Owners of vacant lots in unincorporated Clay County must keep them clear of overgrowth and junk. Under RSMo 67.398 the county can abate weeds seven inches or more in height, plus trash and debris, and bill the owner.
Empty parcels are squarely within the county's nuisance reach. RSMo 67.398 — the abatement authority Clay County holds because it contains part of Kansas City — treats overgrown vegetation and noxious weeds seven inches or more in height, along with rubbish and trash and debris of any kind, as public nuisances the county may order removed. An owner who lets a vacant lot grow wild, fill with dumped debris, or harbor derelict vehicles receives written notice and at least ten days to clean it up. If the owner does nothing, county code enforcement can mow or clear the lot and charge the cost back against the property.
A vacant lot with weeds seven inches or more, or accumulated trash and debris, can be declared a public nuisance under RSMo 67.398, abated by the county after notice, and the cost charged to the parcel.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Clay County, MO
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Clay County, MO
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Clay County, MO
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Clay County, MO
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Clay County, MO
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Clay County, MO
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See how Clay County's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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