Pasco, WA Code Violation Reporting: Common Violations (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- PMC 9.90, Public Nuisances
- Weed/grass height limit
- 12 inches before it is a nuisance
- Maximum penalty
- $500.00 per day, per infraction
- Enforcing agency
- Code Enforcement Officer
- Unpaid abatement bill deadline
- 30 days before lien/penalty
- Third violation remedy
- Superior Court writ of abatement
Summary
Pasco's public nuisance code (PMC Chapter 9.90) lists 21 specific conditions that count as reportable violations, from litter and junk storage to weeds over 12 inches tall and unsecured vacant buildings. The Code Enforcement Officer issues notices to correct, and violators face a civil penalty up to $500 per day the condition continues.
The following specific acts, omissions, places, conditions, and things are declared to be nuisances... (6) Filthy, littered or trash-covered cellars, house yards, barnyards, stable yards, factory yards, vacant areas in rear of stores, vacant lots, houses, buildings, alleyways, or premises; or placing, dropping, disposing, throwing away, or otherwise discarding litter, garbage, refuse, cans, bottles, paper or paper material, metal, organic or inorganic material, upon property other than in receptacles or areas as designated in Chapter 8.05 PMC... (16) Weeds, noxious weeds, grass, and other vegetation which constitutes a fire hazard, encroaches on sidewalks or neighboring properties, is damaging public improvements, impairs the visibility of traffic signs or signals, and/or has reached a height of 12 inches.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4837, passed May 4, 2026).
Full Breakdown
040 enumerates the specific nuisances residents most commonly report to Pasco code enforcement: barking dogs, offensive-smelling livestock kept in the city, filthy or trash-covered yards, litter and garbage dumped outside receptacles, unprotected animal manure, junkyards and abandoned vehicles, unfinished or unsightly structures, dead lawns and vegetation left more than three frost-free months, and weeds or grass exceeding 12 inches that create a fire hazard or block sightlines. 050, with damaged openings covered in half-inch plywood painted to match the building. 00, and each day the condition persists is a separate infraction.
00. 100, the City may notify the owner in writing, and if the owner fails to abate within the stated deadline, the City can clean and level the property itself, bill the owner or occupant, and record a lien with the Franklin County Auditor if unpaid. On a third violation, the City may seek a Superior Court writ of abatement and recover legal and abatement costs. Enforcement runs either through the Pasco Municipal Court by citation or through a Superior Court equity action.
Violations & Fines
Each specific nuisance condition under PMC 9.90.040 is punishable by a civil penalty up to $500.00 per PMC 9.90.090, with every day a violation continues (or every additional article of dumped debris) counting as a separate infraction. Unpaid City abatement bills after 30 days trigger a further $500.00 penalty and can become a lien on the property filed with the Franklin County Auditor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a reportable nuisance in Pasco?
How much is the fine for a nuisance violation in Pasco?
What happens if I don't clean up after the City warns me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasco
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