Eden Prairie, MN Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Section 9.71, Subdivision 2 applies to any owner, occupant or agent of any lot or parcel of land in the City, other than land in the rural district, and bars herbaceous vegetation on that land, or on the abutting City right-of-way including the strip between a sidewalk or trail and the street curb, from growing taller than 10 inches or going to seed. This applies whether the lot carries a house or sits vacant; unimproved parcels are not exempted from the height cap unless the specific carve-outs in Subdivision 3 apply, such as slopes 3:1 or steeper, Natural Areas and land within 50 feet of one, scenic or conservation easements, gardens, City park land, mapped floodplain, or drainage ponds and ditches that store or convey stormwater.

Subdivision 1 defines the vegetation the rule targets by exclusion: it is not a garden, a qualifying Natural Area, or a compliant Native Plant Landscape Area, and it never includes state-designated noxious weeds under Minnesota Statutes Sections 18.76 to 18.88, which are separately unlawful regardless of height. The City Weed Inspector keeps the current list of prohibited volunteer plants referenced in the weed definition. Because the rule is written to apply citywide to lots and parcels rather than only occupied residences, an unimproved or vacant lot is squarely covered, and the boulevard strip adjoining it is covered too.