Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 66.96 and the City of Manitowoc Municipal Code, property owners in the City of Manitowoc are required to keep their lawns mowed below 8 inches and remove noxious weeds on their property.  Upon receipt of a noxious weed complaint, the Weed Commissioner or his/her designee shall, on the first violation of the season, place a 48-hour written notice to destroy noxious weeds on the violating property.  Notice may be placed on the entrance door of a primary building of the property or, if the property is vacant, on a sign placed on the property at a location visible from an adjacent sidewalk or road. 

If noxious weeds or grasses fall to within 200' of any dwelling unit or commercial building, the entire parcel must be cut.  They must also be cut between the curb and sidewalk and 10' from the curb or termination of the edge of the roadway.

If the party responsible for the property fails to destroy the noxious weeds within 48 hours after receiving a written notice, the City or its contractor shall be empowered to enter upon public and private lands and cut or remove noxious weeds (including grasses, lawns, or weeds of any kind over 8 inches).  Issues forwarded to the City's contractor should generally be cut within three business days.  Subsequent violations will be addressed by the City without notice and will be forwarded to the City's contractor for cutting.  

The minimum assessment for the first offense will be $300, second offense will be a minimum of $600 and the third offense a minimum of $900 over a period of three (3) years.  For any cutting or removal that takes longer than 60 minutes, there will be an additional charge of time and material at the full-time rate.

Appeals
A person who is ordered to control noxious weeds and/or is charged for the cost of noxious weed control shall have the right to appeal the decision by filing a written appeal with the Board of Public Works at the Clerk's Office or by mail or cityclerk@manitowoc.org within 20 days of the date of the control activity.  The Board of Public Works shall hear such appeal at the next scheduled board meeting.  After such hearing, the Board of Public Works shall make a recommendation to Common Council for action.

To report a lawn or weeds in violation of City ordinance, click here.

Additional Information:

City of Manitowoc Municipal Ordinance  Section 13.050 

Manitowoc County Compost Sites (for disposal of lawn or yard waste)

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Invasive Species Rule - NR40