Columbia Nuisances attributable to neighboring property ordinance (§ 11-245)
Chapter 11: Health and Sanitation · Article VII. Nuisances
In short: If a nuisance is partly caused by activity on neighboring property, abatement costs are split among those parcels by the share of damage each caused. Except in emergencies, a property can't be charged unless its owner was served an abatement notice, and owners get the same hearing and appeal rights.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
If any nuisance abated by the director was caused in whole or in part by activities on neighboring property, the cost of abating the nuisance shall be assessed against each parcel of such neighboring property in proportion to the amount of damage attributable to each such parcel. Except in the case of an emergency abatement, however, no property shall be assessed unless an owner of the property was served with an abatement notice. The owner of such property shall be entitled to the same hearing and appeal rights as the owner of property on which a nuisance is alleged to exist.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 11-245
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.