Springfield, IL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- City Code Section
- Springfield City Code Sec. 170.17.15(a)
- Local height threshold
- 10 inches or greater is a violation
- State Code Section
- 505 ILCS 100/3 (Illinois Noxious Weed Law)
- Noxious weed definition
- 505 ILCS 100/2(5); list at 8 Ill. Adm. Code Part 220
- Enforcement
- City Housing Division (local); county Control Authority (noxious weeds)
Summary
Springfield City Code Section 170.17.15(a) makes any rank growth of weeds 10 inches or greater in height a violation, enforced by the Building & Zoning Housing Division with cut-and-lien authority on vacant lots. Statewide, the Illinois Noxious Weed Law (505 ILCS 100/3) requires every person to control the spread of and eradicate noxious weeds on land they own or control.
(505 ILCS 100/3) Sec. 3. Every person shall control the spread of and eradicate noxious weeds on lands owned or controlled by him and use such methods for that purpose and at such times as are approved and adopted by the Director of the Department of Agriculture. (505 ILCS 100/2) Sec. 2(5). 'Noxious weed' means any plant which is determined by the Director, the Dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences of the University of Illinois and the Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Illinois, to be injurious to public health, crops, livestock, land or other property.
Full Breakdown
Weed control in Springfield operates on two levels. 15(a) of the Springfield City Code, 1988, as amended, declares rank weed growth of 10 inches or greater a violation; the City's Housing Division (within Building and Zoning) enforces it, and on vacant lots or lots with an unoccupied structure the City may cut weeds over 10 inches without further notice, bill the owner, and file a lien for the cost. Residents report violations to (217) 789-2167. ' A 'noxious weed' under Section 2(5) is any plant the Director of Agriculture (with University of Illinois agricultural officials) determines to be injurious to public health, crops, livestock, land, or other property; the State's listed noxious weeds include species such as common ragweed, giant ragweed, Canada thistle, marijuana, kudzu, and others designated by rule (8 Ill.
Adm. Code Part 220). The county Control Authority can order eradication and assess costs against the landowner who fails to comply. Springfield's 10-inch ordinance therefore handles ordinary overgrowth and blight, while the Noxious Weed Law addresses designated harmful species regardless of height.
Violations & Fines
Locally, rank weed growth of 10 inches or more is a code violation; the city may cut, bill the owner, and lien the property (final notice given on vacant lots via public notice). Under the Illinois Noxious Weed Law, a landowner who neglects or fails to control or eradicate noxious weeds after notice from the county Control Authority may have the weeds destroyed at the owner's expense, with the cost recoverable against the owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
What weeds must I remove regardless of height?
Does Springfield enforce ordinary weeds and grass too?
Who enforces noxious weeds in Illinois?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
How Springfield compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Springfield to another location·View the Illinois landscaping rules overview
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