Bergenfield, NJ Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

4, which sets the Borough's operative weed and grass standard: premises and exterior property must be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of eight inches. That eight-inch cap applies borough-wide to maintained lots, separate from Chapter 116's 2 1/2-foot rule for brush near roadways on any land. Enforcement runs through Article II of Chapter 232: when a public officer or other authorized municipal official finds a property out of compliance, the responsible party gets 10 business days to correct the violation, or five business days if the overgrowth is an imminent threat to public health and safety (§232-8).

If the violation is not abated in that window, the Borough may abate it directly, using a private contractor or its own Department of Public Works crew, which bills at $90 per hour per man plus a $150 equipment charge per incident when work is done after normal hours (§232-10). Any funds the Borough spends become a lien on the property, collected the same way as delinquent taxes (§232-12).