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Comment by graemep

9 hours ago

I think legal requirements are a US thing. I had only heard of it in HOA run places though.

Here in the UK there are no usually legal requirements, but it might be a social problem as your neighbours will not like it.

9 comments

graemep

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quickthrowman  12 minutes ago

There are municipalities in the US with lawn ordinances, mine has one.

> Tall Grass and Weeds

> Weeds or grass more than eight inches high or that have gone to seed must be cut or mowed. Noxious weeds, as defined by the state Department of Agriculture, must be controlled or destroyed completely.

Source: https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/safety-inspections/rent-b...

A lawn is not required, but if you have one, the grass must be cut if it seeds or is more than 8” long.

voakbasda  7 hours ago

Not just HOAs. Talk grass allows insects and vermin to move more freely. In cities, this contributes to their spread, so some places have city-wide ordinances that require lawn maintenance.

  • nsvd2  6 hours ago

    How terrifying that a bit of nature may be near a person! Better cover it with roundup so they don't have to suffer the horror of seeing a spider

    • FuriouslyAdrift  6 hours ago

      Rat and mice infestations are not fun. I have had enough trouble dealing with my pollinator and monarch butterfly habitats and mice. I actually TRY to get rabbits and squirrels but mice go after their babies.

    • quickthrowman  8 minutes ago

      Most city code about lawns mandates cutting them if you have one. If you don’t want to maintain a lawn by keeping it trimmed, rip it out. It’s a non-native monoculture, allowing it to grow un-maintained is uh, stupid. Rip the sod out and plant clover, problem solved.

      My city also requires “noxious weeds” to be removed, which is a state requirement that the city inherited/adopted: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/minnesota-noxious-weed-list It’s comprised of invasive species like Japanese knotweed and buckthorn and others I am unfamiliar with.

      That being said, city code in my city would allow you to replace a grass law with clover or native plants/grasses or landscaping or wooded areas, etc. The code simply says “If you have a grass lawn you must cut it if the grass generates seeds or is 8” long.”

    • horsawlarway  6 hours ago

      I mean, I get it - I somewhat agree with your take, but this is somewhat of a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" case.

      I think you undermine your argument when you don't understand the complaint. Because I'd also like to see a lot more native plants, and less manicured, mono-culture yards with poison sprayed all over them.

      But at least in my area, the problem isn't "oh look a spider"... it's "oh shit, that house is collapsing because of termites", and "Oh shit, my neighbor's mom's house just burned down because rats chewed through the wiring in the walls", and "Fuck me! That's hogweed growing in that yard! Time to call the city".

      Pests are a real concern - they cause lots of monetary damage, and can seriously injure or hurt people if not monitored. Does that mean we should nuke everything with chemicals and make a sterile hellscape? No - I don't think it does.

      But it doesn't pay to be dismissive either.

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