Asheville, NC Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Sec. 15-6(a) makes it unlawful for any owner, renter or lessee of land within the city to let trash, rubbish, garbage, weeds or grass accumulate to the point the property becomes a nuisance or menace to nearby residents. Subsection (b) puts the duty on the owner, occupant or tenant to keep weeds, bushes, grass and other vegetation cut and removed so it does not breed flies, mosquitoes or rodents, does not menace public health, and does not create a fire hazard or endanger life or property.

The code deliberately sets a nuisance-and-hazard standard rather than a numeric height, so code enforcement inspectors judge each lot individually. If the owner fails to remove the growth after being cited, Sec. 15-6(c) authorizes the enforcing city official to assess a civil penalty. That penalty runs through the chapter-wide enforcement scheme in Sec. 15-52: a written notice of violation gives the owner up to 30 days to comply, the official may grant one additional 30-day extension on written request, and if the property still is not cured, a citation carries a $100 per day civil penalty that accrues until either compliance is documented or the penalty hits a $5,000 cap.

Unpaid or uncorrected violations go to the city attorney for a civil debt action, and the city may separately seek injunctive relief, an abatement order, or act immediately without notice against an imminent threat to life or property.