5 ms·

I noticed the last couple seasons that certain parts of the lawn by the curb were really active with pollinating bees. I stopped mowing that area, much to the

I noticed the last couple seasons that certain parts of the lawn by the curb were really active with pollinating bees. I stopped mowing that area, much to the chagrin of the city who warned me (there’s a blue law it must be shorter than 10 inches). So now, I don’t mow that part until they warn me, then I’ll trim it with a weed trimmer but leave some clusters here and there.

chockchocschoir 5y ago
I don't live in the US nor speak English natively, but are you referring to neighbors around you as "the city"? And what does "blue law" mean in this context, as it seems to mean "Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, Sunday trade laws and Sunday closing laws, are laws restricting or banning certain activities on specified days, usually Sundays in the western world." but that doesn't fit the context. It can't actually be illegal for you to not cut your grass at your property right?
- binarymax 5y ago
  Hard to believe, but it is real: https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589936029 https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589936029 I’ve lived in this house for 5 years now, and the first time it happened I couldn’t believe it myself. You are right in that I incorrectly referred to it as a “blue law”. But it is an ordinance.
  - masklinn 5y ago
    > You are right in that I incorrectly referred to it as a “blue law”. But it is an ordinance. Mayhaps the mis-reference was due to most cool-season lawns being buegrasses?
  - driverdan 5y ago
    If you live in the city they will eventually come and mow it for you. The fines and fees will be added to your taxes. I had it happen to me when I owned a house in Rochester.
  - wrycoder 5y ago
    Think of it as a “bluenose” law, intended to protect their right-thinking sensibilities.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- jeromegv 5y ago
  Many cities in canada and US have laws that force you to cut your lawn. It is pure insanity but America has a weird fixation with lawn. Good article / podcast on it https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/lawn-order/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/lawn-order/
  - masklinn 5y ago
    > It is pure insanity but America has a weird fixation with lawn. It's classism. The entire point of requiring large setbacks with front lawns is to discriminate for homeowners who can afford to maintain a large completely useless surface.
    - kache_ 5y ago
      Or maybe, not everything is about power, and nicely tended to lawns look nice enough to the majority of the neighborhood families, such that they want that enforcement
      - sha256sum 5y ago
        Enforcement of private property through majority rule sure sounds like power to me
        rootusrootus 5y ago
        Sounds like democracy. Neighborhoods with enforcement voted for it. If you've ever lived somewhere with 'that one guy' who completely flouts the norms in all regards, it's easy to see how people decide to enact regulations. I lived in such a place, and the whole neighborhood had to live with his stinky, half-burned shade-tree mechanic operation with junked cars and chemicals everywhere for years before he could be forced out. He didn't even live there, he had a house somewhere else. What finally pushed the city into acting was when we were able to document rats. After serious cleaning (including hauling away truckloads of contaminated dirt) there's a nice little house on the old lot that matches the rest of the neighborhood, and we can forget what a jackass Verl was.
- rand_5738 5y ago
  It’s actually illegal in some areas. Tall grass is considered by some to be a public health issue, as it’s more likely to be home to rodents and snakes.
  - lazide 5y ago
    Also certain kinds of nasty insects like ticks, chiggers, no-see ‘ums, etc.
- social_quotient 5y ago
  Yes not only the city but if you have an HOA in your neighborhood you will/could get in trouble. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeowner_association https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeowner_association Another fun read of you are not familiar https://www.yellowstonelandscape.com/blog/most-common-hoa-landscaping-gardening-policies-why-matter-your-community?hs_amp=true https://www.yellowstonelandscape.com/blog/most-common-hoa-la...
- yial 5y ago
  I don’t know where OP lives, but inside of the town where I live (the Borough) there is an ordinance about grass height. You get 1 warning per season, with 7 days to rectify it. After that any violations become a $50 per day fine. (With no additional warnings)
- Kluny 5y ago
  They might have mispelled "bylaw" which is a municipal ordinance with legally binding power, but only on a local level.
softwaredoug 5y ago
I think generally I want to keep much of my lawn unmowed. But the large number of ticks and kids / pets that wander through, make me somewhat hesitant. I think I'll compromise on leaving an area unmowed and if anyone complains I will put a border around it and call it a "pollinator garden"
- worik 5y ago
  Less regular mowing will encourage the flowers. In my experience (I am at 45°45′S 170°34′E in the South Pacific/Southern Ocean area) the lawn flowers do not mind being mowed. It seems to encourage them if you mow like I do (a bit irregularly, when it looks too long) they seem to thrive. I am really pleased to see this article. (I have only read the abstract) It matches my experience.

chockchocschoir 5y ago

I don't live in the US nor speak English natively, but are you referring to neighbors around you as "the city"? And what does "blue law" mean in this context, as it seems to mean "Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, Sunday trade laws and Sunday closing laws, are laws restricting or banning certain activities on specified days, usually Sundays in the western world." but that doesn't fit the context. It can't actually be illegal for you to not cut your grass at your property right?

binarymax 5y ago
Hard to believe, but it is real: https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589936029 https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589936029 I’ve lived in this house for 5 years now, and the first time it happened I couldn’t believe it myself. You are right in that I incorrectly referred to it as a “blue law”. But it is an ordinance.
- masklinn 5y ago
  > You are right in that I incorrectly referred to it as a “blue law”. But it is an ordinance. Mayhaps the mis-reference was due to most cool-season lawns being buegrasses?
- driverdan 5y ago
  If you live in the city they will eventually come and mow it for you. The fines and fees will be added to your taxes. I had it happen to me when I owned a house in Rochester.
- wrycoder 5y ago
  Think of it as a “bluenose” law, intended to protect their right-thinking sensibilities.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
jeromegv 5y ago
Many cities in canada and US have laws that force you to cut your lawn. It is pure insanity but America has a weird fixation with lawn. Good article / podcast on it https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/lawn-order/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/lawn-order/
- masklinn 5y ago
  > It is pure insanity but America has a weird fixation with lawn. It's classism. The entire point of requiring large setbacks with front lawns is to discriminate for homeowners who can afford to maintain a large completely useless surface.
  - kache_ 5y ago
    Or maybe, not everything is about power, and nicely tended to lawns look nice enough to the majority of the neighborhood families, such that they want that enforcement
    - sha256sum 5y ago
      Enforcement of private property through majority rule sure sounds like power to me
      - rootusrootus 5y ago
        Sounds like democracy. Neighborhoods with enforcement voted for it. If you've ever lived somewhere with 'that one guy' who completely flouts the norms in all regards, it's easy to see how people decide to enact regulations. I lived in such a place, and the whole neighborhood had to live with his stinky, half-burned shade-tree mechanic operation with junked cars and chemicals everywhere for years before he could be forced out. He didn't even live there, he had a house somewhere else. What finally pushed the city into acting was when we were able to document rats. After serious cleaning (including hauling away truckloads of contaminated dirt) there's a nice little house on the old lot that matches the rest of the neighborhood, and we can forget what a jackass Verl was.
rand_5738 5y ago
It’s actually illegal in some areas. Tall grass is considered by some to be a public health issue, as it’s more likely to be home to rodents and snakes.
- lazide 5y ago
  Also certain kinds of nasty insects like ticks, chiggers, no-see ‘ums, etc.
social_quotient 5y ago
Yes not only the city but if you have an HOA in your neighborhood you will/could get in trouble. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeowner_association https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeowner_association Another fun read of you are not familiar https://www.yellowstonelandscape.com/blog/most-common-hoa-landscaping-gardening-policies-why-matter-your-community?hs_amp=true https://www.yellowstonelandscape.com/blog/most-common-hoa-la...
yial 5y ago
I don’t know where OP lives, but inside of the town where I live (the Borough) there is an ordinance about grass height. You get 1 warning per season, with 7 days to rectify it. After that any violations become a $50 per day fine. (With no additional warnings)
Kluny 5y ago
They might have mispelled "bylaw" which is a municipal ordinance with legally binding power, but only on a local level.

softwaredoug 5y ago

I think generally I want to keep much of my lawn unmowed. But the large number of ticks and kids / pets that wander through, make me somewhat hesitant. I think I'll compromise on leaving an area unmowed and if anyone complains I will put a border around it and call it a "pollinator garden"

worik 5y ago
Less regular mowing will encourage the flowers. In my experience (I am at 45°45′S 170°34′E in the South Pacific/Southern Ocean area) the lawn flowers do not mind being mowed. It seems to encourage them if you mow like I do (a bit irregularly, when it looks too long) they seem to thrive. I am really pleased to see this article. (I have only read the abstract) It matches my experience.