Property Maintenance in Rochester, NY (2026)
3 verified property maintenance rules for Rochester, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Property Blight
Rochester's Municipal Code declares any building, structure or vacant area that violates the Property Conservation, Building, Plumbing, Fire, Zoning or Health codes to be an unlawful nuisance, and it sets a four-part test for when an unoccupied building counts as abandoned, including unpaid taxes, accumulated junk, unsecured openings or rodent infestation.
Rochester Abandoned Building Nuisance Rules
Significant RestrictionsRochester City Code § 52-4(A)(2), (A)(3)(a)
The term "nuisance" shall be held to embrace whatever is dangerous to human life or detrimental to health or welfare and shall include but not be limited to: ... A building or structure which the Commissioner determines to be abandoned according to the following criteria: ... The building or structure must be unoccupied and, in addition, one or more of the following criteria applies: There are ...
Vacant Lot Maintenance
Rochester requires every vacant lot owner to keep the lot in a safe and sanitary condition and free of refuse, high grass and overgrown weeds under Property Code § 90-17(B)(2). The Commissioner of Neighborhood and Business Development identifies noncompliant lots through inspections and complaints and can order the City to clear them at the owner's expense.
Rochester Vacant Lot Maintenance Requirements
Some RestrictionsRochester City Code § 90-17(B)(2), (D)
(2) Vacant lots. It shall be the duty of every owner of a vacant lot to maintain the lot in a safe and sanitary condition and in compliance with the Property Code. It shall also be the duty of every owner of a vacant lot to maintain the lot free of refuse, high grass and overgrown weeds. ... D. Standards of safety and sanitation. A vacant building or lot is neither safe nor sanitary when any of...
Snow & Sidewalk Clearing
In Rochester, the owner of a building or lot must clear snow and ice from adjoining sidewalks by 9:00 a.m. when snow falls overnight, and by 8:00 p.m. when it falls during the day, keeping at least a four-foot-wide path clear.
Rochester NY Sidewalk Snow and Ice Clearing Rules
Some RestrictionsCode of the City of Rochester § 104-11(C)
The owner of a building or lot must keep the sidewalks adjoining such building or lot free and clear from snow and ice and must not suffer or permit snow or ice to collect or remain on such sidewalk later than 9:00 a.m. if such snow shall have fallen or collected after 8:00 p.m. of the previous evening or later than 8:00 p.m. if such snow shall have fallen and collected after 9:00 a.m. ... The ...
Looking for Monroe County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Rochester city rules.
Property Maintenance in Monroe County →