Yonkers, NY Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 69-1, Ch. 69
- Enforcer
- Commissioner of Public Works / DPW
- Cure period
- 5 days after mailed notice
- Unpaid abatement cost
- Lien collected as a tax
- Numeric height limit
- None specified
Summary
Yonkers City Code § 69-1 bars property owners from letting noxious weeds, long grass or rank growths stand. After a written notice from the Commissioner of Public Works and five days' default, the city cuts the growth and bills the owner.
A. No person or corporation shall permit noxious weeds, long grass or other rank growths or growths which are harmful, poisonous or detrimental to health on real property owned by him or it. B. Upon due notice, in writing, by the Commissioner of Public Works of the City of Yonkers given to such owner to cut, trim, remove or otherwise eliminate such noxious weeds, long grass or other rank growths ... and upon default thereafter being made by such owner within a period of five days after the mailing of said notice, the Commissioner of Public Works may cause said ... growths ... to be cut, trimmed and removed ... and assess the expense thereof against the property ... Such charge, if unpaid, shall become a lien upon the property, subject to collection as a tax thereon ...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4745274; v31 updated 2025-10-28; through 10-28-2025).
Full Breakdown
Under Chapter 69, Article I of the Yonkers City Code, no owner may permit noxious weeds, long grass, or other rank or harmful growths on their land. The Commissioner of Public Works mails a written notice to cut, trim, or remove the growth. If the owner defaults for five days after that notice is mailed, the Department of Public Works cuts and removes it and assesses the expense against the property. Any unpaid charge becomes a lien collectible as a tax, after notice and a hearing on the justness of the costs. The ordinance sets no numeric height in inches: the standard is "long grass" and rank growth, judged by DPW.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring the Commissioner of Public Works' mailed notice for five days is a violation under § 69-2. DPW then cuts the growth, assesses the cost against the property, and an unpaid charge becomes a tax lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yonkers set a specific grass height limit?
What happens if I ignore the city's cutting notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yonkers
How Yonkers compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·New York rules heatmap·Compare Yonkers to another location·View the New York landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Westchester County handle weed ordinances.