Kalamazoo, MI Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Under City Code § 21-3.A(1), 'noxious weeds of any height' and 'any other weeds or grasses which have attained a height of eight inches or more' are declared public nuisances in the City of Kalamazoo, unless the vegetation is part of a maintained garden or landscaped area. Two exceptions apply: a parcel larger than one acre only has to keep the first 25 feet from any adjacent property or roadway compliant, and land the City has designated as a park, preserve or open space is exempt outright.

Enforcement follows the same notice-and-abatement path as other Chapter 21 nuisances: the City Manager or a designated representative sends written notice, the owner has 10 days to cut the vegetation, and an owner may appeal in writing within 10 days under § 21-3.C. Vegetation disputes specifically go to the five-member Ad Hoc Weed Committee, which includes representatives from the Kalamazoo Nature Center, Parks and Recreation, the Environmental Concerns Committee, City Administration and a registered landscape architect; the committee must schedule a public hearing within 30 days and can give the owner up to seven more days to comply once it rules the growth a nuisance.

If the owner still does not cut it, § 21-4 lets the City mow the lot and bill the owner, with 6% annual interest on unpaid bills after 30 days and a property lien if the bill stays unpaid.