Lakeville, MN Property Maintenance: Weeds & Overgrown Grass (2026)

The grass and weed height standard is set in Section 4-1-3 of Lakeville's City Code (Length of Weeds and Grass). Weeds or grass in excess of eight inches in height are declared a public nuisance and prohibited on any lot less than one acre that has a building on it, and on any empty lot that abuts a lot containing a building. The City's Common Code Requirements page confirms that weeds or grass exceeding eight inches in length are considered a public nuisance. Several categories of land are exempt from the height limit: undeveloped lots and parcels larger than one acre, land with stormwater basins or wetlands, parks and City-owned property, and public rights-of-way maintained by the State, County or City. However, these exempt properties are still required to prevent the growth of noxious weeds. Enforcement follows a notice-and-abate process: after giving the owner or occupant seven days' advance written notice of noncompliance, the City may cut the grass and weeds and may assess the cost of doing so against the property. Beyond the local height rule, Minnesota's Noxious Weed Law (Minn. Stat. 18.78) imposes a statewide duty on any person owning, occupying or maintaining land to manage noxious weeds in the time and manner ordered by an inspector or county-designated employee, with the county able to do the work and charge the cost if the owner refuses.