HB 1656 -- Removal of Weeds

Sponsor:  Wiggins

Under current law, municipalities are allowed to order property
owners to remove weeds which have been declared a nuisance after
proper notice.  This bill allows the marshal or other city
official in any city to issue a summons to the property owner
after proper notification of tall weeds, trash, or both being
present on the property, whereby the property owner must appear
in municipal court.  If the violation has not been abated by the
court date, the property owner may be found guilty of a class C
misdemeanor and the property owner may be ordered to abate the
violation.  In the event the weeds, trash, or both are not
removed, the municipality must follow the process of clearing
the property of weeds or trash and establish a lien on the
property.

Under current law, any city, town, or village located in a first
classification county may hold hearings after 4 days notice to a
property owner to determine whether weeds growing on the
property in the city constitute a nuisance.  If a nuisance is
found to exist, abatement is required within 5 business days
after the hearing.  If the weeds are not cut down and removed
within the 5 business days, the city must immediately remove the
weeds.  This bill removes language limiting this process to
cities in first classification counties and extends the process
to any city, town, or village.  This process is also allowed for
trash removal.

The bill also allows any city, town, or village to remove weeds
without notification to the property owner if weeds are allowed
to grow on the same property in violation of an ordinance more
than once during the same growing season.  Under current law,
the removal of weeds without notification only applies in Kansas
City, St. Louis City, and any city, town, or village in St.
Louis County.

The bill contains a penalty provision.