Minneapolis, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 12 § 244.1580
Weeds, other vegetation (Minneapolis Housing Code)
Operative Text
No owner, operator or occupant shall allow to remain on any portion of the premises occupied or controlled by such person any accumulation of hay, grass, straw, weeds, vines, bushes, other plant growth or dead trees or dead tree limbs which in the opinion of the director of regulatory services constitutes a health, safety or fire hazard. Further, no person shall allow any bushes, trees or other vegetation to remain on any portion of private property which that person controls, when such vegetation is overhanging public premises unless said vegetation is cut back so as to maintain the following clearances: A clearance of seven (7) feet shall be maintained over pedestrian walkways and a clearance of fourteen (14) feet shall be maintained over vehicular passageways. "Public premises" for the purpose of this chapter shall mean those areas where the city has exercised its easement rights to provide either pedestrian walkways or vehicular passageways. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 81.035; Ord. of 9-11-75, § 1; Pet. No. 252271, § 35, 5-11-90; 2013-Or-161 , § 39, 12-6-13)
Minneapolis Code § 244.1580 prohibits owners, operators, and occupants from allowing accumulations of hay, grass, weeds, dead trees, or similar vegetation on their premises when the director of regulatory services determines such growth poses a health, safety, or fire hazard. The provision also requires that any bushes, trees, or other vegetation overhanging public walkways or roadways be trimmed to maintain specific clearances: at least seven feet above pedestrian walkways and fourteen feet above vehicular passageways. 'Public premises' under this section refers to areas where the city has exercised easement rights for pedestrian or vehicular passage.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and operators subject to § 244.1580 generally maintain their grounds by routinely clearing overgrown or dead vegetation that could be deemed a fire or safety hazard by the director of regulatory services. Compliant operators also monitor any trees, bushes, or other plantings near public walkways and roadways, trimming them as needed to preserve the seven-foot clearance over pedestrian paths and the fourteen-foot clearance over vehicular passageways. Keeping records of routine landscaping and maintenance activities can help demonstrate ongoing compliance with this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Minneapolis Code § 244.1580, occupants—not just owners—share responsibility for ensuring that hazardous vegetation accumulations are not allowed to remain on the portions of a property they control. Tenants who believe a landlord or property operator is failing to address vegetation that poses a health, safety, or fire hazard, or that is encroaching on public walkways, may consider contacting Minneapolis Regulatory Services to report the condition. Tenant-rights organizations in Minneapolis can help occupants understand how this provision interacts with their lease obligations and what options may be available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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