HB497 Summary

• Mayor of City of Alabaster designates an enforcing official to issue written notices to property owners regarding plant nuisances, requiring abatement within 14 days (extendable to 28 days for difficult cases).

• Property owners may request a hearing before an administrative official within 5 days of notice to contest whether conditions constitute a public nuisance; hearing occurs at least 10 days after notice.

• If nuisance remains unabated after the deadline, the city may enter the property and perform abatement work or contract for it, then assess all costs (labor, equipment, materials, legal fees, postage) against the property owner.

• Assessed abatement costs constitute a "weed lien" on the property, added to the property tax bill and collected by the county revenue commissioner alongside regular municipal ad valorem taxes.

• Weed liens subject to same penalties and foreclosure procedures as ordinary property taxes; property redemptions or state sales must include payment of outstanding weed liens to extinguish them.

• Act becomes effective June 1, 2025.