Buffalo, NY Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Buffalo City Code § 341-1
- Standard
- Overgrown; no fixed inch height
- Annual deadline
- Cut between May 1 and June 1
- Fine
- Class F, $150 per violation
- Enforcement
- City cuts and bills owner
Summary
Buffalo requires every property owner to cut down overgrown weeds, grass, brush and other vegetation each year between May 1 and June 1, and keep it cut after that. Miss it and the city cuts it, bills you, and issues a $150 fine.
It shall be the duty of every owner, occupant or person having charge of lands within the City to cut down or cause to be cut down all overgrown weeds, grass, brush and other vegetation and to remove or cause to be removed all garbage and tree limbs or other debris on said land each and every year between May 1 and June 1 and so often thereafter as necessary to maintain such land in a sanitary and orderly condition. Failure to comply with this section shall constitute a violation of this section and shall be punishable by a Class F fine in the amount of $150.
Full Breakdown
Buffalo City Code § 341-1 makes it the duty of every owner, occupant, or person in charge of land to cut down all overgrown weeds, grass, brush and other vegetation, and to clear garbage and tree limbs, each and every year between May 1 and June 1, then as often after that as needed to keep the land sanitary and orderly. There is no fixed inch height in the Code; the standard is 'overgrown.' The Commissioner of Street Sanitation enforces the article (§ 341-2), notifies the owner, and if the owner does not comply the City has a contractor cut the growth and charges the owner for the work (§ 341-3, § 341-4). Noncompliance is a violation carrying a Class F fine of $150, on top of the abatement cost.
Violations & Fines
Failure to cut is a violation punishable by a Class F fine of $150, plus the City's cost to send a contractor to cut the growth, billed back to the owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Buffalo set a maximum grass height?
What happens if I don't cut my lot?
When must Buffalo lots be cleared?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Buffalo
How Buffalo compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·New York rules heatmap·Compare Buffalo to another location·View the New York landscaping rules overview
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