Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code Section PM-302.4 bars weeds or plant growth over 10 inches and prohibits all noxious weeds. After a Notice of Violation, an owner who fails to cut and destroy the weeds is subject to prosecution, and the City may enter the property, remove the weeds, and charge the cost to the owner.
Philadelphia's weed ordinance is Section PM-302.4 (Weeds) of the Property Maintenance Code (Subcode PM, Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code), enacted through Bill No. 140856 as part of the Subcode PM that took effect January 1, 2015. The section requires that all premises and exterior property be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 10 inches and prohibits all noxious weeds outright. Weeds are defined broadly as all grasses, annual plants and vegetation, other than trees or shrubs, but the definition excludes cultivated flowers and gardens, protecting intentional landscaping. The companion sanitation rule, Section PM-302.1, additionally requires all exterior property and premises to be kept in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition, and Section PM-301.3 requires vacant land to be maintained so it does not cause blight or affect public health or safety, which reinforces weed abatement on empty lots. The Department of Licenses and Inspections enforces these provisions, typically opening a case after a 311 complaint. The ordinance contains a self-help abatement mechanism: if the owner ignores the violation notice, the City performs the cutting and recovers its costs from the owner.
Upon failure of the owner or agent having charge of a property to cut and destroy weeds after service of a notice of violation, they are subject to prosecution in accordance with Subcode A (The Philadelphia Administrative Code) and as prescribed by the authority having jurisdiction. Upon continued failure to comply, any duly authorized City employee or contractor may enter the property and cut and destroy the weeds, with the cost of removal paid by the owner or agent responsible for the property.
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