Omaha requires property owners to maintain grass and weeds under 12 inches and clear fire-hazard vegetation, with enforcement by the Property Maintenance Division.
Omaha Municipal Code Chapter 18 requires property owners to keep grass, weeds, and rank vegetation cut to 12 inches or less. Accumulations of dead brush, dry leaves, and combustible debris that create fire hazards must be removed. The Property Maintenance Division issues violation notices and can have city contractors mow or clear at the owner's expense with a lien placed on the property. While Omaha is not in a wildfire interface like California cities, grass fires during dry summer and fall conditions do occur along the Missouri River bluffs, in vacant lots near railroads, and in prairie remnants. The Omaha Fire Department responds to brush and grass fires and can order abatement for hazardous conditions. Tall-grass complaints spike May through September. Rural estate lots in far west Omaha (Elkhorn, Waterloo fringe) may have additional natural-area considerations. Vacant lot maintenance is a frequent enforcement category with repeat-offender escalation.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Omaha code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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See how Omaha's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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