Blue Springs, MO Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 8 inches for weeds and grass (245.330)
- Charge type
- Misdemeanor, separate from civil abatement track
- Right-of-way strip
- Owner must also mow abutting ROW lawn to midline
- First offense fine
- $50
- Fourth-plus offense fine
- $450 plus up to 10 days jail
Summary
In the City of Blue Springs, Missouri, City Code Section 245.330 makes it a misdemeanor for any owner, lessee or occupant to let weeds or grass grow past eight inches on any lot, and it stretches that same mowing duty to the strip of right-of-way lawn between the property line and the street's midline.
Any owner, lessee or occupant or any agent, servant, representative or employee of any such owner, lessee or occupant having control of any lot of ground or any part of any lot who shall allow or maintain on any such lot any growth of weeds or grass to a height of eight (8) inches or more shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. Whenever private property abuts a public right-of-way or easement belonging to the City of Blue Springs or any public entity and there exists in such right-of-way or easement a tree, lawn or grassy area between the private property line and the midline of said right-of-way or easement, then such tree, lawn or grassy area shall be considered, for purposes of this Section requiring the cutting of grass and weeds, to be a part of the private lot which abuts the right-of-way or easement and it shall be the duty of those responsible under this Section for the maintenance of the private lot to equally maintain the tree, lawn or grassy area within the abutting right-of-way or easement and all of the provisions of this Article shall apply with equal force and effect to said tree, lawn or grassy area.
Full Breakdown
Section 245.330, added by Ordinance No. 4257 in 2009, is a direct misdemeanor charge separate from the civil nuisance-abatement track in Sections 245.300 through 245.320: anyone controlling a lot who allows weeds or grass to reach eight inches or more is deemed guilty of a misdemeanor outright. The section also reaches beyond the property line itself. Where private property abuts a City or public-entity right-of-way or easement containing a tree, lawn or grassy strip between the property line and the midline of that right-of-way, the section treats that strip as part of the private lot for mowing purposes, putting the maintenance duty on whoever is responsible for the abutting lot.
Section 245.290 supplies the operative definitions: WEEDS covers all grasses, annual plants and vegetation other than trees or shrubs, expressly excluding cultivated flowers and gardens, while NOXIOUS PLANTS means poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac at any height or maturity, with no height threshold at all for those three species.
Violations & Fines
Section 245.350 punishes any violation of the Weeds and Noxious Plants article, including Section 245.330's eight-inch misdemeanor, with an escalating fine within a twelve-month period: $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second, $300 for a third, and $450 for a fourth and any subsequent offense, plus up to ten days' imprisonment, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get in Blue Springs before it's a violation?
Do I have to mow the strip of grass between my yard and the street?
What's the fine for a first weed violation in Blue Springs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Blue Springs
How Blue Springs compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Blue Springs to another location·View the Missouri landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jackson County handle weed ordinances.