dumpsters in Rowlett need a masonry enclosure?
Where can a dumpster enclosure be placed on a Rowlett commercial site?
Can I add a dumpster after my site plan is already approved?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rowlett
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