South Fulton, GA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Maintained premises limit (3-6005)
- Six inches for grass, weeds and uncultivated vegetation
- Undeveloped and natural-state limit (3-6005)
- Under 10 inches, measured 20 feet interior to the property
- Sanitary-condition weed standard (3-3001)
- Weeds in excess of 24 inches once they become a nuisance
- Notice before municipal court (3-3001)
- Five days' certified-mail notice plus five consecutive days posted
- Time to comply after hearing
- Five days, then the public works director does the work
- Assessment payment deadline
- 30 days after receipt of the city clerk's statement
- Interest on the execution
- One percent per month, any partial month counted as one month
Summary
South Fulton sets two weed standards. Section 3-6005 requires premises and exterior property to be free of grass, weeds and uncultivated vegetation over six inches high, and limits undeveloped land and natural-state areas to under 10 inches within 20 feet of the right-of-way and of adjoining developed lots. Section 3-3001 separately requires every person holding or occupying property in the city to cut weeds in excess of 24 inches in height once they become a nuisance.
Sec. 3-6005. - Grass, weeds, and uncultivated vegetation. Premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from grass, weeds, or uncultivated vegetation in excess of six inches in height. ... However; the following shall apply to undeveloped properties and portions of developed property where the intent is to leave the property in its natural state: (1) Grass, weeds or uncultivated vegetation shall be maintained to a height of less than 10 inches along the right-of-way frontage at a minimum distance of 20 feet interior to the property. ... (a) Every person, whether owner, tenant, agent, or employee owning, holding, or occupying property in the city shall, at all times, maintain the property, whether a vacant lot or otherwise, in a clean and sanitary condition, keeping all weeds cut, wastepaper, trash and other rubbish of every sort cleaned off of the property. Said duty to maintain property in a clean and sanitary condition shall include the duty to cut and remove undergrowth, such as kudzu, briars, weeds in excess of 24 inches in height, honeysuckle, other vines and seedlings, whenever such undergrowth becomes a nuisance to persons residing in the area or operating businesses in the area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
South Fulton regulates overgrown vegetation in two separate sections of its code, and each states its own height figure for the property it covers. Section 3-6005 belongs to the Property Maintenance Ordinance in Chapter 6 (Ord. No. 2020-022, adopted 8-25-2020). Section 3-3001 belongs to Chapter 3, Miscellaneous Provisions (Ord. No. 2017-013, adopted 7-11-2017).
Section 3-6005 requires premises and exterior property to be maintained free from grass, weeds, or uncultivated vegetation in excess of six inches in height. Weeds must also be contained so they do not encroach on adjacent properties. Owners of developed property carry the same duty for the right-of-way from the property line to the street curb. The six-inch rule is not applied to undeveloped property or to portions of developed property where the intent is to leave the property in its natural state, and it gives no permission for landscape islands or other designed areas to return to a natural state through lack of maintenance.
Undeveloped property and natural-state portions of developed property carry a separate limit. Under 3-6005(1), grass, weeds or uncultivated vegetation must stay below 10 inches in height along the right-of-way frontage for a minimum distance of 20 feet interior to the property. Under 3-6005(2), the same 10-inch ceiling applies along the side and rear property lines, again 20 feet in, when undeveloped property abuts an adjacent developed property. Subsection (3) excepts required stream and zoning buffers from (1) and (2), but vegetation in those buffers must not encroach onto other properties.
Section 3-3001(a) reaches every person, whether owner, tenant, agent, or employee, who owns, holds, or occupies property in the city, including a vacant lot. That person must keep weeds cut and keep wastepaper, trash and other rubbish off the property. The duty includes cutting and removing undergrowth such as kudzu, briars, weeds in excess of 24 inches in height, honeysuckle, other vines and seedlings whenever the undergrowth becomes a nuisance to persons residing or operating businesses in the area. On an unimproved lot, the planning and zoning director or a designee can reduce the extent to which the property must be maintained, provided there are no imminent threats to public health and safety.
Violations & Fines
Enforcement of 3-3001 starts with the community development director or a designee, who gives five days' written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to appear before the municipal court and show cause why the section has not been complied with. A notification is also posted on the property for five consecutive days. If the court finds the section has not been complied with, the owner gets five days to comply, and if the owner fails or refuses, the public works director causes the work to be done.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass and weeds get on a South Fulton lot?
Which plants count as weeds in South Fulton?
What happens if an owner ignores a South Fulton weed notice?
How long does an owner have to pay the weed-cutting assessment?
Does South Fulton also require owners to mow lawns?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Fulton
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle weed ordinances.