[Massplanners] mowing requirements

Mon Jul 15 08:41:48 EDT 2024

Hi all,

Thanks for the robust conversation. I was on vacation last week and am back
reviewing responses now. Firstly, I want to clarify that Longmeadow
*already* has these regulations in place -- I am trying to find ways to
rewrite and amend them to accommodate the sentiments I am seeing that I
share with many of you, while making my Code Enforcement's team job easier
and more defensible. To Danielle McKnight's point, I am sure no one who is
passingly familiar with our town is surprised that this is an issue in
Longmeadow, and that residents here seemingly want the Town to enforce
aesthetic regulations such as lawn height requirements. Danielle -- I was
almost blushing when I sent the original question to the listserv!

For what it's worth, Longmeadow did pass an outdoor water use bylaw last
year that was meant to address excessive irrigation of lawns, which is
reducing our ability to respond to fires due to drops in volume and
pressure in our water tower. It was a huge controversy at Town Meeting and
it was essentially stripped to a barebones shell before it passed.
According to DEP, Longmeadow is the #2 per capita water user in all of
Massachusetts -- largely due to our huge lawn sizes and irrigation. So,
Longmeadow loves its lawns.

It's sounding to me like this is something that many MA communities haven't
dealt with in their zoning code (unsurprising). Since some people seem
interested, I will share any best practices I discover regarding sensible
and environmentally friendly regulations around lawn conversations and
grass height.

Best,
Corrin

On Fri, Jul 5, 2024 at 10:05 AM Kristina Johnson <kjohnson at townofhudson.org>
wrote:

> Hello and Happy 4th,
>
>
>
> I’m with Jeff and some of the others.
>
>
>
> I believe what is being proposed (as I understand it) is a bit of
> overreach here, and not sure is the best use of enforcement authority to
> protect the health, safety and welfare of the community.  The basic
> enforcement of zoning, codes, noise by-laws, etc. is tough enough as it is
> for local officials, and then you want to add enforcing “lawn height” to
> the mix. Although valid in its intent, it would be impractical in its
> enforcement. Could you even imagine the civil disputes between neighbors
> that local officials would have to mediate? That already plays out now here
> with warring neighbors tattling on each other, and then sending us, the
> local government, videos and copies of social media diatribes and expect us
> to resolve disputes.
>
>
>
> Private homeowner associations have a lot authority over what can
> transpire on private property within their respective communities, like the
> “no hanging laundry outside” types of restrictions. Those too spillover to
> the local government, but at least we can peace out of most disputes as we
> do not enforce homeowners associations’ rules and regulations.
>
>
>
> Thank you for reading my TED Talk.
>
>
>
> *Kristina Johnson**,* *AICP*
>
> Director of Planning and Community Development
>
> Town of Hudson, Massachusetts
>
> 978-562-2989
>
> kjohnson at townofhudson.org
>
> ****New Town Hall Hours****
>
> Monday, Wednesday, Thursday:  8AM-4:30PM
>
> Tuesday: 8:00AM- 6:30PM
>
> Friday: 8:00AM-Noon
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> *On Behalf Of *Corrin
> Meise-Munns via MassPlanners
> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 3, 2024 4:00 PM
> *To:* Barbara Carboni <bcarboni at truro-ma.gov>
> *Cc:* Nate Card <card24 at csld.edu>; massplanners at masscptc.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Massplanners] mowing requirements
>
>
>
> Love the support. Come and speak at my Town Meeting :)
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 3:57 PM Barbara Carboni <bcarboni at truro-ma.gov>
> wrote:
>
> I’m with Jeff, on grounds of both property rights and pollinators.
>
> No retreat; no surrender; no forced mowing.
>
>
>
> Barbara Carboni  AICP  MCPPO
>
> Truro Town Planner and Land Use Counsel
>
> (508) 214 0928
>
>
>
> *From:* MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> *On Behalf Of *Jeff
> Lacy via MassPlanners
> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 3, 2024 3:41 PM
> *To:* Nate Card <card24 at csld.edu>
> *Cc:* cmeisemunns at longmeadow.org; massplanners at masscptc.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Massplanners] mowing requirements
>
>
>
> Are we talking about private property? A homeowner’s little patch of the
> earth? I can’t see any legitimate role for government here, especially if
> the only complaint is appearance.
>
> Jeff Lacy
>
> Rural Planning Associates
>
> (413) 230-9693
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
>
> On Jul 3, 2024, at 3:18 PM, Nate Card via MassPlanners <
> massplanners at masscptc.org> wrote:
>
> 
>
> I don't know what it would look like, nor of any precedents (as far as
> regulations go) but I suspect you could establish an approved ratio of
> mowed to un-mowed lawn, essentially requiring some degree of cues-to-care,
> like mowed borders or pathways. Or perhaps waivers to the current
> regulations could be issued for households submitting a plan for some level
> of lawn conversion, to promote long-term pollinator support.
>
>
>
> *Nathanael Card *
>
> M.S. Ecological Design, 2024
>
> The Conway School, Northampton, MA
>
> --
> MassPlanners mailing list
> MassPlanners at masscptc.org
> http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org
> <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fmasscptc.org%2fmailman%2flistinfo%2fmassplanners_masscptc.org&c=E,1,suIUzhd8GnaDVvAJl4QRw35S61vst3cxYovLT4srEOnmtjz3S4yWMhNjT32v0xMUQlLpLnN6OH0_dJXqjgEy5nVfrNv1rNu7zREU58Jo6RDWZjRziN-2-hIQwZ3i&typo=1>
>
> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not
> click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know
> the content is safe.
>
> This communication may contain privileged or other confidential
> information. If you are not the intended recipient, or believe that you
> have received this communication in error, please do not print, copy,
> retransmit, disseminate, or otherwise use the information. Also, please
> indicate that to the sender and delete the copy you received. When writing
> or responding, please remember that the Secretary of State’s Office has
> determined that email is a public record. Please take notice: All e-mail
> communications sent or received by persons using the Town of Truro network
> may be subject to disclosure under the Massachusetts Public Records Law
> (M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10) and the Federal Freedom of Information Act
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> *Corrin Meise-Munns* *(she/her)*
>
> Assistant Town Manager / Director of Planning & Community Development
>
> Town of Longmeadow, MA
>
> (413) 565-4110
>

-- 
*Corrin Meise-Munns* *(she/her)*
Assistant Town Manager / Director of Planning & Community Development
Town of Longmeadow, MA
(413) 565-4110
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://masscptc.org/pipermail/massplanners_masscptc.org/attachments/20240715/e855775f/attachment.htm>