St. George, UT Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 6 inches
- Cuttings
- remove or bag immediately
- Large-lot (>2 acres) buffer
- 15 ft of road, 200 ft of dwelling
- Exempt zones
- agricultural, open space, gravel-grazing
- Max penalty
- class B misdemeanor, $1,000 fine
Summary
St. George bans letting grass or weeds on any property, occupied or vacant, grow past six inches: cuttings must be removed or bagged immediately, and overgrowth can't create an unsightly or vermin-breeding condition.
It is unlawful for a person who owns, possesses, controls, or is in charge of property to maintain that property in such a manner that grass or weeds are overgrown to a height in excess of six inches (6") and to fail to remove all cuttings and plant debris from the property immediately or store it in an approved container.
B. It is unlawful for a person who owns, possesses, controls, or is in charge of property to maintain that property in such a manner that grass or weeds are overgrown to a height to create an unsightly appearance, or create breeding grounds and shelter for rats, mice, snakes, mosquitoes, and other vermin.
C. It is unlawful for a person who owns, possesses, controls, or is in charge of property larger than two acres to maintain that property in such a manner that grass or weeds are overgrown to a height in excess of six inches (6") within fifteen feet (15') of the edge of a road or within two hundred feet (200') of another property’s dwelling.
D. Exception:
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-062, passed August 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 4-10-4 makes it unlawful for anyone who owns, possesses, controls, or is in charge of property, including a vacant lot, to let grass or weeds exceed six inches, or to leave cuttings and plant debris lying around instead of removing them or bagging them in an approved container. A separate clause bars overgrowth that looks unsightly or shelters rats, mice, snakes, or mosquitoes. Lots over two acres get a narrower buffer rule instead: weeds must stay under six inches only within 15 feet of a road or 200 feet of a neighboring dwelling. Agricultural, open space, and gravel-and-grazing zoned parcels, and undisturbed natural or soil-stabilized land, are exempted.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 4-10-4 is enforced as a nuisance/property maintenance offense; under the city's general penalty provision (§ 1-4-1) a municipal ordinance violation can be prosecuted as a class B misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail, or handled as a civil penalty of the same maximum amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 6-inch limit apply to an empty, unbuilt lot?
Are large rural parcels held to the same standard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. George
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