Erie, PA Landscaping Rules: Grass Height Limits (2026)

Erie's high-grass and weed enforcement runs through Article 1129 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Erie, the Quality of Life Ticketing Program enacted by Ordinance 39-2018 (October 17, 2018) and codified at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/erie/ (the City also mirrors content on the eCode360 portal at https://ecode360.com/ER3969). Article 1129 identifies high grass and weeds as one of the listed quality-of-life violations that contribute to property-value deterioration and disorder, alongside littering, improper trash storage, inoperable vehicles, vendor operations without permits, graffiti, and snow-and-ice accumulation. The Article defines weeds as 'all grasses, annual plants, and vegetation' but excludes cultivated flowers, gardens, trees, and shrubs, so an intentional ornamental planting is treated differently from neglected rank growth. Enforcement is handled by the City's Code Enforcement Division within the Office of Development Services. Any sworn public officer may issue a quality-of-life ticket directly without first proceeding through a longer code-prosecution path. If the owner does not abate, the City may contract for mowing and recover the cost as a municipal lien against the parcel under the Pennsylvania Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Act (53 P.S. §7101 et seq.). Pennsylvania has no statewide grass-height statute applicable to Erie, so Article 1129 is the controlling standard. Erie is a Third Class City under 53 P.S. §35101 et seq.