Weeds and Noxious Vegetation

For concerns and complaints pertaining to weeds and noxious vegetation, you may contact Sergeant Brad Kusmirek at the Hudson Police Department at 715-386-4771, ext. 220 or email Brad.

The following is Chapter 176 of the Municipal Code related to weeds and noxious vegetation.

§ 176-1. General regulations.

All areas on any lot not used for buildings, driveways, walkways, parking areas or other permitted improvements shall be suitably graded and drained to comply with the City's erosion control and subdivision ordinances. Such areas shall be either seeded or sodded as a traditional lawn in species of grass common to western Wisconsin or suitably landscaped with plantings and/or other decorative surface treatments so as to meet acceptable community standards. Such area shall be maintained in a sightly and well-kept condition.

 § 176-2. Noxious weeds and vegetation greater than six inches in height; poisonous plants. 

A. No owner, lessee or occupant or agent, representative or employee of any such owner, lessee or occupant having control of any occupied or unoccupied lot or land, or any part thereof, in the City, except upon prior application to and approval of a land management plan from the Department of Community Development of the City, shall permit or maintain on any such lot or land, or on or along the sidewalk, street or alley adjacent to the same between the property line and the curb or middle of the alley or for 10 feet outside the property line if there be no curb, any growth of weeds, grass, brush or other rank vegetation to a greater height than six inches on the average or any accumulation of dead weeds, grass or brush. 

B. Also, no person shall cause or allow poison ivy, ragweed or other poisonous plants detrimental to health to grow on any lot or land in such manner that any part of such ivy, ragweed or other poisonous or harmful weed shall extend upon, overhang or border any public place or allow seeds, pollen or other poisonous particles or emanations therefrom to be carried through the air into any public place.

C. Plantings shall be maintained so as not to present hazards to adjoining properties or to persons or vehicles traveling on public ways. 

§ 176-3. Duty to abate.

The owner, lessee or occupant of any lot or land shall cut and remove or cause to be cut and removed all such weeds, grass, brush or other rank, poisonous or harmful vegetation as often as may be necessary to comply with the provision of § 176-2.

 § 176-4. Notice; abatement by City. 

A. If the provisions of the above sections are not complied with, the City Compliance Officer shall serve, by personal service or U.S. mail, written notice upon the owner, lessee or occupant or any person having care or control of any such lot or land to comply with the provisions of this chapter. If the person upon whom the notice is served fails, neglects or refuses to cut and remove or to cause to be cut and removed such weeds, grass, brush or other vegetation within five days after receipt of such notice, or if no person can be found in the City who either is or claims to be the owner of such lot or land or who represents or claims to represent such owner, the Compliance Officer shall cause such weeds, grass, brush and other vegetation on such lot or land to be cut and removed and the actual cost of such cutting and removal, plus 50% for inspection and other additional costs in the connection therewith, shall be billed to the property owner by the City Clerk as payable to the City, and if the property owner chooses not to pay the bill upon receipt, pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 66.0627, the cost shall become a special charge against the property on which such weeds, grass, brush and other vegetation were located, shall be added to and become and form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lot or land, shall bear interest at the same rate as taxes and shall be collected and enforced by the same officer in the same manner as taxes. 

B. The City Compliance Officer shall provide one such notice to a violating property owner per lawn mowing season. If there are subsequent violations, the City is authorized to cut and remove the violating grass, weeds, or brush without additional notice and bill the cost of removal as described above to the property owner. Any amount unpaid shall be a special charge assessed against the property as described above.