Amherst, NY Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- § 151-59C and § 151-60J
- Standard
- Clean, safe, secure, sanitary, hazard-free
- Weed exception
- No-structure vacant lots skip § 151-60D height rule
- Enforcing agency
- Building Commissioner (code official)
- Penalty
- Up to $250 fine or 15 days jail per day
Summary
Amherst requires vacant land and vacant structures to be kept in a clean, safe, secure, and sanitary condition so they do not become a blighting problem, per § 151-59C, and separately requires yards, courts, and vacant lots to be kept clean and free of hazards under § 151-60J. A vacant lot with no structures is exempt from the separate 10-inch weed-height rule.
Vacant structures and land. All vacant structures and premises thereof or vacant land shall be maintained in a clean, safe, secure and sanitary condition as provided herein so as not to cause a blighting problem or adversely affect the public health or safety.
Full Breakdown
Section 151-59C, within the general-requirements portion of the Property Maintenance Code, states that "vacant structures and land" must be maintained clean, safe, secure, and sanitary so as not to cause a blighting problem or affect public health or safety. Section 151-60J, in the exterior-property-areas subsection, separately requires that "yards, courts and vacant lots" be kept clean and free of hazards. The two provisions work together: even where a vacant lot with no structures qualifies for the weed-height exemption in § 151-60D(1), it must still meet the general hazard-free, sanitary standard.
Enforcement runs through the code official (the Building Commissioner and assigned code enforcement staff) under Article VII. A violation triggers the § 151-53 notice procedure, requiring written notice describing the property, the violation, and a reasonable correction period, served personally, by mail, or posted if undeliverable. If the owner does not correct the condition, the Town can bring a court action to restrain or abate it, or perform the correction itself, in which case the cost is assessed against the property and becomes a lien collected with Town taxes.
Violations & Fines
Leaving a vacant lot or vacant structure unclean, unsecured, or hazardous after a § 151-53 notice exposes the owner to prosecution under § 151-52D, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense punishable by a fine of up to $250 or up to 15 days in jail, or both. The Town may instead correct the condition itself and lien the property for the cost under § 151-52E.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Amherst require vacant lots to be maintained?
Are vacant lots exempt from Amherst's weed height limit?
Who enforces the vacant lot rules in Amherst?
What is the penalty for an unmaintained vacant lot in Amherst?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Amherst
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Vacant Lot Maintenance in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Erie County handle vacant lot maintenance.