Macon County, IL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 12 inches
- Where it applies
- Subdivision lots and special-use-permit residential lots
- Noxious weeds
- Banned countywide, no height threshold (§ 90.18(B))
- Abatement notice
- 15 days after written notice to owner
- Fine
- $50-$500 per day (§ 90.99(B))
- Cost recovery
- Lien under 55 ILCS 5/5-1099
Summary
In unincorporated Macon County, grass and weeds are capped at 12 inches on any lot inside a platted subdivision or on a lot with a residence under a County Board special use permit. Noxious weeds are banned countywide with no height threshold, and violators face a $50 to $500 fine per day.
(A) No person or owner shall cause or permit weeds that have grown to a height in excess of 12 inches on any lot in any subdivision in the unincorporated area of the county, or on any lot where a residence exists pursuant to a special use permit granted by the County Board. (B) No person shall cause or permit noxious weeds to grow anywhere in the county.
Full Breakdown
18, Category 4 of the nuisance ordinance, sets a 12-inch height cap on weeds for two categories of unincorporated land: any lot located in a subdivision, and any lot carrying a residence under a special use permit the County Board has granted. 01 reaches beyond noxious plants to 'any weeds, underbrush, and grass,' so ordinary uncut grass on a covered lot counts toward the 12-inch limit. , to grow anywhere in the county, with no 12-inch threshold and no subdivision or special-use-permit limitation. 02. 03(A) and (D), the county must first mail written notice to the owner's last known address and give at least 15 days to cut the weeds; if the owner doesn't comply, the county can enter the property, cut the weeds itself, and place the cost as a lien on the property under 55 ILCS 5/5-1099. 04(E) treats that as a continuation of the original violation. 05.
Violations & Fines
A first weed violation under § 90.18 carries a $50 to $500 fine per § 90.99(B), and every day past the 15-day abatement notice that the weeds stay uncut is a separate offense. A property the county classifies a chronic nuisance under § 90.05 faces $400-$1,000 per day instead, and the county can recover cutting costs as a lien on the property under 55 ILCS 5/5-1099.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get before it's a violation in unincorporated Macon County?
Does the weed limit apply to farmland?
What happens if I don't cut my weeds after getting a notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Macon County
How Macon County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Macon County to another location·View the Illinois landscaping rules overview
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