Johnson County, IA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- State law
- Iowa Code Ch. 317
- Owner duty
- §317.10, destroy noxious weeds
- Enforced by
- County weed commissioner
- Charge-back
- Added to property taxes
- City limit
- 10 inches typical
Summary
Two layers apply. Statewide, Iowa Code Chapter 317 makes every landowner destroy noxious weeds like Canada thistle and Palmer amaranth, enforced by the Johnson County weed commissioner. Locally, each city's ordinance abates overgrown lots at the owner's expense.
Each owner and each person in the possession or control of any lands shall cut, burn, or otherwise destroy, in whatever manner may be prescribed by the board of supervisors, all noxious weeds thereon as defined in this chapter at such times in each year and in such manner as shall be prescribed in the program of weed destruction order or orders made by the board of supervisors, and shall keep said lands free from such growth of any other weeds, as shall render the streets or highways adjoining said land unsafe for public travel.
Full Breakdown
Iowa Code section 317.10 obligates every owner to cut, burn, or destroy the noxious weeds listed in section 317.1A, a roster that includes Canada thistle, leafy spurge, multiflora rose, poison hemlock, and, since 2017, Palmer amaranth. The Johnson County weed commissioner, appointed by the board of supervisors, can serve notice and, if you ignore it, have the weeds destroyed and charge the cost back against your property taxes. The county and the DOT control noxious weeds along the roads they maintain. Separately, Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty enforce their own roughly 10-inch grass-and-weed limits inside city limits.
Violations & Fines
The county weed commissioner issues notice; unaddressed weeds are destroyed at the county's direction and billed to the owner, collected as a tax lien. City weed limits carry mowing charges plus administrative fees, roughly $100 in Iowa City.
Frequently Asked Questions
What weeds am I legally required to control?
Who enforces the noxious-weed law in Johnson County?
Sources & Official References
- [1]Iowa Code
Other rules in Johnson County
How Johnson County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Johnson County to another location·View the Iowa landscaping rules overview
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