[Massplanners] mowing requirements

[ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com]

Corrin:

 

Does the general bylaw specify the yard must be a turf lawn all over? It must allow for interspersed “beds” of other plants. Could the beds simply be pollinator plants that are allowed to grow up? The grass in between would have to meet the standard though. This would look managed and intentional versus an entirely neglected overgrown yard.

 

Love the “lawn and order” quip.

 

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 10:19 AM
To: ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com
Cc: Kristina Johnson <kjohnson at townofhudson.org>; dmcknight at northreadingma.gov; Carolyn Britt <cjbritt at comcast.net>; Barbara Carboni <bcarboni at truro-ma.gov>; Nate Card <card24 at csld.edu>; Daniel Fortier <daniel.j.fortier at gmail.com>; massplanners at masscptc.org
Subject: Re: [Massplanners] mowing requirements

 

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 <mailto: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 <mailto:ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com> 

(413) 230-9693

 

 

From: Corrin Meise-Munns <cmeisemunns at longmeadow.org <mailto:cmeisemunns at longmeadow.org> > 
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2024 8:42 AM
To: Kristina Johnson <kjohnson at townofhudson.org <mailto:kjohnson at townofhudson.org> >; dmcknight at northreadingma.gov <mailto:dmcknight at northreadingma.gov> ; Carolyn Britt <cjbritt at comcast.net <mailto:cjbritt at comcast.net> >
Cc: Barbara Carboni <bcarboni at truro-ma.gov <mailto:bcarboni at truro-ma.gov> >; Nate Card <card24 at csld.edu <mailto:card24 at csld.edu> >; Jeff Lacy <ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com <mailto:ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com> >; Daniel Fortier <daniel.j.fortier at gmail.com <mailto:daniel.j.fortier at gmail.com> >; massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto: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 <mailto: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 <mailto: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 <mailto: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 <mailto:bcarboni at truro-ma.gov> >
Cc: Nate Card <card24 at csld.edu <mailto:card24 at csld.edu> >; massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto: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 <mailto: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 <mailto: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 <mailto:card24 at csld.edu> >
Cc: cmeisemunns at longmeadow.org <mailto:cmeisemunns at longmeadow.org> ; massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto: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 <mailto: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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