Cecil County, MD Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Cecil County Code § 359-21
- Covers
- Trees, bushes, vines, weeds, undergrowth, loose earth
- Trigger
- Obstructs a driver's view of a county road
- Appeal window
- 5 days to petition for a hearing
- Hearing deadline
- 7 days after the petition is received
- Nonpayment result
- Cost becomes a lien like unpaid property tax
Summary
Cecil County can order a property owner, including the owner of a vacant lot, to clear trees, bushes, vines, weeds, undergrowth or loose earth that block a driver's view of a county road. Under § 359-21, once the county issues written notice describing the hazard, the owner must complete the corrective work within the stated deadline.
§ 359-21. Obstructions to vision of drivers; notice to remove. A. Whenever the County finds that there exists on any private property within the County any trees, bushes, vines, weeds, undergrowth, loose earth or other obstructions, except buildings and similar structures affixed to the ground, that obstruct the vision of operators of vehicles traveling upon any County road so as to constitute a traffic hazard, the County shall immediately serve the owner, agent, lessee or any other person having supervision over such property a written notice describing the premises whereon such obstruction exists, a statement of the particulars in which the vision of operators of vehicles is obstructed, including the steps necessary to correct such conditions, and an order directing that corrective steps be taken within a stated period of time. ... B. Any person who considers himself aggrieved by any order issued pursuant to this section may, within five days of the receipt of such order, petition a designee, in writing, for a hearing thereon.
Full Breakdown
Section 359-21, in Article V of Chapter 359, Vehicles, Traffic and Transportation, lets Cecil County address vegetation and other growth on private property, including undeveloped or vacant parcels, when it blocks the sightlines of drivers on a county road. ' The county must serve the property owner, agent, lessee or other person with supervision over the property a written notice describing the property, the specific obstruction, the steps needed to fix it, and a deadline for completing the work. Subsection B gives the property owner five days from receiving that notice to petition, in writing, for a hearing; the designee who receives the petition must hold the hearing within seven days and can affirm, modify or rescind the order, and the county cannot remove anything or enforce the order until that hearing happens or the five-day window to request one expires.
Subsection C requires the county to serve its notices and orders by registered mail or personal delivery, falling back to newspaper publication and posting on the property when the responsible person cannot be found in the county.
Violations & Fines
If the owner does not comply within the deadline in the order, § 359-22 lets the county send its own crew onto the property to remove the obstruction, then file a certified cost statement with the Director of Finance. That removal cost, plus the cost of any published notice, becomes a lien against the property and is collected the same way as unpaid real estate taxes, rather than as a criminal fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Cecil County make me clear weeds on a vacant lot?
Can I appeal a vision-obstruction removal order?
What if I ignore the county's removal order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cecil County
Compare Cecil County to another location·View the Maryland property maintenance overview
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