La Crosse issued $35,600 worth of fines for weeds this year

Weed-height limit 8 inches

A banner year for weeds in La Crosse. 

At least from the perspective of city weed commissioner Jerry Every.

Lots of rain has meant lots of weeds. So far this year, Every has sent out 1,426 notices to property owners in the city about grass and weeds that are too tall – above the 8-inch maximum height. 

That’s the warning. Eight days later, those owners are subject to a $400 ticket. The city has issued 89 tickets ($35,600 worth of fines).

“We shouldn’t be in the business of babysitting people to mow their lawn,” Every said. “You know when your lawn is long and it’s pretty clear that it needs to be mowed. Really, this is all about being a good neighbor.

“There are also health issues associated at play. If weeds get to blooming stage there are people with allergies and things that can make them very sick.”

Every checks out 5-10 complaints a day, which have resulted in all those warnings, and it’s not something he’s excited about doing.

“The best thing that could happen is if we run ourselves right out of business – if everybody would comply,” Every said. “Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case.”