Mosinee, WI Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 6 inches for grass and weeds on lawn areas
- Governing section
- Sec. 42-1380(d), exterior property requirements
- City abatement
- City may cut and special-charge vacant/unoccupied lots
- Exemption
- Natural areas and natural gardens under Sec. 42-1380(e)
- Penalty
- $25-$500 forfeiture first offense, Sec. 1-13
Summary
The City of Mosinee caps grass and weeds at six inches under Sec. 42-1380(d) of the property maintenance code. Anything taller on a lawn area is a maintenance violation, and on vacant or unoccupied lots the city can send a crew to cut it and place the cost on the property's tax bill.
(d)Lawn areas. Lawn areas, where provided, shall not be allowed to deteriorate to such condition as to be a seriously blighting influence on the surrounding property or neighborhood, or the city in general. The growth of grass or weeds in excess of six inches in height or the maintenance of the property with a lack of vegetation which renders the yard areas unsightly and results in the diminution of the appearance of the property as compared with adjacent properties shall be considered a violation of the maintenance provision of this section. ... Whenever grass or lawn weeds on vacant properties or unoccupied premises are six inches or more in height, the city is empowered to cause such grass or lawn weeds to be cut, and the costs therefor shall be placed on the tax rolls as a special charge against the property.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 42-1380(d), part of the exterior property maintenance division adopted by Ord. No. 97-10 in 1997, treats a lawn area allowed to deteriorate as a blighting-influence violation. The growth of grass or weeds in excess of six inches in height, or a yard so bare of vegetation that it looks unsightly next to neighboring properties, is expressly declared a violation of the section's maintenance provision. Where a lawn has been removed altogether, the property must be landscaped with garden beds or other ground cover so it does not become a public nuisance.
The section carves out an exception for natural areas, wooded ground too shady for a lawn or prairie land over an acre, and for natural gardens under an acre that are well kept and free of noxious weeds; those plantings are governed by subsection (e) instead, which only requires them to be free of debris, refuse and noxious weeds. For vacant or unoccupied premises where grass or weeds reach six inches or more, Sec. 42-1380(d) gives the city the power to have the growth cut directly and to place the cost of that work on the tax rolls as a special charge against the property.
A related rule in Sec. 42-1382 separately bars front-yard produce gardens in the setback area, though flowering, fruit, ornamental and shade trees are excluded from that restriction.
Violations & Fines
An unmowed lawn over six inches is a maintenance violation citable under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-13: forfeitures of $25 to $500 for a first offense and $50 to $1,000 for a repeat offense within a year, plus prosecution costs. On vacant or unoccupied property the city does not have to wait for a citation to take effect: it can dispatch a crew to cut the grass or weeds once they hit six inches and bill the cost as a special charge on the property's tax bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get on a Mosinee lawn before it's a violation?
What happens if a vacant lot's grass goes uncut?
Does a natural or wildflower garden have to be mowed too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mosinee
How Mosinee compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Mosinee to another location·View the Wisconsin landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Marathon County handle weed ordinances.