Lancaster requires property owners to keep grass and weeds under 10 inches in height on all residential and commercial lots. Chapter 235 (Property Maintenance), adopted under the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) and the PA Uniform Construction Code, authorizes Code Compliance to issue notices, charge abatement costs to the property, and file municipal liens for unpaid charges.
Chapter 235 of the Lancaster City Code adopts and amends the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) and supplements the PA Uniform Construction Code (Act 45 of 1999, 34 Pa. Code Ch. 403). Under IPMC §302.4 as locally adopted, all premises and exterior property must be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 10 inches. The rule applies to occupied homes, rental properties, and vacant lots alike — a key point given Lancaster's mix of owner-occupied rowhouses, absentee-landlord rentals, and infill vacant parcels.
When a violation is observed, the Bureau of Code Compliance issues a written notice of violation to the owner of record listed in the Lancaster County tax rolls. The notice typically allows 7 to 10 days to bring the lot into compliance. If the owner fails to cut the grass or remove the weeds within the cure period, the City may contract the work and bill the owner for mowing plus an administrative fee. Unpaid charges are converted into a municipal lien against the property under the Pennsylvania Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Act (53 P.S. §7101 et seq.), which can be foreclosed at tax sale.
State-listed noxious weeds — including Canada thistle, Johnsongrass, multiflora rose, and tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) — must be removed regardless of height under the PA Noxious Weed Law (3 P.S. §255.1). Lancaster County's heavy Amish/PA Dutch farming context surrounds the City, but right-to-farm Act 133 of 1982 does not exempt urban lots from this requirement.
A first overgrowth violation typically begins with a notice and free cure period. After the cure deadline, fines start around $100 and rise per occurrence, with mowing/abatement charges of $150–$500+ added to the property. Unpaid amounts become a municipal lien collectible through tax sale. Repeat offenders, or properties with chronic violations, can face escalated summary-offense fines up to $1,000 per occurrence.
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See how Lancaster's grass height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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