Albany requires grass, weeds, and rank vegetation on residential property to be cut to no more than 10 inches in height. Vacant lots and yards exceeding the limit trigger written notice from Code Enforcement; uncorrected violations result in the city mowing the property and billing the owner. Tall grass is also a tax-lien-able nuisance under Chapter 313.
Albany City Code Chapter 313 (Property Maintenance) requires every owner of real property in the city to keep grass, weeds, and rank vegetation cut to a height of no more than 10 inches. The standard applies year-round during the growing season and is enforced by the Department of Buildings & Regulatory Compliance through complaint-driven and patrol-based inspections.
When a violation is observed, Code Enforcement posts a written notice on the property and mails a copy to the owner of record, giving 10 days to bring the lawn into compliance. If the property is not cut within the cure period, the city contracts mowing services and bills the property owner. Charges run $150–$400 per cut depending on lot size, plus an administrative fee. Unpaid bills are added to the property's tax roll and become a lien collectible like any other property tax. Repeat offenders — typically absentee landlords and bank-owned vacant lots — are prioritized for enforcement.
The ordinance does not target native plantings, intentional pollinator meadows, or vegetable gardens. Property owners maintaining a managed naturalistic landscape can document the planting plan and request that Code Enforcement note the property as exempt. Boulevard strips and tree lawns between sidewalk and curb are the owner's responsibility to maintain. Heavy enforcement happens June through September.
Failure to mow after notice: $150–$400 charged for city mowing per cut, plus an administrative fee (typically $50–$100). Repeat violations within the same season can carry additional fines of $100–$500. Unpaid charges become a tax lien on the property. Persistent absentee landlords can be cited under the city's nuisance abatement law. Report tall grass by calling 311 or via the SeeClickFix app.
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