Weed Control Ordinance
OVERGROWTH REMOVAL NOTICE TO CITY OF WARREN PROPERTY OWNERS, OPERATORS, AND OCCUPANTS
Pursuant to Warren Code of Ordinances, § 21-46 et seq (Noxious Weeds and Rubbish) and MCL 247.61 et seq (Act 359 of 1941), an occupant, operator, or owner is responsible for preventing noxious weeds and overgrowth on a property that they own, occupy, or operate. Overgrowth includes grass over six inches and any vegetation that encroaches on public easements or causes other public safety concerns.
The City or its agent may remove any overgrowth and/or noxious weeds that have not been removed by the first day of May. For each time removal is required, the City will charge the owner with the actual removal cost and a $100 administrative fee. The City may collect unpaid assessments as provided by law, including but not limited to adding the assessment to the property taxes.
In addition, the owner, operator, and/or occupant is responsible for a civil infraction punishable up to $1000 in fines and costs. The Noxious Weed and Rubbish Ordinance is available on the City of Warren’s website or at the Clerk’s Office during regular business hours.
ORDINANCE NO. 80-830
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 21 (NUISANCES), AND CHAPTER 28, ARTICLE I, (INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE)
Chapter 21, Article III of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Warren, Michigan reads as follows:
ARTICLE III. NOXIOUS WEEDS AND RUBBISH
Sec. 21-46. Purpose.
It is the purpose of this Article to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of the City by prohibiting: noxious weeds, accumulation of garbage and rubbish, dead or hazardous trees or tree limbs, and excessive grass or vegetation growth. The Article also provides a mechanism for the City to clean up properties that are not in compliance with this Article.
Sec. 21-47. Definitions.
Noxious weeds are: (1) plants listed in MCL 247.61, as amended, (2) overgrowth, and (3) species listed on the prohibited species list as adopted and amended by the Urban Forestry Committee pursuant to Warren Code of Ordinances, § 38-22 et seq.
Occupant means an individual living or sleeping on or in a premise or having possession of a building or a space within a building.
Operator means a person who has charge, care, or control of a premise that is let or offered to an occupant.
Overgrowth means grass over six inches or plants that encroach on public easements or cause public safety concerns. Overgrowth does not include Planned Natural Landscape Areas.
Owner means a person, agent, or operator with legal or equitable interest in the premises; who is listed in official records of the state, county, or municipality as holding title to the premises; or otherwise has control of the property, including a guardian, executor, or administrator of an estate of any person listed above.
Person includes individuals and entities.
Plant is any tree, shrub, herb, grass, fern, vine, or similar organism.
Premises means a lot, plot, or parcel of land or easement, including structures, improvements, and the area between the lot line and the street.
Responsible party or parties are owners, operators, and occupants.
Rubbish means waste material, including but not limited to, residue from burning combustible materials, paper, rags, packing material, cardboard, cans and other metal, bottles and other glass or plastic, wood, tires and other rubber, tree branches, yard waste, food waste, mineral material, and other junk, debris or unwholesome substances.
Sec. 21-48. Prohibitions.
Responsible parties shall not cause or allow the growth or accumulation of noxious weeds and/or rubbish on the premises.
Sec. 21-49. Abatement.
- Notice of abatement.
- (i) In March of each year, the City shall publish a notice in a newspaper of general circulation that states: (1) the City will remove any noxious weeds (including overgrowth) not cut by May 1st of the year, and (2) the responsible party or parties will be charged for the costs associated with the removal.
- (ii) Content and service. The City shall provide a responsible party notice of a violation of this Article that complies with all of the following:
- Contains the nature and location of the violation.
- Includes a statement that failure to comply with the notice will result in the City abating the violation and charging a responsible party or parties for the cost of abatement.
- States a contact name and phone number or email address to request information about the violation.
- Is posted in a conspicuous area on the For accumulation of rubbish notices, the City shall also mail the notice to the owner or operator’s address, as listed in City records.
- (iii) Time to abate.
- For noxious weed violations, the City shall give the responsible party or parties at least 24 hours’ notice before abating the violation.
- For accumulation of rubbish, the City shall give the responsible party or parties at least ten days’ notice before abating the violation.
- If the responsible party or parties fail to correct the violation in the time listed in subsection (a)(ii) above, the City, or its agent, may remove the noxious weeds and/or rubbish from the
- The City may charge any responsible party for abatement costs, including but not limited to administrative, labor, and contractor costs.
- The City shall send a notice of assessment to the responsible party being assessed. The City may collect the assessment as permitted by law, including as provided for in MCL 247.64.
- A responsible party may appeal the assessment by submitting a written appeal to the Public Service Director or his/her designee within 21 days of the notice of assessment. The appeal shall state the reason(s) that the responsible party believes they are not responsible for the assessment.
Sec. 21-50. Strict Liability.
Violations of this Article are strict liability offenses.
Se. 21-51. Penalty.
In addition to the abatement procedure outlined in Section 21-49 above, a violation of this Article is a municipal civil infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500, cost not to exceed $500, and other sanctions as provided by MCL 600.8727.
Chapter 28, Article I, Section 28-2(x) of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Warren, Michigan reads as follows: Section 302.4 shall be stricken in its entirety.
SECTION 3. This Ordinance shall take effect on March 31, 2025.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance No. 80-830 was adopted by the Council of the City of Warren at its meeting held on March 11, 2025.
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SONJA BUFFA
City Clerk
Published: March 26, 2025