In unincorporated Manatee County, grass and weeds must be kept under 16 inches tall. Overgrown vegetation is a code violation enforced by the Code Enforcement Division under Chapter 2-9. Incorporated cities set their own, often lower, height limits.
Manatee County Code Enforcement guidance states that grass must be kept under 16 inches tall (Sec. 2-9-103, Chapter 2-9 Community Improvement, property-maintenance article) in the unincorporated county. Overgrown vegetation is among the most common code-enforcement violations. The standard applies to occupied and vacant residential and commercial parcels. Property owners inside Bradenton, Palmetto, and the Anna Maria Island towns follow those cities' own overgrowth ordinances, which may set a lower threshold.
Overgrowth triggers a notice of violation; if not corrected, the Code Enforcement Special Magistrate can impose fines and the county may mow and lien the property for the cost of abatement.
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See how Palmetto's weeds & overgrown grass rules stack up against other locations.
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