Rio Rancho, NM Landscaping Rules: Grass Height Limits (2026)

The City of Rio Rancho regulates overgrown vegetation as a property-maintenance nuisance. According to the City's Code Enforcement 'Common Violations' guidance, weeds and grass over 12 inches in height are a violation, and grass shorter than 12 inches is expressly not a violation of the Municipal Code. The City frames this as part of keeping neighborhoods livable and protecting community health and safety, and it ties into the nuisance and noxious-vegetation provisions of Chapter 91 (Nuisances; Health and Sanitation) of the Rio Rancho Municipal Code. Property owners and tenants are responsible for keeping their lawns mowed to the edge of the roadway, including any vacant-lot frontage and the area between their property line and the right-of-way. The City does not mow weeds or litter in residential areas; the City notes this is the responsibility of the property owner or the homeowners association. The City removes weeds only along major arterial roads, and even then citywide cycles can take six weeks or more. Complaints are handled through the Report Rio Rancho system. Because Rio Rancho is an arid high-desert community, many residents convert turf to xeriscape, but any planted or maintained turf must still be kept below the 12-inch threshold.