Pinellas County, FL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Article IX, adopted by Ord. No. 78-23 in 1978 and amended in 2004, applies only to the unincorporated areas of Pinellas County under Sec. 58-330; incorporated cities like St. Petersburg and Clearwater enforce their own property maintenance codes. Sec. 58-328 states the county's rationale: given the county's urban character and population density, excessive weed growth or accumulated debris breeds snakes, rats and other vermin, creates a fire hazard to adjacent property, and creates a traffic hazard at road intersections.

Sec. 58-326 defines debris as externally stored, uncovered material such as discarded household items, inoperative or discarded machinery, automobiles or appliances, junk, and used or scrap lumber, pipe, steel, plumbing fixtures, insulation or other building material. Excessive growth means uncultivated, unlandscaped, untended weeds or plants over 12 inches tall. Sec. 58-331 splits the prohibition into three separate violations: an untended growth or accumulation that creates a vermin haven, one that creates a fire hazard, and one that obstructs a road or blocks the view of approaching traffic at an intersection.

Sec. 58-332 exempts several categories: contiguous, commonly owned parcels exceeding five acres, except a 50-foot strip along boundaries within 150 feet of a road intersection or 600 feet of improved property; property located entirely more than 150 feet from any road intersection; property located entirely more than 600 feet from any improved property; and unimproved land left in a natural vegetative state, again subject to the same 50-foot buffer near intersections and improved property. A property the county has already cleared under this article becomes a repeat violation property under Sec. 58-326, and Sec. 58-329 makes any violation punishable under the county's general penalty section, Sec. 1-8.