HB682 Alabama 2012 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mike Hubbard
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2012
Title: Class 6 municipalities (Opelika), overgrown grass and weeds, procedures to declare nuisance and abatement provided, assessment of costs for abatement, notice
Summary: HB682 lets certain Class 6 municipalities declare tall weeds a public nuisance, require property owners to abate, and recover abatement costs by placing a lien on the property.
What This Bill Does
If a Class 6 municipality adopts the Chapter 44D form, it can declare overgrown grass or weeds that exceed 12 inches a public nuisance under health, safety, or fire risk conditions, with certain exemptions. The property owner must receive written notice and a posted notice, and has 14 to 28 days to abate or request a hearing before an administrative official; an appeal to the circuit court is available. If the owner does not abate, the city may perform the abatement and then bill the actual costs to the property as a lien, which is collected like an ad valorem tax and remains even after redemption; the act becomes effective immediately after the governor signs it.

Who It Affects
Property owners of parcels within affected Class 6 municipalities who have overgrown weeds or grass (over 12 inches) and are not exempted (e.g., farms, heavily wooded undeveloped areas, properties under construction); they may be required to abate and may incur abatement costs and a lien if not.
The municipality in question (Class 6 adopting Chapter 44D) and the county revenue system (including the Lee County Revenue Commissioner and probate records) that administer notices, perform abatements, levy the cost as a lien, file records, and collect the amount through the property tax process.

Key Provisions
Defines nuisance as overgrown grass or weeds exceeding 12 inches in height (with specific health, safety, and fire-risk conditions) and lists exemptions (heavily wooded undeveloped areas, farm properties, and properties under current construction).
Establishes notice and hearing procedures: written notice by the enforcing official, posting on the property, a 14- to 28-day window to abate or request a hearing before an administrative official, and a mechanism to appeal the decision.
Allows the municipality to abate the nuisance if not abated by the owner and to assess the actual costs as a lien on the property, collected through the ad valorem tax system and filed with the probate office.
Keeps the lien in place after redemption and clarifies that the act becomes effective immediately upon the governor's approval; the act is cumulative and severable.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Municipalities