Jacksonville, NC Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 8 inches average height triggers nuisance
- Applies to
- Any occupied or unoccupied lot citywide
- Civil penalty
- $50 for missed abatement deadline
- Criminal penalty
- Up to $500 fine, Class 3 misdemeanor
- Enforcement
- Administrator designated by the city manager
- Appeal
- Written hearing request before deadline expires
Summary
In the City of Jacksonville, North Carolina, city code makes it a nuisance to let weeds, grass, or other vegetation grow past eight inches on the average on any occupied or unoccupied lot. Code Enforcement issues a written notice to abate, and owners who miss the deadline face a $50 civil penalty plus possible criminal prosecution and city abatement billed back to the property.
The maintaining, using, placing, depositing, leaving, permitting, or the remaining of any of the following items on any public or private property conditions or actions are hereby declared to be and constitute a nuisance; provided, however, this enumeration shall not be deemed or construed to be conclusive, limited or restrictive: (1)Noxious weeds and other rank vegetation; any growth of weeds, grass or other vegetation to a height greater than eight (8) inches on the average; or any accumulation of dead weeds, grass or brush on any occupied or unoccupied lot or land or any part thereof. ... (a)A violation of any of the provisions of this chapter may constitute a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in G.S. 14-4 whereby they shall be guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00).(b)A violator who fails to abate a nuisance in the time specified shall be subject to a civil penalty of fifty dollars ($50.00).
Full Breakdown
Section 14-11(1) of the nuisance chapter lists uncut vegetation as a nuisance: any growth of weeds, grass or other vegetation averaging more than eight inches, or an accumulation of dead weeds, grass or brush, on any occupied or unoccupied lot or land. Enforcement runs through the chapter's administrator, an officer designated by the city manager under Sec. 14-1. Once a violation is found, Sec. 14-41 through 14-43 require a written notice to abate, served by certified mail or personal delivery, giving the owner up to ten days to fix the problem or request a hearing.
The owner, tenant, or occupant of the property can be held responsible under Sec. 14-44. If the deadline passes without action, the city can mow the lot itself under Sec. 14-45 and bill the owner for labor and hauling costs under Sec. 14-46; an unpaid bill becomes a lien collected like delinquent taxes. Sec. 14-47 layers on a $50 civil penalty for missing the abatement deadline, with each additional day counted as a separate violation, plus the option of a Class 3 misdemeanor charge carrying up to a $500 fine under G.S. 14-4. An owner can request a hearing before the city manager or designee under Sec. 14-48 before the abatement period runs out.
Violations & Fines
Missing the abatement deadline set in the notice triggers a $50 civil penalty per Sec. 14-47(b), with each additional day of noncompliance counted as a new, separate violation carrying its own penalty. The city can also pursue a Class 3 misdemeanor charge carrying up to a $500 fine under G.S. 14-4, or send its own crews to cut the lot and bill the owner, turning unpaid costs into a lien collected like delinquent property taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass get before Jacksonville cites me?
What happens if I ignore the abatement notice?
Can I appeal a notice to abate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jacksonville
How Jacksonville compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Jacksonville to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview
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