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Fort Collins, CO Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Weed/grass height limit: 9 inches, developed lots
Open area/ditch limit: 12 inches
Notice-to-comply period: 5 days before city mows
Cost recovery: Property lien, priority over most liens
Ornamental grass exception: Up to 20% of landscaped area
Max civil penalty: $2,650 under § 1-15

Summary

Fort Collins caps weeds and lawn grass at nine inches on any developed property under Municipal Code § 20-42, and the excess growth is declared a public nuisance. Ornamental grasses are exempt if they stay under 20% of the landscaped area, and noxious weeds designated under the Colorado Weed Law are barred at any height.

(a)All weeds or unmowed grasses required to be mowed under Subsection (c) of this Section, refuse and rubbish on a property within the City are hereby declared to be a nuisance and a menace to the health and safety of the inhabitants of the City. ... (c)It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any property to permit weeds to grow upon such property to a height of more than nine (9) inches. (d)... it is unlawful for the owner or occupant of any property to permit grasses to grow upon such property to a height of more than nine (9) inches; provided, however, that this Subsection shall not be applicable to any ornamental grass...

Source: Fort Collins Municipal CodeView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 155 | Transitional Land Use Code (for project before May 17, 2024): Supplement 61 | Traffic Code: Supplement 27).

Full Breakdown

Section 20-42(a) declares that weeds or unmowed grasses required to be mowed under Subsection (c) of this Section, refuse and rubbish on a property within the City are hereby declared to be a nuisance and a menace to the health and safety of the inhabitants of the City. Subsection (c) sets the weed limit at nine inches for every property owner or occupant; Subsection (d) applies the identical nine-inch cap to lawn grasses, carving out an exception for ornamental grasses (a long list running from big bluestem to switchgrass under § 20-41) so long as they don't exceed 20% of the property's landscaped square footage.

Separate, higher limits apply elsewhere in the same Section: twelve inches for open areas, ditches and their rights-of-way under Subsection (e), and twelve inches for water-wise turfgrass plantings under Subsection (f). Noxious weeds designated by the Colorado Weed Law or the Larimer County Weed District are prohibited regardless of height under Subsection (h). Enforcement runs through § 20-44: the Neighborhood Services Manager mails a notice giving the owner five days to cut the growth before the City can mow it and assess the cost, plus inspection and administrative charges, as a lien on the property with priority over all but general taxes.

An owner can contest the cost assessment in writing to the Director of Community Development Services or request a Referee hearing within ten days of the notice.

Violations & Fines

Letting weeds or grass exceed nine inches is a civil infraction under § 20-45, punishable under § 1-15 by a civil penalty of up to $2,650 plus the City's abatement costs; a second violation within a rolling twelve months can be charged as a criminal misdemeanor instead, and unpaid mowing-cost assessments become a property lien collected with county property taxes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can grass or weeds legally grow in Fort Collins?

Municipal Code § 20-42(c) and (d) cap weeds and lawn grass at nine inches on any owned or occupied property. Growth above that height is declared a nuisance, and ornamental grasses are exempt only if they stay under 20% of the property's landscaped area.

What happens if I don't mow after getting a notice?

Under § 20-44, the Neighborhood Services Manager gives five days' written notice to cut the growth. If it's not done, the City can mow it and bill the owner for inspection, mowing and administrative costs, which become a lien on the property.

Are noxious weeds treated differently from tall grass?

Yes. Section 20-42(h) bans weeds designated noxious by the Colorado Weed Law or Larimer County Weed District regardless of height, unlike the nine-inch threshold that applies to ordinary weeds and grass.

Is letting my lawn grow tall a criminal offense in Fort Collins?

Not on the first violation: § 20-45 makes it a civil infraction with a penalty up to $2,650 under § 1-15. But a second violation within twelve months can be charged as a misdemeanor instead.

Sources & Official References

[1]Fort Collins Municipal Code Ch. 20, Art. IV

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How Fort Collins compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Fort Collins to another location·View the Colorado landscaping rules overview

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