Milton, WI Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 1 foot for grasses/weeds (§26-71)
- Natural lawn exception
- up to 12+ in. by permit (§26-73)
- Notice period
- 5 days to cut (§26-72)
- Enforcement
- Weed Commissioner (§2-491 et seq.)
- Unpaid cost
- special tax on property tax roll
Summary
Milton caps grass and weeds at one foot: § 26-71 makes it every property owner's duty to mow noxious weeds and grasses across their premises, including terraces and adjoining rights-of-way, once growth exceeds that height. The weed commissioner enforces it, mowing non-compliant lots and billing owners through the tax roll.
No person owning property within the city shall permit to grow or pollinate upon their premises any noxious weeds or weeds or grasses which cause or produce hay fever in human beings, exhale unpleasant or noxious odors or conceal filthy deposits. In order to prevent such growth and pollination, it shall be the duty of every property owner to mow or cause to be mowed upon their premises (including terraces and rights-of-way) all grasses or weeds exceeding one foot in height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 21 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 26-71 bars anyone from letting noxious weeds or weeds or grasses which cause or produce hay fever in human beings, exhale unpleasant or noxious odors or conceal filthy deposits grow or pollinate on their property, and requires every owner to mow all grasses or weeds exceeding one foot in height on the premises, including terraces and abutting rights-of-way. Noxious weeds pulls in the state list at Wis. 96, the Wisconsin NR 40 invasive species list, and any weeds the Rock County Planning Agency designates, but the section expressly excludes conventional turf grass, natural heritage plantings, and maintained ornamental gardens.
A December 2025 amendment (Ord. No. 551) added § 26-73, letting an owner apply for a natural lawn permit to grow native grasses and wildflowers above 12 inches, provided a land management plan is filed and a 10-foot mowed buffer is kept along streets, sidewalks, vision corners, and property lines unless neighbors waive it in writing. ): after a violation, the commissioner serves written notice giving the owner five days to cut the growth; if the owner doesn't, the city mows it and reports the cost to the clerk under Wis. 0517, which is spread on the tax roll as a special tax for the remainder of the calendar year.
Violations & Fines
Failing to mow within the five-day notice period lets the weed commissioner cut the lot at the owner's expense; the hourly fee plus a minimum charge, set by common council resolution, is billed and, if unpaid, added to the property tax roll as a special assessment under Wis. Stats. § 66.0517. The notice stays effective for the rest of the calendar year, so the city can mow repeatedly under one notice without reissuing it each time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get before Milton cites me?
Can I let part of my yard grow as a natural, unmowed lawn?
What happens if I don't cut my grass after a notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milton
How Milton compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Milton to another location·View the Wisconsin landscaping rules overview
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