HB496 Summary

• Applies only to Class 6 municipalities with an alternate council, allowing them to declare overgrown grass or weeds exceeding 12 inches in height as public nuisances when they threaten health, safety, or welfare by harboring vermin, creating fire hazards, or spreading seeds.

• Exempts heavily wooded undeveloped areas, farm properties, and properties under current construction from nuisance abatement requirements.

• Requires municipalities to provide written notice to property owners (in person or by first class mail) giving them 14-28 days to abate the nuisance, with the right to request a hearing before an administrative official and appeal to circuit court.

• Authorizes municipalities to perform abatement work themselves if owners fail to comply, with all costs (wages, equipment, materials, advertising, postage) assessed against the property as a lien.

• Establishes a collection process where the city clerk files the assessment with the probate judge, the tax collector adds the lien amount to the ad valorem tax bill, and the municipality receives payment through standard tax collection methods; liens survive property redemptions and sales.