Caldwell, ID Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Caldwell City Code section 07-11-01 sets the city's weed standard inside its definition of nuisance. The section declares it a nuisance when there is the proliferation and growth of weeds which are over eight inches in height; by reason of size, manner of growth, location, or dryness constitute a safety, health, or fire hazard to any person, building, improvement, crop, or other real or personal property; or are designated as noxious weeds by the state of Idaho. The same section separately defines weeds as undesirable plant growth, whether living or dead, that is unkempt, unsightly, deleterious and injurious to the public, while expressly carving out cultivated grasses and pastures from that definition, though the code notes such vegetation can still be declared a nuisance where appropriate.

Enforcement runs through section 07-11-05: a Code Enforcement Officer who finds a qualifying weed condition first issues a written request for voluntary compliance, giving the property owner, occupier or person in control ten days to mow or clear the growth. If the weeds remain after that window, or the violation recurs, the officer issues an intent of abatement notice by personal service, mail or posting, and the owner then has five calendar days to abate once served, with only four calendar days to file a written appeal to the City Council through the City Clerk. These weed provisions date to Ordinance 2913 of 2012, with the enforcement procedure updated by Ordinance 3171 in 2018.