Part 73



73.000 GRASS AND NOXIOUS WEEDS

Ord. No. 12

 Adopted: April 2, 1973
Amended:  October 11, 2005

An ordinance to establish law relating to grass and noxious weeds.

THE CITY OF READING ORDAINS THAT:
 

73.001 Cutting of grass and weeds.

Sec. 1. No person occupying any premises, and no person owning any unoccupied premises, shall permit or maintain on any such premises any growth of weeds, grass or other rank vegetation to a greater height than ten (10) inches on the average, or any accumulation of dead weeds, grass or brush. No such occupant or owner shall cause, suffer or allow poison ivy, ragweed or other noxious plants, or plants detrimental to health, to grow on premises in such manner that any part of such ivy, ragweed, or other noxious or harmful weed shall extend upon, overhang or border any public place, or allow seed, pollen or other particles or emanations therefrom to be carried through the air into any public place.

73.002 Duty of occupant or owner.

Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the occupant of every premises and the owner of unoccupied premises within the City, to cut and remove or destroy by lawful means, all such weeds, grass or rank, noxious or harmful vegetation as often as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of this Ordinance.

73.003 When City to do work.

Sec. 3. If the provisions of Sections 1 and 2 are not complied with, the City Council or their duly authorized representative, shall notify the occupant, or owner of unoccupied premises to comply with the provisions of said sections within a time to be specified in said notice. Said notice shall require compliance with Sections 1 and 2 above within five (5) days after service of such notice, and if such notice is not complied with within the time limited, the City Council shall cause such weeds, grass and other vegetation to be removed or destroyed and the actual cost of such cutting, removal or destruction plus twenty (20%) per cent for inspection and other additional cost in connection therewith, shall be collected as a special assessment against the premises. Levying or collection of such special assessment shall not relieve any person offending against this Ordinance from the penalty prescribed for violation of this Code.  The City has the authority to place a lein upon any property which it is forced to bring into compliance with this ordinance.

Effective date. This Ordinance to take effect 10 days after adoption by the City Council.