Vacant-lot owners in unincorporated Whatcom County must keep the parcel clear of dumped garbage and control state-listed noxious weeds. Illegal dumping is barred by county litter control (WCC 8.28.080), and the Whatcom County Noxious Weed Control Board enforces weed duties under RCW 17.10.
There is no countywide grass-height limit on rural parcels — much of Whatcom County is farmland and open land. The enforceable duties are narrower: county code makes it unlawful to dump or deposit solid waste on the ground (WCC 8.28.080), and litter is defined as garbage, refuse, and rubbish. Separately, the Whatcom County Noxious Weed Control Board requires owners to control state-listed noxious weeds such as tansy ragwort and knotweed under RCW 17.10. Uncorrected conditions can be abated under the county health code with costs liened against the parcel.
Dumping on a vacant lot is a civil infraction with a $25-per-cubic-foot cleanup fee. Failure to control listed noxious weeds draws county weed-board enforcement, and abatement costs can be liened against the property.
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See how Whatcom County's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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