Grand Forks, ND Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Grand Forks City Code section 10-0703 declares 'all tall grass and weeds predominantly exceeding eight (8) inches in height growing within the limits of the city' a public nuisance, and puts the duty on every owner, occupant, or person in charge of a premises, lot or parcel, including its adjacent rights-of-way, berms and boulevards, to cut or destroy the growth between April 1 and November 1 of each year. Section 10-0704(1) makes it unlawful to allow or maintain that growth, and specifically states that growth of grass to a length predominantly greater than eight inches is a public nuisance for purposes of the article.

Section 10-0701 defines 'tall grass' as grass, and included weeds not covered by the North Dakota Administrative Code's noxious-weed list, predominantly over eight inches, but excludes tall grass that is part of a cultivated and maintained vegetable garden, flower garden or landscaping display. Section 10-0705 lets the public health department director grant a mowing exemption for property that cannot be safely mowed, is highly erodible, undevelopable, densely wooded, too wet, zoned agricultural for bona fide farming, part of the greenway, or under active construction. If an owner does not comply after written notice under section 10-0706, section 10-0709 authorizes the Grand Forks Public Health Department to cut, remove or destroy the growth itself and certify the abatement cost to the county auditor as a special assessment against the property. The health department must also publish a public notice of the tall-grass nuisance monthly during May through August under section 10-0710.