Norfolk County does not enforce vacant lot maintenance. Quincy and Brookline have vacant property registries. Grass/weed limits typically 8-12 inches under each town's BOH rules and 105 CMR 410.600.
Vacant lot maintenance in Norfolk County is handled municipally. MGL c. 111 §122 gives Boards of Health broad nuisance-abatement authority. Quincy Municipal Code Ch. 11.38 requires vacant and foreclosed property registration with annual fees ($100-$500) and designated property manager within 20 miles; grass must be maintained under 10 inches. Brookline General Bylaws Art. 8.26 includes maintenance requirements for vacant rental property; enforcement via the Building Department. Weymouth enforces grass height (typically 12-inch limit) via Board of Health on complaint; Town Ordinance Ch. 21 addresses overgrown lots. 105 CMR 410.600 requires rental-property grounds kept free of overgrowth. Illegal dumping on vacant lots is a state crime under MGL c. 270 §16. If owner fails to abate, the town may mow/clean and assess costs with lien under MGL c. 111 §125. Fire concerns addressed under 527 CMR 1.00.
Notice 7-30 day abatement. Municipal mowing $200-$800 billed to owner plus 12% interest. Vacant registry noncompliance: Quincy up to $300/day, Brookline up to $300. Illegal dumping: MGL c. 270 §16 up to $25,000.
Wellesley, MA
Wellesley allows garage conversions to ADUs under Wellesley Zoning Bylaw §5.13 (as amended April 15, 2025 by Article 40.1) consistent with Section 8 of the M...
Wellesley, MA
Wellesley regulates ADUs under Section 5.13 of the Wellesley Zoning Bylaw. At the April 2025 Annual Town Meeting, Wellesley adopted Article 40.1 to amend its...
Wellesley, MA
Wellesley's Building Department exempts one-story sheds/accessory buildings of 100 square feet or less from a building permit, but they must still comply wit...
See how Wellesley's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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