Wake County does not enforce vacant-lot grass or maintenance rules in unincorporated areas. Inside Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest and other cities, municipal codes require vacant lot owners to keep grass below the city's threshold and to abate accumulations of debris, junk vehicles, and hazardous conditions.
Unincorporated Wake County relies on state nuisance law (NCGS §160D-1129) but has not adopted a vacant-lot enforcement program. Each Wake municipality maintains its own: Raleigh §10-6028 mandates vacant lot maintenance with grass below 8 inches, no junk vehicles, no accumulated debris; Cary §22-30 sets a 12-inch threshold; Apex §11-67 covers vacant-lot weed nuisances. Failure to maintain results in city cuts and liens billed against the property under NCGS §160D-1129. Demolition liens follow the same priority as ad-valorem taxes and survive subsequent sale.
Inside cities: 7-10 day notice to abate, then city cuts and bills $300-500 per cut plus admin fees, lien on property. Unincorporated: no county enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Cary, NC
Cary regulates amplified music under the general noise ordinance. Sound permits available for events. N.C.G.S. §14-288.4 applies to unreasonable disturbances.
Cary, NC
Cary Code of Ordinances Chapter 22, Division 2 prohibits unreasonably loud, disturbing noises that annoy, disturb, or endanger citizens. The ordinance restri...
Cary, NC
Cary regulates construction noise through its general noise ordinance (Chapter 22). Construction activity near residential areas should be confined to reason...
Cary, NC
Cary's noise ordinance covers barking dogs under the general prohibition on disturbing noises. Persistently barking dogs that disturb neighbors may result in...
Cary, NC
Cary's Land Development Ordinance restricts parking of RVs, boats, and trailers in residential areas. These vehicles typically must be stored in rear or side...
Cary, NC
Cary restricts parking of commercial vehicles in residential zones. Large commercial vehicles, semi-trucks, and heavy equipment may not be stored in resident...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Wake County.
See how other cities in Wake County handle vacant lot maintenance.
See how Cary's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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