Auburn, AL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 12 inches for grass and weeds
- Governing code
- IPMC § 302.4, amended by § 5-174
- Abatement deadline
- 14 days, extendable to 28 days
- Appeal window
- 5 days to request a hearing
- Exempt
- Cultivated flowers and gardens
- Cost recovery
- Lien collected with ad valorem taxes
Summary
Auburn caps weeds and uncultivated plant growth at 12 inches on any parcel under City Code § 5-174, the local amendment to Section 302.4 of the International Property Maintenance Code. Noxious weeds are banned outright regardless of height. Cultivated flowers and gardens are exempt. Violations trigger the nuisance-abatement process in § 15-16, which lets the city cut the growth and bill the owner.
Section 302.4 Weeds is amended as follows:
Premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 12 inches. Noxious weeds shall be prohibited. Weeds shall be defined as all grasses, annual plants and vegetation, other than trees or shrubs provided; however, this term shall not include cultivated flowers and gardens.
Weeds shall be abated using the procedures outlined in Section 15-16 of the Code of the City of Auburn and Code of Alabama 1975 sections 11-67-90 through 11-67-95.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 90).
Full Breakdown
4 of the International Property Maintenance Code, as amended by City Code § 5-174, requires every premises and exterior property in Auburn to be kept free of weeds or other uncultivated plant growth taller than 12 inches. The code defines 'weeds' broadly as grasses, annual plants and vegetation other than trees or shrubs, but expressly carves out cultivated flowers and gardens. Noxious weeds are prohibited without any height threshold at all. Enforcement runs through the nuisance procedure codified at § 15-16, which incorporates Code of Alabama 1975 §§ 11-67-90 through 11-67-95.
Under that state authority, once a city official or an employee designated by the city manager determines an overgrown lot is a public nuisance, the owner receives written notice by personal delivery or first-class mail, and a copy is posted on the property itself. The notice must give the owner 14 days to cut the growth, though the enforcing official can extend that deadline to as much as 28 days. The owner has only 5 days from the notice to request a hearing before a city-designated administrative official contesting whether a nuisance actually exists.
If the owner does neither, or loses the hearing and still fails to comply, the city may send its own crew or a contractor to cut the lot and recover the cost from the owner.
Violations & Fines
If an owner ignores the abatement notice, the city cuts the weeds itself and bills the owner for wages, equipment use, advertising and materials. The city council reviews the itemized statement at a public meeting, and the assessed cost becomes a lien on the property, filed with the Lee County judge of probate and collected with the ad valorem tax bill using the same delinquency and foreclosure procedures as unpaid property taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get on my Auburn property before it's a violation?
How much time do I get to cut overgrown weeds after Auburn sends a notice?
What happens if I don't cut the grass myself?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
How Auburn compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Auburn to another location·View the Alabama landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.