Palm Coast, FL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- Growth "wild and unkempt," no fixed inch limit
- Cure period
- 10 calendar days from notice posting
- Appeal fee
- $25 nonrefundable, filed within 15 days
- Admin cost added
- $150 per City-abated violation
- Unpaid lien interest
- 18 percent per annum
- Enforcing body
- Code Enforcement Board or Hearing Officer
Summary
Palm Coast code enforcement treats excessive, untended grass, weeds and brush on any improved lot as a public nuisance under City Code Sec. 35-76. There's no fixed inch limit; the standard is growth left "wild and unkempt." Owners get a written notice of remedy with 10 calendar days to abate before the City can clean the lot and bill them.
(2)Excessive and untended growth of grass, weeds, brush, branches, and other overgrowth. ... Excessive growth of grass, weeds, or brush and other overgrowth means grass or weeds or brush, or bushes, or shrubs, or trees, or vines, or flowering plants and other living plant life that is allowed to grow in a wild and unkempt manner not in keeping with the neighborhood. ... Properties subject to this division shall be kept free of weeds, overgrown brush, dead vegetation, trash, junk, debris, building materials...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44 | Land Development Code: Supplement 18).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 35-76(a)(2) declares "excessive and untended growth of grass, weeds, brush, branches, and other overgrowth" on improved property a nuisance the City intends to prevent, alongside trash accumulation and stagnant water. The code defines "excessive growth" as grass, weeds, brush, shrubs, trees, vines or flowering plants "allowed to grow in a wild and unkempt manner not in keeping with the neighborhood," and requires owners under Sec. 35-76(d)(2)a to keep properties "free of weeds, overgrown brush, dead vegetation" along with trash, junk and debris. When the City Manager or designee finds a violation, Sec.
35-76(f) requires a "notice of remedy" posted on the property giving the owner 10 calendar days to abate. 00 filing fee with the written appeal under Sec. 35-76(g)(1). Unpaid abatement bills become a lien under Sec. 35-76(i) and can be certified as a non-ad valorem assessment added to the county tax roll if not paid by December 1, per Sec. 35-76(j). A related nuisance for illegally parked inoperable vehicles is separately handled under Chapter 17, as cross-referenced in Sec. 35-76(f)(2).
Violations & Fines
Failure to abate within the 10-day notice period lets the City hire a contractor to clear the lot and bill the owner for the actual contract cost, service-of-notice expenses, title research, and a $150 administrative fee under Sec. 35-76(f)-(h). Unpaid bills become a lien accruing 18 percent annual interest and can be certified as a non-ad valorem assessment on the county tax roll, risking a tax certificate or tax deed sale if it goes unpaid past December 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a specific grass height limit in Palm Coast?
How long do I have to cut my grass after a notice?
What happens if I don't pay the abatement bill?
Can I appeal a weed violation notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Coast
How Palm Coast compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Palm Coast to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.