Greenville, NC Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 10 inches for weeds and grass
- Right-of-way included
- Yes, adjoining street right-of-way
- Notice-to-abate period
- 10 days
- First-offense penalty
- $100 civil penalty
- Repeat penalty within 365 days
- $250, then $500 per violation
- Enforcing division
- Code Enforcement Division
Summary
Greenville property owners must cut weeds and grass before they reach ten inches tall, keep growth off sidewalks and curbs, and keep the property and adjoining right-of-way free of trash under City Code Section 12-3-2. The Code Enforcement Division enforces the rule and can order cleanup with civil penalties for noncompliance.
Any person owning real property within the city is hereby required to maintain both the property and adjoining right-of-way under the following criteria: (A) Before any weeds and grass reach a height of ten inches; (B) Prevent any weeds and grass from encroaching upon the sidewalk, driveway, or the curb or edge of the pavement of the abutting street; (C) To keep such property and right-of-way free from trash and refuse matter at all times; and (D) To keep such property and right-of-way free from the conditions enumerated in section 12-3-4.
Full Breakdown
Section 12-3-2 requires any person owning real property within the city to maintain both the property itself and the adjoining street right-of-way to four standards: cutting weeds and grass before they reach a height of ten inches, keeping weeds and grass from encroaching onto the sidewalk, driveway, or the curb or edge of the abutting street pavement, keeping the property and right-of-way free of trash and refuse matter at all times, and keeping the property free of the broader list of nuisance conditions enumerated in Section 12-3-4.
Section 12-3-4(B) reinforces the height limit by separately declaring a 'place of dense growth of weeds, grass or other noxious vegetation exceeding ten inches in height' a public nuisance citywide, with narrower depth exceptions only for vacant or large undeveloped lots. The Code Enforcement Division, per Section 12-3-3, administers and enforces the chapter, and 'verified violation' under Section 12-3-1 means a violation of Section 12-3-4(B), (C) or (D) as determined by the Code Enforcement Supervisor or officer. When an inspector finds overgrown weeds or grass, the owner receives a written notice under Section 12-3-6 requiring abatement within ten days, served under Section 12-3-7 by personal delivery or by certified and regular mail to the address on file with Pitt County tax records.
An owner who disagrees may request a hearing before the Code Enforcement Supervisor within the abatement period under Section 12-3-10, with further review available to the Director of Neighborhood and Business Services and then the Board of Adjustment.
Violations & Fines
An owner who fails to cut weeds and grass after notice faces a civil penalty of $100 for a first violation, $250 for a second violation within 365 days of the first, and $500 for a third or any subsequent violation in that period, under Section 12-3-11(A). Each day the overgrowth continues counts as a separate violation. Penalties must reach the city's Financial Services Department revenue division within five business days of issuance unless appealed under Section 1-1-20, or the city can pursue collection as a civil debt or through a collections agency.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get before it is a violation in Greenville?
Does the weed rule cover the strip of grass by the street?
What happens after a weed violation notice in Greenville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenville
How Greenville compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Greenville to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview
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