Southaven, MS Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Two sections of the Property Maintenance Code reach vacant land. Sec. 4-66, item 1.3, requires all vacant structures and premises, and vacant land, to be kept clean, safe, secure and sanitary so they do not cause a blighting problem or harm public health or safety. Sec. 4-67 then lists the conditions that count as a Blighted Property. The code defines Premises as a lot, plot or parcel of land, easement or public way, including any structures on it, so an empty parcel is covered the same way as a house lot.

Item 2.6 is the mowing rule. Any Premises or Yard with grass, weeds, or grass and weeds that extend over the curb line, or with other plant growth that exceeds six inches in height or length, is in violation. Trees, shrubs and cultivated flowers and gardens are carved out of that measure, and the definition of weed likewise excludes them. Item 2.7 covers shrubs: unkempt and overgrown to the point of reaching the roof cornice of a structure or blocking fifty percent or more of a structure's window. Item 2.9 reaches overgrown vegetation, trees and dead plant life to the extent the property is or could reasonably become infested or inhabited by rats, mice, other rodents, snakes, vermin, pests or wild animals, could furnish a breeding place for flies, mosquitoes or other harmful insects, impairs the economic welfare of adjacent property, or threatens the public health, safety or welfare.

A property counts as Blighted only when the condition shows such an extreme state of disrepair or lack of maintenance that it is visible from a public street. Sec. 4-56 exempts premises with current agricultural operations. Sec. 4-58 makes the Planning Director the code official, and Sec. 4-62 requires a written notice with a description of the real estate, the violation and the right to appeal. Item 2.6 was last amended by resolution of April 15, 2025.