Nuisance Vegetation

Please notify the city of any yard or lot in the city limits of Sioux Falls that has grass that has grown 8 inches or taller and/or “state classified noxious weeds” which includes: Canada thistle, Russian knapweed, hoary cress, purple loosestrife, perennial sow thistle, leafy spurge and salt cedar. For photos of these weeds use the “What qualifies for a complaint link below”

Dandelions are not considered noxious by the state or county and therefore cannot warrant an inspection. See the FAQ links below for more information.

The most common issues addressed are:

Grass/Weed Violations
- Grass and Weeds higher than 8"
- Noxious weeds

Contact the Weed Inspector at 605-978-6900.

What you need to know about Nuisance Vegetation

Report a Property

Report your nuisance vegetation concerns online.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What information do I need when I call to complain of a property that needs mowing?

Please have as much information available as possible. We would prefer to have the exact address of the property, but we can take an inspection with general information (i.e. the northeast corner lot of W. 9th St. and Dakota Ave.) if an address is not available.

We will also ask questions like – does the entire yard need mowing or just the front or back yard, are there a lot of weeds or is it mostly just tall grass.

Any information about the property will be helpful (vicious dogs, etc).

Please remember that if you call in a complaint and the violation is then corrected, but then the violation returns – another complaint call will need to be generated.

What qualifies for a complaint?

Any yard or lot in the city limits of Sioux Falls that has grass that has grown 8 inches or taller and/or “state classified noxious weeds” which includes: Canada thistle, Russian knapweed, hoary cress, purple loosestrife, perennial sow thistle, leafy spurge and salt cedar.

What about thistles?

Canadian thistles and perennial sow thistles are considered noxious by the state of South Dakota and would warrant an inspection by the City of Sioux Falls.

What about dandelions?

Dandelions are not considered a noxious weed by the state of South Dakota, therefore will NOT warrant an inspection by the City of Sioux Falls unless there are also other factors in the yard like grass over 8” tall or thistles. We like to say, “Although they are obnoxious, they are not noxious.”

What happens after a complaint is made?

Once the call or electronic complaint has been made to our office, our weed and mowing enforcement inspector will inspect the property. If there are noxious weeds or grass that is more than 8” tall, our inspector will send the property owner/manager a letter notifying them of the violation. They will be given 7 days to correct the violation. If the violation is not corrected, a city hired contractor will be sent to mow and/or spray the property. A bill will be sent to the property owner to pay for the services, along with a city issued citation.

Only one letter is sent per year, so if further complaints are received later in the summer the property owner will NOT get another notification. The contractor will be sent out to mow and/or spray, again with the billing and citation being issued to the homeowner.

I got a letter from the City for mowing, now what?

As the property owner, it is your responsibility to maintain the property according to city ordinance. Grass must be kept under 8” tall and free of noxious weeds. If you received a letter from us, the property is in violation. Please be sure to mow your property by date on your letter. Failure to mow will result in the city sending a contractor to mow your property. This mowing bill will sent to you as the property owner, along with a city issued citation. You will only receive one letter notice from the city, for the remainder of the season you must maintain your property or the contractor and citations wills be issued accordingly.

Resources

South Dakota Noxious Weeds-Wanted Dead