Ogden, UT Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Section 12-4-3 makes it unlawful for an owner, occupant, agent or lessee of real property in Ogden to let weeds and grasses grow past the height limits the section sets, on the property itself, on the abutting park strip between the property line and the street curb, and on any abutter's alley the property borders. Subsection D's weed control specifications set the actual numbers: six inches is the general limit citywide, while a twelve inch limit applies specifically to property zoned open space (O-1) under title 15, to ditches and ditch or railroad rights of way, and to undeveloped or vacant lots with no buildings or structures.

An ornamental grass exception lets landscaped grasses grow taller if they make up no more than twenty percent of the property's overall landscaped area as part of a landscaping plan. Cuttings have to be promptly cleared and removed, not left on the ground, and chemically treated weeds must be killed or cut before they exceed the height limit. The fire marshal can adjust the requirement for large or difficult terrain, allowing a fifteen foot firebreak around the property perimeter and structures instead of full mowing, and can exempt nature parks or wetland mitigation areas from the cutting requirement entirely.

Ogden's mayor-appointed property maintenance inspectors, coordinating with the fire department on weed and fire hazard matters under section 12-4-7, enforce the chapter, and the city can abate an uncorrected violation itself and bill the property owner for the cost.