Clinton Township, MI Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Duty
- keep built subdivisions/improved-street lots weed-free
- Covered depth
- 10 rods or lot depth, whichever is less
- Regrowth trigger
- weeds over six inches, growing season
- Notice published
- each March, cut required by May 1
- Township cutting cost cap
- $25 per tract without Supervisor OK
- Cost recovery
- lien enforced like a tax lien
- Max fine
- $500 (Section 202.99 general penalty)
Summary
Clinton Township requires owners, agents and occupants of built-out subdivisions and lots along improved streets to keep their land free of noxious weeds and destroy them before they go to seed under Section 694.01(a). Letting weeds regrow past six inches during the growing season triggers Township mowing at the owner's expense under subsection (f).
(a) Removal and Destruction Required. It shall be the duty of the owner, agent and occupant of any subdivided land in any subdivision in which buildings have been erected on sixty percent of the lots included in that subdivision, or the owners, agents or occupants of lots along all improved streets in common usage, for a depth of ten rods or the depth of the lots, whichever is less, to keep the same free of all noxious weeds, to destroy the same before they reach a seed bearing stage and to prevent such weeds from perpetuating themselves or becoming a detriment to the public health. ... (f) ... shall allow weeds to regrow in excess of six inches at any time during the growing season, the Commissioner or his designee shall enter upon such lands and destroy such weeds by cutting with or without mechanical equipment which will not damage the sidewalk adjacent thereto, and all expenses incurred in such destruction shall be paid by the owner or owners of such lands.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Local legislation current through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
01(a) imposes the weed-control duty on owners, agents and occupants of subdivided land in any subdivision where buildings sit on sixty percent of the lots, and on lots along improved streets in common use, for a depth of ten rods or the lot's depth, whichever is less. Subsection (b) lists the covered "noxious weeds": Canada thistle, dodders, mustards, wild carrot, bindweed, perennial sowthistle, hoary alyssum, ragweed, poison ivy, poison sumac, and any other plant the Township Board treats as a common nuisance. The Township Board appoints a Commissioner of Noxious Weeds under (c) to a two-year term, and the Commissioner's duties in (d) include inspecting for noxious weeds and directing their destruction.
Each March the Township publishes a newspaper notice under (e) warning that weeds not cut by May 1 will be cut by the Township at the owner's cost. 00 on any one infested tract without the Township Supervisor's consent. The Township then places a lien on the property, enforced the same way as a delinquent property-tax lien.
Violations & Fines
Section 694.01(g) makes the Township's cost-recovery lien an addition to, not a substitute for, the fine under Section 694.99, which defers to the Code's general penalty in Section 202.99: up to $500 and/or 93 days per offense. Collected fines go into the Clinton Township Noxious Weeds Control Fund, and the Commissioner must prosecute or refer violators to the proper authorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can weeds grow on my property in Clinton Township?
Which properties does Clinton Township's weed ordinance cover?
What happens if I don't cut noxious weeds after the Township's notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clinton Township
How Clinton Township compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Clinton Township to another location·View the Michigan landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle weed ordinances.