Bellevue, NE Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 12 inches for grass, weeds or worthless vegetation
- Governing section
- Bellevue Code of Ordinances § 19-17, § 19-18
- Notice period
- 5 business days to request a hearing
- Enforcement
- City cuts growth and bills the owner
- Exception
- Low-maintenance vegetation approved by public works director
- General penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
In the City of Bellevue, Nebraska, grass, noxious weeds and worthless vegetation over 12 inches tall on any lot are a declared public nuisance under Bellevue Code of Ordinances § 19-17. Owners, agents, tenants and occupants must keep the lot, plus the strip between the property line and the curb, clear of growth reaching that height, or face city abatement and cost recovery.
Not withstanding sections 19-2 and 19-3, all litter and noxious weeds and all grass or worthless vegetation 12 inches or more in height are hereby declared to be a public nuisance. ... (A) It shall be unlawful for each and every owner, agent, occupant, tenant or person in possession, charge or control of any lot or ground, or any part of any lot or ground located within the city's zoning jurisdiction to fail or refuse to keep such lot or ground free of litter or noxious weeds or grass or worthless vegetation which has reached a height of 12 inches or more, to prevent litter from being carried or deposited by the elements beyond such lot or ground, other than in proper receptacles provided therefor.
Full Breakdown
Under § 19-18 of the Bellevue Code of Ordinances, it is unlawful for any owner, agent, occupant, tenant or person in possession of a lot within the city's zoning jurisdiction to allow litter, noxious weeds, grass or worthless vegetation to reach 12 inches or more in height, or to fail to keep the lot free of it. Noxious weeds are separately defined in § 19-16 to include bindweed, puncture vine, leafy spurge, Canada thistle, Johnson grass, quack grass and any weed the state director of agriculture designates.
When a violation is found, § 19-23 requires the city to deliver an Official Notice by personal service or first-class mail and to post it on the property; the recipient has five business days to request an impartial hearing before abatement. If the owner does not comply, § 19-26 lets the city cut and remove the growth itself and bill the owner for labor, equipment and disposal, and § 19-22 allows the city to assess unpaid costs against the property like a special tax or to sue for a judgment plus interest.
Section 19-27 carves out an exception: the public works director may approve low maintenance vegetation over 12 inches where mowing is not feasible and there is no sight-distance hazard, subject to Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District specifications. No specific fine is set in Article II, so a knowing violation falls back on the Code's general penalty in § 1-11: up to $500 or six months in jail, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
A first notice starts a five-business-day window to request a hearing before the city abates and bills the owner; failure to pay lets Bellevue assess the cost against the lot like a special property tax or sue for a judgment plus interest. Because Article II sets no dedicated fine, a knowing violation also exposes the responsible party to the Code's general penalty of up to $500 or six months in jail under § 1-11, with each day counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get on a Bellevue lot before it's a violation?
What happens if I don't cut the weeds after Bellevue notifies me?
Is there any exception to the 12-inch rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bellevue
How Bellevue compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Bellevue to another location·View the Nebraska landscaping rules overview
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