Richland, WA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Richland Municipal Code § 10.04.040(P) sets the maximum height for grasses, weeds, or other vegetation, whether growing or already grown and died, at six inches measured above the ground once it is determined to be a fire or safety hazard or a nuisance to persons. Two carve-outs exist. First, § 10.04.040(P)(1) lets an owner of a parcel, or contiguous segregated parcels combined, larger than one acre comply instead by maintaining a firebreak at least 20 feet wide along the portion of the perimeter that abuts developed property or an improved street; inside that firebreak, all weeds and vegetation except established trees must still stay under 12 inches.

Second, § 10.04.040(P)(2) exempts designated public parkland, natural or environmentally sensitive areas, and large undeveloped or agricultural parcels not adjacent to developed land, though the compliance officer can waive that exemption and require additional maintenance if needed to protect safety. Because the six-inch limit sits inside the general nuisance chapter, enforcement follows the same track as other RMC Title 10.04 nuisances: a compliance officer seeks voluntary correction, and a final order that is ignored draws a civil penalty under § 10.02.050(E) of $50 to $500 per day, capped at $5,000, doubling on a repeat violation, with a third violation at the same location becoming a misdemeanor under § 1.30.010.