Grass height enforcement in Worcester County is municipal. Worcester Revised Ordinances Chapter 13 §29 prohibits grass and weeds over 10 inches. State Sanitary Code 105 CMR 410.551 requires rental property grounds to be free of overgrowth.
Worcester County does not enforce grass height — it's a municipal responsibility because county government was abolished in 1998. Worcester Revised Ordinances Chapter 13 §29 requires property owners to keep grass, weeds, and rank vegetation below approximately 10 inches; violators receive a notice from the Department of Inspectional Services or Department of Public Health. If the owner fails to cut, the City may do so and lien the property. Fitchburg (10-inch limit), Leominster (8-inch limit), Gardner, Southbridge, and Webster have similar property maintenance bylaws. The Massachusetts State Sanitary Code 105 CMR 410.551 (Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation) requires that grounds of rental properties be free of overgrowth and garbage — this gives local Boards of Health strong enforcement authority against absentee landlords. Seasonal enforcement ramps up May through October. Foreclosed and abandoned properties are a particular focus in Worcester's Main South, Bell Hill, and Piedmont neighborhoods where Chapter 40U administrative fines can reach $300/day. Rural Worcester County towns (Petersham, Hardwick, Barre, Phillipston) enforce grass height less aggressively, typically only on complaint.
Worcester grass violation: notice to cure within 10-14 days; failure results in $100-$300 fine plus City abatement at owner's cost (typically $200-$800) billed as a municipal lien. MGL c. 40U administrative fines up to $300/day for persistent violators. 105 CMR 410.551 rental violations can trigger Board of Health condemnation.
See how Worcester County's grass height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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