Columbia, SC Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Section 8-301 sets the one-foot average height ceiling on grass, weeds and overgrowth vegetation for any owner or occupant of property in the city, and separately requires vacant lots to be cut at least three times per year during the growing season, April through September. Heavily wooded lots where equipment cannot maneuver because of the density of the area only have to be trimmed within 20 feet of the street right-of-way and adjacent improved property, and kept free of litter. When the public services department finds a violation, Section 8-302 lets it serve notice on the owner, lessee, occupant, or the owner's agent, by personal delivery, certified mail, or posting on the premises.

Section 8-303 gives the recipient ten days from service, mailing, or posting to cut and remove the vegetation; failing that deadline is a misdemeanor under Section 1-5. Section 8-304 lets the city send a crew to cut the lot itself if the ten-day deadline passes, with the cost becoming a lien on the property collected the same way as municipal taxes, cumulative to other penalties. An owner can also request the city do the cutting voluntarily under Section 8-305 by paying the city treasury for the service. C. Code 1976 Section 5-7-80, which lets municipalities regulate property upkeep and impose a cleanup lien.