Minnehaha County, SD Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Grass height limit
- 12 inches in residential subdivisions
- Noxious weeds
- Banned per state/county weed boards
- Governing ordinance
- MC33-04, Sec. 2(14)
- Enforcing official
- County Planning Director
- Penalty
- Class 2 misdemeanor, SDCL 7-18A-2
Summary
Grass in a residential subdivision in unincorporated Minnehaha County cannot exceed 12 inches, and noxious weeds are banned outright. Ordinance MC33-04 lets the Planning Director order abatement after written notice.
(14) Vegetation. All weeds or plants declared to be primary or secondary noxious weeds by the state or county weed boards. Grass, except natural landscaping, exceeding twelve (12) inches in height in a residential subdivision.
Full Breakdown
Section 2(14) of Ordinance MC33-04, the county's Declaration and Abatement of Public Nuisances ordinance adopted November 23, 2004 and amended August 15, 2007, declares a nuisance any weeds or plants classified as primary or secondary noxious weeds by the state or county weed boards, and separately caps grass, other than natural landscaping, at twelve inches in height in a residential subdivision anywhere in unincorporated Minnehaha County. The Planning Director enforces this provision under Section 3 and may designate other employees to assist. The Planning Director has a right of entry under Section 4 to inspect properties suspected of violations, presenting credentials to an occupant or making a reasonable effort to locate the owner of unoccupied land, and may obtain an inspection warrant if entry is refused.
Once a violation is confirmed, Section 5 requires written notice to the responsible person, which may be served by mail, stating a deadline to abate; Section 6 makes it unlawful to miss that deadline, triggering a report to the State's Attorney.
Violations & Fines
Letting grass exceed 12 inches or noxious weeds persist past the notice deadline is a Class 2 misdemeanor under SDCL 7-18A-2, and each day of continued violation can be charged as a separate offense; the county can also pursue civil abatement under SDCL 21-10-5 through 21-10-9.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my grass get before it's a violation in Minnehaha County?
Are noxious weeds treated differently from tall grass?
What happens after a tall-grass complaint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minnehaha County
How Minnehaha County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Minnehaha County to another location·View the South Dakota landscaping rules overview
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