Blue Springs, MO Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Section 245.310 requires the owner, lessee, occupant, or any agent, representative or employee having control of a lot to cut, remove or destroy weeds exceeding eight inches and any noxious plants, a duty that applies whether or not the lot is built on, which is what makes it the operative tool for unmaintained vacant land. Enforcement runs through Section 245.320: once a violation is found, the owner of the ground, including each owner in a joint tenancy or tenancy in common, is liable, and the Codes Administrator must hold a hearing after four business days' notice, served personally, by mail, or by posting on the premises when the owner's whereabouts are unknown, which is the mechanism the City relies on for absentee owners of vacant parcels.

If the Administrator finds a violation, they can order abatement within five business days; if the owner still doesn't comply, the City cuts and removes the growth itself and certifies the cost, plus a $75 administrative fee that increases annually with the Consumer Price Index, as a special tax bill that becomes a first lien on the property until paid. Section 245.340 extends the same liability to a corporation or LLC's local officer or registered agent when the violating property belongs to a business entity.