Clay County, MO Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Weed Standard
- 7 inches or more
- Authority
- RSMo 67.398
- Also Covers
- Trash, debris, junk
- Remedy
- County abates, bills owner
Summary
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.
may enact ordinances to provide for the abatement of a condition of any lot or land that has the presence of a nuisance including, but not limited to, debris of any kind, weed cuttings, cut, fallen, or hazardous trees and shrubs, overgrown vegetation and noxious weeds which are seven inches or more in height, rubbish and trash, lumber not piled or stacked twelve inches off the ground, rocks or bricks, tin, steel, parts of derelict cars or trucks, broken furniture, any flammable material which may endanger public safety or any material or condition which is unhealthy or unsafe and declared to be a public nuisance.
Full Breakdown
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.
Violations & Fines
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a weed-height limit on empty lots?
Can the county clean up a neglected lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clay County
Compare Clay County to another location·View the Missouri property maintenance overview
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