East Orange, NJ Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Max weed height
- 10 inches (254 mm)
- Roadway brush limit
- 2 1/2 feet within 10 ft
- Noxious weeds
- prohibited outright
- Correction period
- up to 30 days
- Penalty
- $250 to $2,000 fine
Summary
In the City of East Orange, City Code § 159-62B caps weeds and grasses on any premises at 10 inches in height and bans noxious weeds outright. Brush and hedges within 10 feet of a roadway, or 20 feet of a highway, must be cut to no more than 2 1/2 feet, and dead or dying trees creating a hazard must be pruned.
Natural growth. The exterior of all premises shall be kept free of all dead and dying trees and limbs or other natural growth which by reason of rotting or deteriorating conditions or storm damage constitute a hazard to persons in the vicinity thereof. Trees shall be kept pruned and trimmed to prevent such conditions. All brush, hedges and other plant life growing within 10 feet of any roadway and within 20 feet of highways shall be cut to a height of not more than 2 1/2 feet. In addition, the exterior of all premises shall be maintained free from weeds in excess of 10 inches (254 mm) in height, and all noxious weeds shall be prohibited therefrom. For purposes of this section, "weeds" means grasses, annual plants and vegetation, provided that this definition shall not include trees, shrubs or cultivated flowers and gardens.
Full Breakdown
East Orange's weed and overgrowth standard sits inside the broader exterior-maintenance duty at § 159-62 of Chapter 159, Property Maintenance, enforced by the Department of Policy, Planning and Development's Public Officer. Subsection B defines 'weeds' as grasses, annual plants and vegetation, specifically excluding trees, shrubs and cultivated flowers and gardens, and requires every premises to stay free of growth exceeding 10 inches (254 millimeters), with noxious weeds banned regardless of height. The same subsection separately limits brush, hedges and other plant life growing within 10 feet of a roadway, or within 20 feet of a highway, to a maximum height of 2 1/2 feet, and requires trees to be pruned and trimmed to eliminate hazards from rotting, dying limbs or storm damage.
This sits alongside § 159-62A, which requires the exterior of premises to stay free of brush, broken glass, stumps, filth, garbage, trash and abandoned or unregistered vehicles. Enforcement of the weed limit in Subsection B follows the standard notice procedure at §§ 159-25 and 159-26, giving owners a correction period of up to 30 days before the notice becomes a final order, unlike the snow-and-ice hazard provisions of § 159-62D, which § 159-30A allows the Public Officer to prosecute without any prior notice.
Violations & Fines
Maintaining weeds or grasses over 10 inches, or noxious weeds of any height, violates § 159-62B and is enforced through the standard § 159-25 notice process, giving the owner up to 30 days to cut the growth before the notice becomes a final order. A sustained violation carries the § 159-44 penalty: a fine of $250 to $2,000, up to 90 days imprisonment or community service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get on my East Orange property before it's a violation?
Are there separate rules for brush near the street?
What happens if I don't cut overgrown weeds after a notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in East Orange
How East Orange compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare East Orange to another location·View the New Jersey landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Essex County handle weed ordinances.