🌿Grass & Weed Maintenance Requirements
All property owners within the City of Omro are required to properly maintain lawns, grasses, and noxious weeds on their property in accordance with municipal ordinance. Vegetation must be kept at a height not exceeding eight (8) inches.
This requirement applies to all properties, including:
- Residential lots
- Commercial lots
- Industrial lots
- Vacant parcels
- Unimproved or undeveloped land
Routine maintenance helps preserve neighborhood appearance, protects property values, and promotes public health and safety.
🚫 Yard Waste & Street Protection
Residents are reminded that it is prohibited to blow, rake, or place grass clippings, leaves, or other yard debris into streets, gutters, or public right-of-way areas.
Why this matters:
- 🌧️ Stormwater Impact: Debris on streets is carried into the stormwater system during rainfall.
- 🌊 Direct River Discharge: The City’s stormwater system flows untreated into the Fox River—it does not go to the wastewater treatment plant.
- 🚧 Flooding Risk: Leaves and grass clippings can clog storm drains, leading to localized flooding.
- 🌱 Water Quality: Nutrients from yard waste contribute to algae blooms and degrade water quality in local waterways.
- 🏍️ Traffic Safety Hazard: Grass clippings and leaves left on pavement can become extremely slippery, creating dangerous conditions for motorcycles, bicycles, and even pedestrians, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.
Proper disposal of yard waste helps protect public safety, City infrastructure, and the environment.
⚠️ Enforcement & Reporting
Failure to comply with lawn and weed maintenance requirements may result in enforcement action, including citations under the Municipal Code.
Residents may report potential violations to:
Public Works Director
📞 (920) 685-7020
📘 Key Definitions (Omro Municipal Code 8.28.030)
Natural Lawn
A “natural lawn” consists of native grasses and wildflowers intentionally cultivated to grow beyond eight (8) inches in height. These areas must be planned and maintained—not neglected.
Noxious Weeds
“Noxious weeds” include any weeds, grasses, or similar plant growth that:
- May cause hay fever or allergic reactions, or
- Can produce skin irritation upon contact
Omro Municipal Code of Ordinances
8.28.030 - Definitions.
"Natural lawn," as used in this section shall include common species of grass and wildflowers native to North America which are designed and purposely cultivated to exceed eight inches in height from the ground.
"Noxious weeds" shall include any weed, grass, or similar plant growth which, if allowed to pollinate, would cause or produce hay fever in human beings, or would cause a skin rash through contact with the skin.
8.28.040 - Public nuisance declared.
The common council finds that lawns, grasses, and noxious weeds on non-agricultural lots or parcels of land, as classified under the city's municipal zoning code Chapter 17, within the city of Omro, which exceed eight inches in length, adversely affect the public health and safety in that they tend to emit pollen and other discomforting bits of plants, constitute a fire hazard and safety hazard in that debris can be hidden in the grass, interferes with the public convenience, and adversely affects property values of other land within the city. For that reason, any non-agricultural lawn, grass or weed on a lot or other parcel of land which exceeds eight inches in length is declared to be a public nuisance.
12.04.100 - Unlawful dumping on streets.
It is unlawful for any person to deposit or cause to be deposited, dump, sort, scatter or leave any rubbish, stone, wire, earth, ashes, cinders, sawdust, hay, glass, manure, filth, paper, snow, ice, dirt, grass, leaves, construction waste, garbage or other offensive or noxious material in any public street, sidewalk, alley, or upon any public property or upon any property of another, without the express permission of the owner of occupant thereof.
12.04.180 - Grass clippings.
All grass clippings from lawn mowing or other sources shall not be allowed to blow upon or accumulate upon any public street in the city where such grass clippings could wash into any storm sewer drainage inlet.
🌟 Helpful Reminder
Maintaining your property and properly managing yard waste is a shared responsibility that benefits the entire community—keeping neighborhoods safe, attractive, and environmentally responsible.