Lynnwood, WA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 8 inches or less
- Governing section
- LMC 10.08.200(B)(12)(c)
- Notice before abatement
- At least 10 days
- Repeat violation window
- Every 24 hours
- Max fine
- $300, plus 90 days jail
- Appeal route
- Phase II Process, LMC 1.35.200
Summary
Lynnwood, Washington declares residential lawn grass a public nuisance once it grows past eight inches, under Lynnwood Municipal Code § 10.08.200(B)(12)(c). City officers can order the owner to cut it, and every 24 hours it stays uncut past the deadline counts as a separate violation of the code.
12. Vegetation left uncut and/or in an unkempt condition to the extent it creates safety or fire hazards, and/or pest harborages, or otherwise interferes with, annoys, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health or safety of others, or obstructs or tends to obstruct, or renders dangerous for passage, any sidewalk, street or highway; or in any way renders other persons insecure in life, or in the use and enjoyment of property, shall constitute a public nuisance. ... c. Grasses (lawn) within the yards of residential properties which are not maintained at a height of eight inches or less are also declared to be a public nuisance. The intent of this provision is to provide guidance and support for enforcement activities in cases where the city has determined there to be an egregious lack of yard maintenance;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3512, passed May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 10.08 of the Lynnwood Municipal Code lists overgrown vegetation among the city's public nuisances. Section 10.08.200(B)(12) declares that vegetation left uncut or unkempt to the point it creates a safety or fire hazard, a pest harborage, or otherwise annoys or endangers neighbors is a nuisance, and subsection (c) specifically targets lawns: grass on residential yards not kept at eight inches or less is a public nuisance, with the code stating the rule exists for cases of an 'egregious lack of yard maintenance.' Enforcement runs through LMC 10.08.220: the chief of police, the development and business services director, the fire marshal, or their designees can order the property owner to abate an overgrown yard, giving at least 10 days' written notice describing the violation and a reasonable deadline, unless immediate danger justifies faster action under LMC 10.08.240.
An owner who disputes the order can seek review through the city's Phase II Process at LMC 1.35.200. If the owner does not cut the grass in time, LMC 10.08.230 treats every following 24-hour period as a new, separate violation, and LMC 10.08.260 lets the city abate the lawn itself and bill the owner for the cost through prosecution. The general penalty for Chapter 10.08 violations, set by LMC 10.08.070, is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $300, up to 90 days in city jail, or both.
Violations & Fines
Failing to cut grass to eight inches or less after notice exposes the owner to a misdemeanor under LMC 10.08.070 (up to $300 and 90 days in jail) and a fresh violation for every 24 hours the lawn stays overgrown under LMC 10.08.230. The city may also abate the lawn itself and recover its costs under LMC 10.08.260.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass legally get in Lynnwood before it's a nuisance?
Who enforces the grass-height rule in Lynnwood?
What happens if I don't mow after receiving a notice?
Can Lynnwood mow my lawn and bill me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynnwood
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle weed ordinances.