Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code Section PM-302.4 requires every premises and exterior property to be kept free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 10 inches. Because the code defines weeds to include all grasses, overgrown lawns above 10 inches are a violation enforced by the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
Grass height in Philadelphia is governed by Section PM-302.4 (Weeds) of the Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code, Subcode PM of Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code. The provision was enacted in Bill No. 140856 (a certified ordinance approved by City Council, effective with the new Subcode PM on January 1, 2015, replacing the prior code under Bill No. 120647). The section states that all premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 10 inches, that all noxious weeds shall be prohibited, and crucially that weeds are defined as all grasses, annual plants and vegetation, other than trees or shrubs, excluding cultivated flowers and gardens. Because the definition expressly includes grasses, an unmowed residential or vacant-lot lawn taller than 10 inches violates the code just as overgrown weeds do. Enforcement is handled by the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I), which inspects in response to 311 complaints, issues a Notice of Violation, and gives the owner time to cut the growth before escalating. Cultivated flower beds and gardens are exempt, so intentional pollinator gardens and managed meadows are not treated as code violations.
Upon failure of the owner or agent to cut and destroy the weeds or overgrowth after service of a notice of violation, the owner is subject to prosecution under Subcode A (The Philadelphia Administrative Code). If the owner still does not comply, any authorized City employee or contractor may enter the property, cut and destroy the growth, and the cost of removal is charged back to the owner or responsible agent.
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