Bensalem, PA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Vacant and occupied lots alike
- Cutting notice deadline
- 5 days
- Township self-help
- Township may cut and bill owner
- Underlying height limit
- 1 foot, Sec. 62-1
- Fine exposure
- Up to $600 under Sec. 62-4
Summary
Bensalem Township Code Section 62-2 puts the legal duty to cut grass and weeds on the owner of a vacant lot, not just occupied property, once growth exceeds the one-foot limit set by Section 62-1. Section 62-3 lets the Township mail a cutting notice with a five-day deadline, then cut the lot itself and bill the owner if the deadline is missed.
The owner of any premises, as to vacant premises or premises occupied by the owner, and the occupant thereof, in case of premises occupied by other than the owner thereof, shall remove, trim or cut all grass, weeds or other vegetation growing or remaining upon such premises in violation of the provisions of section 62-1 of this chapter. ... The Township Council or any officer or employee of the township designated thereby for the purpose is hereby authorized to give notice, by personal service or by United States mail, to the owner or occupant ... directing and requiring such occupant to remove, trim or cut such grass, weeds or vegetation so as to conform to the requirements of this chapter, within five days after issuance of such notice. In case any person, firm or corporation shall neglect, fail or refuse to comply with such notice within the period of time stated therein, the township authorities may remove, trim or cut such grass, weeds or vegetation, and the cost thereof ... may be collected by the township from such person, firm or corporation in the manner provided by law.
Full Breakdown
Section 62-2 assigns responsibility for cutting overgrown grass, weeds, or other vegetation to the owner of any vacant premises, treating an owner of an empty lot the same as an owner who occupies the property, while an occupied but tenant-held property puts the duty on the occupant instead. The underlying height limit comes from Section 62-1, which bans vegetation over one foot and any growth that produces a noxious odor, conceals a filthy deposit, or produces pollen, on any property in the Township, improved or vacant.
Section 62-3 gives the Township Council or any designated officer or employee authority to serve a cutting notice on the vacant lot's owner, either by personal service or United States mail, requiring the grass or weeds to be cut within five days. If the owner neglects, fails, or refuses to comply within that period, the Township's own crews may enter the lot to remove, trim, or cut the vegetation, and recover the cost of doing so from the owner in the manner provided by law, in addition to any penalty.
Because Section 62-2 names vacant premises specifically alongside owner-occupied property, an empty lot receives the same one-foot standard and the same notice-and-cut procedure as a house with an absent landlord, rather than a lesser standard for unimproved ground.
Violations & Fines
A vacant lot owner who ignores a Section 62-3 cutting notice faces both the direct cost of the Township's cleanup, billed and collectible from the owner, and a separate fine under Section 62-4 of up to $600.00 plus costs of prosecution for the underlying violation, with up to 30 days imprisonment if the fine is unpaid. Each day the lot remains in violation after the five-day notice period is a distinct offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to maintain a vacant lot's weeds in Bensalem Township?
Can the Township cut a vacant lot itself and bill the owner?
Is there a fine on top of the cleanup bill for a vacant lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bensalem
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