[Massplanners] mowing requirements

Thu Jul 18 12:16:21 EDT 2024

>From Capital Region Planning Commission (Madison Wisconsin) demonstration
of various vegetation surfaces and runoff. Native outperforms all others.
Argument for less lawn and more natural, unmowed, yards.

https://youtu.be/TRFsi_ACqcY?si=6mBHGtitjsY7pNs4

Daniel Fortier, AICP Retired Planner

On Mon, Jul 15, 2024, 9:39 AM <ruralplanningassociates at crocker.com> wrote:

> 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>
> 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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