Schenectady requires property owners to keep grass and weeds under 10 inches in height. Code Enforcement issues notices of violation, gives 7 to 10 days to cut, and if the owner does not comply, the city hires a contractor to cut the lawn and bills the owner — with the cost becoming a lien on the property. Enforcement is aggressive given the older housing stock.
Under Schenectady City Code Chapter 222 (Property Maintenance) and Chapter 175 (Health and Safety), every owner of real property is responsible for keeping grass, weeds, and other rank vegetation cut to no more than 10 inches in height. The rule applies to occupied homes, vacant lots, rental properties, and commercial parcels alike. Code Enforcement is one of the city's most active divisions because the older housing stock includes many absentee-owned and tax-troubled parcels.
When a violation is identified, the city issues a Notice of Violation requiring the owner to cut the lawn within 7 to 10 days. The notice is sent to the address on file with the County Real Property Tax Service and may also be posted on the property. If the owner does not comply within the deadline, the city hires a private contractor to perform the cutting and bills the owner. Typical city-cutting charges run $150 to $300 per cut plus an administrative fee. If the bill is not paid, the amount is added to the property tax bill as a lien.
In addition to grass height, Chapter 222 covers junk and debris, broken windows, peeling paint, and structural disrepair. Notices on these items typically give 30 days but follow the same escalation: city corrective action plus lien if the owner does not act.
First-cut by the city: $150–$300 plus administrative fee, billed to owner. Unpaid bills become a lien on the property and attach to the tax bill. Continuing violations during the growing season may add separate fines of up to $250 per offense. Persistent neglect of vacant properties may trigger nuisance abatement proceedings and possible receivership.
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See how Schenectady's grass height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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