Roanoke County, VA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Roanoke County splits its weed-and-grass rule in two. Section 13-153(b) targets occupied residential real property under one-half acre: once the grass or lawn exceeds twelve inches, the owner must cut it. A separate clause, § 13-153(a), covers vacant developed or undeveloped parcels, including ones carrying buildings, within 250 feet of residentially developed land, and carries its own steeper penalty scale (see the vacant-lots page for that rule). Both provisions sit in Chapter 13, Article IV, Weeds and Trash, and share the same complaint and inspection machinery: any aggrieved person may report tall grass to the enforcement agent under § 13-155, the enforcement agent (the county administrator or a designee under § 13-151) inspects under § 13-156, and if a violation is confirmed the owner gets written notice, delivered by hand, mail, or posting, to cut within ten calendar days.

If the owner does not comply, the county can send its own crew to cut the grass under § 13-157 and assess the abatement cost against the owner; unpaid assessments become a lien on the property on parity with unpaid tax liens. County Code § 13-151 defines 'weeds' broadly as grass, weeds, bushes, poison ivy, poison oak or any other vegetable growth, but excludes trees, ornamental shrubbery, flowers and garden vegetables. A limited carve-out at § 13-158 lets the director of community development exempt county-owned parcels holding stormwater facilities, riparian buffers, floodplain preservation land or other environmentally sensitive areas from the whole article.