[Massplanners] mowing requirements

Mon Jul 15 10:19:29 EDT 2024

As in the original email, this *is* a general bylaw and the max height is
6".

In my original email, there was a separate question about a zoning bylaw
re: "unsightly personal property." But the question this conversation has
focused on is regarding a general bylaw. I mistyped in my last email
referencing zoning for the grass regulations.

Your suggestion re: temporal requirements of grass height has crossed my
mind, but again, pollinators and other wildlife benefit from "tall" grass
all season long, not just May. So while it would solve the "what about No
Mow May" problem, allowing tall grass until June wouldn't really be doing
that much good for environmental concerns, and also begs the question about
how often do we have to update this code as the campaign grows from No Mow
May to Low Mow Summer (catchier slogan needed!). That was really the gist
of my first question -- which communities have thought this through already
and have developed language that addresses these concerns while still
accommodating the voters who want "lawn and order."

Corrin

On Mon, Jul 15, 2024 at 10:10 AM <ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com>
wrote:

> Hi, Corrin:
>
>
>
> This sounds like it should be a general bylaw, not necessarily zoning.
> Curious, what IS the maximum height of turf grass specified?
>
>
>
> Maybe a more acceptable approach in “Long”meadow would be to require the
> height limit AFTER May. Everybody loves our pollinators, right?
>
>
>
> Jeff Lacy
>
> Rural Planning Associates
>
> 896 Graves Road
>
> Conway, MA 01341
>
> ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com
>
> (413) 230-9693
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Corrin Meise-Munns <cmeisemunns at longmeadow.org>
> *Sent:* Monday, July 15, 2024 8:42 AM
> *To:* Kristina Johnson <kjohnson at townofhudson.org>;
> dmcknight at northreadingma.gov; Carolyn Britt <cjbritt at comcast.net>
> *Cc:* Barbara Carboni <bcarboni at truro-ma.gov>; Nate Card <card24 at csld.edu>;
> Jeff Lacy <ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com>; Daniel Fortier <
> daniel.j.fortier at gmail.com>; massplanners at masscptc.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Massplanners] mowing requirements
>
>
>
> 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
>
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>
> --
>
> *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
>

-- 
*Corrin Meise-Munns* *(she/her)*
Assistant Town Manager / Director of Planning & Community Development
Town of Longmeadow, MA
(413) 565-4110
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