Pinal County, AZ Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

County Code § 12.10.020 defines "weeds" as sagebrush, chaparral, buffelgrass, and any other brush, grass, or weeds that reach at least two feet in height and have been present for over 60 calendar days, so that when dry they become a fire hazard to adjacent property, plus any weeds or brush that are otherwise noxious or dangerous. Growth meeting that description on private lots, sidewalks, streets, or alleys inside the unincorporated county is a public nuisance.

Under § 12.10.040(B)-(D), an authorized agent of the Pinal County Development Services Department, a county constable, or another authorized employee serves a written notice to abate, either personally, by certified mail (with a duplicate mailed to the owner if different from the occupant), or posted at two locations on the property if mail fails. The owner, lessee, or occupant then has 30 calendar days from service to clear the growth. The notice must include the county's estimated removal cost, and the recipient has 15 calendar days to appeal to the Pinal County Civil Hearing Office before losing the right to a hearing; an appellant who loses gets another 30 days to comply.

If the deadline passes, Development Services may clear the lot itself and record the actual cost as an assessment against the parcel in the County Recorder's office. Under § 12.10.040(H)(6), assessments under $500 are payable within one year, rising on a sliding scale to a 10-year payoff for assessments of $10,000 or more, and unpaid amounts become a lien accruing interest at the statutory judgment rate.