Kill Devil Hills, NC Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 24 inches on improved lots
- Enforcing office
- Town Manager / Health Dept.
- Notice period
- 15 days to abate
- Unpaid cost remedy
- Becomes a lien on land
- Civil penalty
- $50-$500 per day
- Repeat offenders
- Chronic violator, faster action
Summary
In the Town of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, uncontrolled weeds or grass over 24 inches on an improved lot is declared a public nuisance under the town code. The Town Manager investigates complaints and orders abatement, and an owner who ignores the order can be billed for town-performed mowing, with unpaid costs turning into a lien on the property.
The existence of any of the following conditions on any parcel of land within the corporate limits of the town is declared to be dangerous and prejudicial to the public health or safety and to constitute a public nuisance. ... (A) Growth of weeds and grass. The uncontrolled growth of noxious weeds or grass on an improved site to a height in excess of 24 inches causing or threatening to cause a hazard detrimental to the public health or safety.
Full Breakdown
01(A) declares the uncontrolled growth of noxious weeds or grass on an improved site to a height in excess of 24 inches a public nuisance whenever it causes or threatens a hazard to public health or safety. The section sits inside Chapter 93, Nuisances, which lists weed and grass overgrowth alongside rubbish accumulations, condemned structures and other blighted conditions the town can act on. 02 directs the County Health Department or a town official to investigate any complaint that a lot may be in violation.
03 requires the town to mail or hand-deliver a written notice and order to abate, giving the owner up to 15 days to cut the lot before the town takes further action; service can also be completed by regular mail if certified mail is refused or unclaimed, with the notice additionally posted on the property. 05 charges the actual cost of that work to the owner, due within 30 days of the town's statement. § 160A-193. 07, which lets the town act immediately on any further overgrowth without repeating the full notice cycle.
Violations & Fines
Failure to cut overgrown weeds or grass after the town's 15-day notice lets the town mow the lot and bill the owner for the actual cost under § 93.05, with unpaid bills becoming a property lien under § 93.06. Beyond abatement costs, violations of the town code are punishable as a general penalty under § 10.99: a civil penalty of $50 per day for the first 15 days after notice, $100 per day for days 16 through 30, and $500 per day or more thereafter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum height for weeds and grass in Kill Devil Hills?
How much notice do I get before the town mows my lot?
What happens if I don't cut the weeds myself?
Is there a fine on top of the mowing bill?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kill Devil Hills
How Kill Devil Hills compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Kill Devil Hills to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview
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