Buffalo Property Maintenance Code caps grass and weeds at 10 inches. Owners of vacant lots and rental properties face escalating fines and city mow-and-bill abatement for non-compliance. Enforcement ramps up May through October.
Under Property Maintenance Code of New York State Section 302.4 (adopted by Buffalo) and the Buffalo City Code, all premises and exterior property must be kept free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 10 inches. Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services (Housing Inspections) handles complaints, often routed through 311. A notice of violation typically gives the owner 10-15 days to cut. If the owner does not comply, the city contracts mowing crews and places the cost (plus administrative fees) as a lien on the property tax bill. Given Buffalo thousands of vacant lots, tall-grass violations are among the most common code complaints each summer.
Fines start around 50 dollars per offense and can reach 250 dollars per day for repeat violations. Mow-and-bill charges typically range 150-500 dollars per cut and become a tax lien if unpaid.
Buffalo, NY
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See how Buffalo's grass height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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