Ann Arbor has no separate vacant-lot registration, but the owner of every parcel must keep it mowed and maintained. Overgrown or debris-strewn vacant lots are enforced like any property, and the city can mow and bill the owner.
Washtenaw County sets no vacant-lot rule; the city or township does. Ann Arbor's Chapter 40 makes the owner of every parcel responsible for mowing and maintenance, and Chapter 106 addresses nuisances. If a vacant lot isn't kept up, the city administrator may do the work after notice and bill the owner the actual cost plus a $50 administration fee. Unpaid charges become a special assessment against the lot.
Civil infraction; fines start at $100 first offense and rise to $500-plus for repeats, up to $1,000 per day, plus abatement costs and a $50 fee assessed against the lot.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Washtenaw County, MI
Washtenaw County has no dedicated hoarding ordinance, but Michigan's animal-cruelty law requires adequate care for every animal and escalates penalties sharp...
Washtenaw County, MI
Washtenaw County has no wildlife-feeding ordinance, but a statewide ban prohibits feeding and baiting deer and elk throughout the Lower Peninsula, which incl...
Washtenaw County, MI
Backyard composting is allowed in Ann Arbor, which also runs curbside compost and yard-waste collection. Grass clippings, leaves, and yard waste must not be ...
Washtenaw County, MI
Neither Washtenaw County nor Ann Arbor has a specific ordinance banning or permitting residential artificial turf. It is generally allowed, subject to standa...
Washtenaw County, MI
Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor allow and actively encourage native-plant and pollinator landscaping. The 12-inch turf-grass cap targets neglected lawns, not ...
Washtenaw County, MI
Rainwater harvesting is legal and unrestricted for homeowners in Washtenaw County and Michigan. Ann Arbor actively encourages rain barrels, rain gardens, and...
See how Washtenaw County's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.