Zephyrhills, FL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Under Pasco County Code of Ordinances Chapter 42 (Environment), Section 42-1, weeds and undergrowth are regulated together with overgrown grass. The ordinance prohibits grass, weeds, brush, or undergrowth exceeding 12 inches in height, as well as debris or any noxious material that tends to be a breeding place or haven for snakes, rodents, insects, or vermin, that tends to be a breeding place for mosquitoes, or that creates a fire hazard endangering lives and property. Owners of any lot, tract, or parcel in the unincorporated county have an affirmative duty to control and prevent these conditions. When the code enforcement department determines a nuisance exists, it may clear the land of the offending weeds, brush, and undergrowth; on parcels one acre or larger, only a 30-foot-wide strip along common boundaries with a developed parcel need be cleared. Florida Statutes Section 373.185 still protects a property owner's right to install Florida-friendly landscaping, so naturalized or low-water plantings maintained as intentional Florida-friendly landscaping are distinct from prohibited weeds and undergrowth.