Pawtucket, RI Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Chapter 132, Brush, Grass and Weeds, adopted June 11, 1992 by Ch. No. 2264, opens with § 132-1's Upkeep of Vacant Land article, which puts the maintenance duty squarely on the owner: every owner of vacant land, a vacant lot or a vacant field in Pawtucket must keep it free of shrubs or other debris under their control, and must not let grass, weeds or shrubs grow over eight inches, so residents stay safe from fire, vermin or debris. A related duty in § 132-2 targets specifically dangerous growth: the owner or occupant of land with poison ivy, Jamestown weed (jimsonweed) or another poisonous or dangerous weed has just five days from receiving notice from the Director of Planning and Redevelopment to remove it.

If an owner doesn't comply with either duty, § 132-3 lets the city do the necessary work itself and then assess the cost against the land, meaning the charge can attach to the property rather than requiring a separate lawsuit against the owner. On top of that cost recovery, § 132-4 makes a violation of the article punishable by a civil penalty of up to $100 upon adjudication. The chapter's general references cross-link it to Pawtucket's fire prevention code (Ch. 210), littering ordinance (Ch. 263), public nuisance article (Ch.

290, Art. II) and solid waste chapter (Ch. 347), reflecting that overgrown vacant land is treated as a fire and nuisance hazard rather than purely an aesthetic issue.