Borough of Houston, PA Chapter 144 Grass and Weeds

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Houston 11-4-1957 by Ord. No. 266; amended in its entirety 9-18-1985 by Ord. No. 411 (Ch. 10, Part 1, of the 1985 Code of Ordinances). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 144-1 Vegetative growth a nuisance under certain conditions.

No person, firm or corporation owning or occupying any property within the Borough shall permit any grass or weeds or any vegetation whatsoever, not edible or planted for some useful or ornamental purpose, to grow or remain upon such premises so as to exceed a height of 12 inches, or to throw off any unpleasant or noxious odor, or to conceal any filthy deposit, or to create or produce pollen. Any grass, weeds or other vegetation growing upon any premises in the Borough in violation of any of the provisions of this section is hereby declared to be a nuisance and detrimental to the health, safety, cleanliness and comfort of the inhabitants of the Borough.

§ 144-2 Responsibility for removing, cutting or trimming.

The owner of any premises, or the occupant of premises occupied by other than the owner, shall remove, trim or cut all grass, weeds or other vegetation growing or remaining upon such premises in violation of the provisions of § 144-1.

§ 144-3 Notice to remove, trim or cut; municipality may do work and collect cost and additional amount.

The Borough Council, or any officer or employee of the Borough designated thereby for this purpose, is hereby authorized to give notice, by personal service or by United States mail, to the owner or occupant, as the case may be, of any premises whereon grass, weeds or other vegetation is growing or remaining in violation of the provisions of § 144-1 of this chapter, directing and requiring such occupant to remove, trim or out such grass, weeds or vegetation, so as to conform to the requirements of this chapter, within 10 days after issuance of such notice. Whenever, in the judgment of the Enforcement Officer/Inspector, it shall appear to be impracticable to give notice as above provided, either because the owner or occupant cannot readily be found or because a search for the owner or occupant would entail unreasonable delay, the Borough Council or any officer or employee of the Borough designated thereby for that purpose may give notice by posting conspicuously on the property where such nuisance exists a notice on order directing and requiring that such nuisance be abated within 10 days. In case any person, firm or corporation shall neglect, fail or refuse to comply with such notice within the period of time stated therein, the Borough Council may order the removal, trimming or cutting of such grass, weeds or vegetation, and the cost thereof, together with a penalty of 10% of the cost thereof, shall be collected by the Borough from such person, firm or corporation in the manner provided by law.

§ 144-4 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 10-12-1988]

Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine not more than $1,000 and/or to undergo imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues after notice shall constitute a separate offense.