Kings County Weed Ordinances Rules (2026) — What You Need to Know

New York City's approach to weed and vegetation control operates primarily through its public health nuisance framework rather than a standalone landscaping ordinance. Administrative Code Section 17-142 broadly defines "nuisance" to include any condition dangerous to human life or detrimental to health. Section 17-145 specifically addresses noxious weeds, authorizing the Board of Health to declare any ragweed or other species of weed, plant, or growth that is noxious or detrimental to public health — or whose pollen or emanations are harmful when airborne — as a public nuisance.

When the Board declares such vegetation a nuisance and enters it into its records, it may order removal, abatement, or correction on a citywide or area-wide basis. Borough presidents and the Commissioner of Transportation are authorized to provide the Department of Health with information about properties where noxious weeds are found. Property owners who receive an order to abate must comply; willful omission or refusal to do so is a misdemeanor under Section 17-143.

The New York State Property Maintenance Code, which applies throughout NYC including Brooklyn, provides a more conventional standard: all developed areas of premises intended for use by building occupants or the public must be maintained free of weeds exceeding 10 inches in height. Overgrown vegetation on highway shoulders and medians can be reported to the Department of Transportation through 311. Property owners in Brooklyn — including owners of vacant lots, which are common in some neighborhoods — are expected to maintain their properties to prevent conditions that attract pests, harbor allergens, or create visual blight.