Lot Maintenance By-law

The Lot Maintenance By-law sets rules for keeping properties clean, safe and well maintained.

It applies to land in the City of Brantford and helps make sure properties do not create health or safety hazards, become unsightly, or negatively affect neighbouring properties.

General requirement

Property owners must keep their land in a neat and tidy condition and free of waste.

This includes keeping the property clear of:

• domestic waste
• industrial waste
• weeds
• overgrown vegetation
• inoperative or unlicensed vehicles
• graffiti

Owners are also responsible for making sure their property does not create a hazard or nuisance.

Grass, weeds and vegetation

Property owners must keep vegetation on their property properly maintained.

Turf grass areas

In turf grass areas, grass must be kept below 20.32 centimetres (8 inches).

Weeds

Owners must remove and destroy weeds on their property.

Weeds can be destroyed by:

• pulling or removing them from the soil
• cutting them before the seeds ripen
• turning the soil to bury or kill them
• using a lawful herbicide

Buffer strips

If a property has a naturalized area, the owner must maintain a buffer strip around it.

The buffer strip must be at least 1.0 metre (36 inches) wide, or as otherwise required by the City’s Director of By-law and Security or their designate.

Vegetation in the buffer strip must be kept below 20.32 centimetres (8 inches)

Hedges and trees

Hedges and trees next to a public sidewalk or roadway must be trimmed so they do not interfere with safe pedestrian travel.

Waste and outdoor storage

Property owners must keep their land clean, cleared and free of waste.

This includes items such as:

• garbage and refuse
• household debris
• construction materials not lawfully stored
• discarded furniture or appliances
• vehicle parts
• rubble, concrete, bricks and other debris

No person may throw, place, dump or deposit waste on private land or City land without lawful authority.

Vehicles and trailers

Owners must not keep wrecked, dismantled, inoperative or unlicensed motor vehicles or trailers on their property, unless the property is a business that is lawfully licensed or authorized to do so.

Even in those cases, vehicles and trailers must be stored in a way that does not create an unsafe or unsightly condition.

Land beside roads

If your property borders an untravelled portion of a highway, you are responsible for keeping that area clear of:

• waste
• weeds
• inoperative motor vehicles
• unlicensed motor vehicles

Any turf grass area in that part of the highway must also be maintained in accordance with the by-law.

Graffiti

Property owners must remove graffiti from all exterior parts of buildings, structures and fences.

Surfaces must also be refinished and restored to their original condition and appearance.

Naturalized areas and perennial gardens

The by-law recognizes that some properties include naturalized landscaping or perennial gardens.

Naturalized areas

A naturalized area is land with maintained landscaping or indigenous plants.

These areas are permitted, but owners must still:

• maintain the required buffer strip
• remove weeds where required by the by-law

Perennial gardens

Perennial gardens are also permitted if they are managed in accordance with the by-law.

They must not contain:

• ragweed
• poison ivy
• domestic waste, except for composting purposes

Exemptions

Some lands are exempt from parts of this by-law, including:

• properties with active construction under a valid building permit
• lands lawfully used for outdoor storage
• lands zoned for agricultural purposes
• permitted perennial gardens that meet the by-law requirements
• certain City lands used for waste disposal
• City-owned or City-leased naturalized areas and woodlots

Woodlots are also exempt from the weed destruction requirement.

Orders, inspections and compliance

If a property does not comply with the by-law, an officer may issue an order requiring the owner to take action within a specified time.

An order may require an owner to:

• clean and clear the land
• remove waste
• screen, cover or enclose waste
• stop using the land for dumping or disposal

For enforcement purposes, an officer may inspect land or structures at reasonable times, except for structures used as dwellings.

Owners must not obstruct an officer carrying out an inspection or authorized work.

If the owner does not comply

If the owner does not comply with an order, the City may carry out the required work at the owner’s expense.

This may include removing and disposing of materials from the property.

The City may recover its costs as permitted by law.

Penalties

Anyone who violates the by-law may be charged and, upon conviction, is subject to penalties under the Provincial Offences Act.

The court may also order that the violation not continue or happen again.

Before you leave materials or landscaping in your yard

Before storing materials or allowing vegetation to grow, make sure you:

• keep grass below 20.32 centimetres (8 inches)
• remove weeds
• maintain any required buffer strip
• trim hedges and trees near sidewalks and roads
• do not keep waste, discarded materials or derelict vehicles on the property
• remove graffiti promptly
• confirm whether an exemption applies

Questions?

Please contact us at 519-759-4150 for more information about lot maintenance, weeds, waste or enforcement.