South Bend caps grass and weeds at 9 inches on any residential or commercial lot. Over that, code enforcement mails notice and gives 48 hours to mow under Ordinance 16-59, then Venues Parks & Arts mows and bills you plus a $250 abatement fine.
Under Chapter 19 of the municipal code, an inspector marks any lot with grass or weeds nine inches or taller "in violation" and mails notice to the owner, who then has 48 hours to cut it under City Ordinance 16-59. The city re-inspects after the statutory cure period tied to Indiana Code 36-1-6-2; if the lot is still overgrown, the Venues Parks & Arts forestry crew mows it. Neighborhood Services & Enforcement then bills the owner for the work and administrative costs and issues an ordinance-violation ticket, and Section 19-35 sets a $250 fine for each abatement the city performs. The nine-inch limit matches St. Joseph County and neighboring Mishawaka.
Notice gives 48 hours to mow. Ignore it and the city mows, bills the work plus administrative costs, issues a violation ticket, and imposes a $250 abatement fine under Section 19-35 each time.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how South Bend's grass height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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