Property Maintenance in Fort Smith, AR (2026)
4 verified property maintenance rules for Fort Smith, Arkansas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Trash Bin Storage
Fort Smith provides one city-owned trash cart at no cost to every single-family residence through four-plex under the Department of Solid Waste Services (Code of Ordinances Chapter 25, Article VII). Carts must be placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on the resident's designated collection day with at least three feet of clearance on all sides so the mechanical truck arm can lift them; the cart cannot be obstructed by vehicles, objects, overhanging tree limbs, or power lines. Carts may not be overfilled and items cannot be placed on top of the lid.
Fort Smith Trash Carts: City-Owned 96-Gallon Cart Per Single-Family Home, 7 a.m. Curbside, 3-Foot Clearance for Mechanical Arm
Some RestrictionsProperty Blight
Fort Smith addresses blight through the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (adopted at Municipal Code Section 6-401) enforced by the Neighborhood Services Division. Inspectors canvass and respond to complaints; a Notice of Violation is posted and mailed to the owner stating the violation and compliance deadline. Three warnings in a single calendar year permits the City to file an affidavit for failure to care for premises and issue a Criminal Summons. The Board of Directors named blight reduction its number-one priority and doubled the cleanup-and-demolition budget from $150,000 to $300,000 per year.
Fort Smith Blight: 2021 IPMC at Sec. 6-401, 3-Warning Rule = Criminal Summons, Neighborhood Services + $300K Annual Budget
Heavy RestrictionsVacant Lot Maintenance
Fort Smith requires all grass and weeds on lots, yards, alleys, and easements to be maintained at 10 inches or less in height under the Neighborhood Services nuisance program. When a violation is found a Notice of Violation is posted on the property and mailed to the owner; if not abated within 7 days the City may pursue a criminal charge AND abate the conditions itself, billing the cost to the owner as a lien on the property. For weeds and grass specifically, the City may continually re-abate the nuisance every 30 days through the growing season and charge each cycle.
Fort Smith Vacant Lots: Grass and Weeds Capped at 10 Inches, 7-Day Abatement, Re-Abatement Every 30 Days, Costs Lien-Backed
Heavy RestrictionsSnow & Sidewalk Clearing
Fort Smith does not have a municipal ordinance imposing a duty on property owners or occupants to remove snow and ice from public sidewalks abutting their property. Arkansas state law follows the natural-accumulation rule: a property owner generally has no affirmative duty to remove naturally-accumulated snow or ice from a sidewalk and is not liable for slip-and-fall injuries from such conditions unless the owner created or aggravated the hazard. Property owners should still clear walks as a courtesy and to limit voluntary-undertaking liability if they choose to attempt clearing.