Roanoke, VA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Weed height trigger
- Over 10 inches
- Abatement notice period
- 7 days to comply
- Appeal window
- 7 days, hearing within 5 days
- Admin fee for city abatement
- $100 plus labor costs
- Violation penalty
- Class 4 misdemeanor, per-day
- Large-parcel exception
- >1 acre, growth 50+ ft from lines
Summary
Roanoke declares weeds over ten inches tall and trash lying on any parcel a public nuisance under Sec. 33-18, and requires the owner to cut, remove, or destroy it, with the city able to abate the nuisance itself and bill the owner if they fail to act.
Weeds growing or trash lying on any parcel shall constitute a public nuisance, except that in the case of a parcel greater than one (1) acre in area natural vegetation growing more than fifty (50) feet from every property line shall not constitute a public nuisance. It shall be unlawful to cause or allow a public nuisance with respect to any parcel. The owner of any parcel shall abate any public nuisance with respect to their parcel.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 94 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 33-17 defines 'weed' as any plant, grass, or other vegetation over ten inches in height, naming sage brush, poison oak, poison ivy, Tree of Heaven, ragweed, dandelions, milkweed, and Canada thistle among covered growth, while excluding trees, ornamental shrubbery, cultivated crops, and undisturbed woodland. Sec. 33-18 makes the nuisance rule inapplicable to natural vegetation more than fifty feet from every property line on a parcel larger than one acre. Under Sec. 33-19, the owner must immediately cut, remove, or destroy weeds and trash, and each day a violation continues after the deadline is a separate offense.
When the city manager finds a nuisance, Sec. 33-20 requires posted or mailed notice giving the owner seven days to abate, with a right to appeal to the city manager within that same seven-day window, and a hearing held within five days of an appeal. If the owner still fails to abate, Sec. 33-21 lets the city manager direct city forces or a private contractor to do the work, and Sec. 33-22 tacks on a minimum of two hours' labor cost, an additional $100 administrative fee, and interest, all of which becomes a lien against the property and a personal debt of the owner under Sec.
33-23. A single mailed notice covers repeat violations at the same property from March 1 through November 30 of that year, so the city does not have to re-notice every cutting cycle during the growing season.
Violations & Fines
Allowing weeds or trash to remain is a Class 4 misdemeanor under Sec. 33-19, with each additional day of noncompliance after the abatement deadline a separate offense. If the city abates the nuisance itself, the owner is billed for labor and equipment costs plus a $100 administrative fee and statutory interest, which becomes a lien on the parcel recorded in the circuit court clerk's office and enforceable by suit under Sec. 33-23.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can weeds grow on a vacant lot in Roanoke before it's a violation?
What happens if I don't cut the weeds after Roanoke sends a notice?
Is there an exception for large vacant lots with natural vegetation in Roanoke?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roanoke
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