Hutto, TX Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Danger threshold
- Weeds over 48 inches
- Penalty cap
- $2,000, misdemeanor
- Cure period
- 10 days after notice
- Lien interest
- 10% per year
- Enforcing official
- Mayor / code enforcement
Summary
Hutto bans weeds and tall grass on any lot under section 12.03.001, but section 12.03.007 draws the bright line: once weeds top 48 inches and threaten health, life or safety, the city may abate them immediately, skipping the standard notice process. Violators face misdemeanor fines up to $2,000 under the sanitation penalty schedule.
§ 1.01.009. General penalty for violations of code; continuing violations. ... (b) A fine or penalty for the violation of a rule, ordinance or police regulation that governs fire safety, zoning or public health and sanitation, may not exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) ... ... § 12.03.007. Immediate abatement of dangerous weeds. The city may immediately abate the nuisances of weeds in excess of forty-eight (48) inches in height which are an immediate danger to the health, life or safety of any person. ... § 12.03.009. Penalty. ... Any person who is an owner or occupant of property herein indicated and who receives or is given notice as herein provided and who fails or refuses to take remedial action to cause such property not to be in violation of this article within ten days of such notice shall be deemed to have violated this article and shall be deemed to have committed a misdemeanor punishable by a fine in accordance with the general penalty in section 1.01.009 of this code, and each day that a violation is permitted to continue or exist shall constitute a separate offense.
Full Breakdown
The City of Hutto treats overgrown vegetation as a nuisance under Chapter 12, Article 12.03 of the Code of Ordinances, "Stagnant Water, Weeds, Rubbish or Other Unsanitary Matter." Section 12.03.001 makes it unlawful for any owner or occupant to let a lot go unmowed, listing weeds and tall grass alongside stagnant water, rubbish, garbage, brush, trash and carrion, and it extends the duty to the sidewalk strip between the property line and the curb. Section 12.03.007 sets the trigger the city treats as dangerous: weeds in excess of 48 inches that pose an immediate danger to health, life or safety.
When weeds cross that line, Hutto may abate the nuisance immediately rather than running through the standard notice-and-hearing track in sections 12.03.002 through 12.03.006, which otherwise requires notice by mail, posting or publication, a ten-day cure period, and a right to contest the order before the city council. Code enforcement and, per section 12.03.004, the mayor issue compliance orders; if the city mows or clears the lot itself, section 12.03.005 lets it place a lien on the property, second only to ad valorem tax liens, carrying 10 percent annual interest until repaid.
Section 12.03.009 makes failure to remedy a violation within ten days of notice a misdemeanor, with each additional day a separate offense, punishable under the general penalty in section 1.01.009. Because Article 12.03 falls under Chapter 12, Health and Sanitation, section 1.01.009(b) raises the fine ceiling to $2,000 rather than the standard $500 cap, and a repeat violation within a year lets the city skip renotifying the owner under section 12.03.008.
Violations & Fines
Failing to cut weeds and tall grass below the danger line, or ignoring a notice to abate stagnant water, rubbish or brush on a lot, is a misdemeanor once ten days pass without remedial action. Fines run under the Chapter 12 penalty schedule of section 1.01.009(b), capped at $2,000 rather than the citywide $500 default, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense. Weeds over 48 inches deemed an immediate danger let the city mow and lien the property without waiting out the notice period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can weeds get in Hutto before the city acts?
What happens if I don't mow after Hutto sends a notice?
Can Hutto put a lien on my property for mowing my lot?
Does the weed rule apply to vacant land too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hutto
How Hutto compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Hutto to another location·View the Texas landscaping rules overview
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