3 ms·

> but my local government prevents that They mandate you have a grass lawn?

tristor 4y ago
Yes, unfortunately, this is very common. I'm in South Texas (for a few more weeks before I move) and my municipal ordinance requires homes to have a grass lawn and for it to be maintained. No HOA here (main reason I bought this house). I pay a lawn service company monthly to manage it for me, because it's a huge pain otherwise due to the climate.
- legitster 4y ago
  Are you sure? Most places I have lived, the wording of the local ordinance says "IF you have a grass lawn, it must be maintained". I don't think many places would have issue with a nice xeriscaped native garden or even a cinder lawn.
  - tristor 4y ago
    Depends on the place, for sure. Where I currently reside, the town is named after a particular species of tree, and it was required when all the homes were built that each property had one of this species of tree on the property. You are obligated to both maintain that tree (or replace it if it dies) and to have a lawn, this is actually the ordinance here. I agree it's kind of ridiculous, but I also live in an area known for its onerous HOAs, and these ordinances are basically just a subset of that writ large, but without the worst of it. I'll still take this over living in an HOA.
  - phpisthebest 4y ago
    Even in cities that do not call out grass, combination of ordinances make grass the easiest and most economical, one could not replace it with say concrete. These are set in a variety of zoning, building, and maintenance ordinances For your "native garden" depending on your meaning could be banned because the city classifies all "unmaintained plants" to be weeds in violation of the ordinance. Various zoning and building codes outline ground coverings for run off, and flood control purposes. Then you have separate regulations about shrubs and trees, All of these combined make grass the easiest way to comply with the government even if the government does to implicitly require grass
    - legitster 4y ago
      Okay, but there's a difference in saying something is banned vs saying it is expensive/too much work.
      - phpisthebest 4y ago
        I disgree, at some point you have a functional ban even if you have not come right out and banned a thing If you put enough roadblocks, hurtles, etc in front of something it becomes a functional ban Case in point see the 2 most controversial subjects of today Abortion and Gun Rights, with each political side attempting functional bans with out actually "banning" the thing out right

Yes, unfortunately, this is very common. I'm in South Texas (for a few more weeks before I move) and my municipal ordinance requires homes to have a grass lawn and for it to be maintained. No HOA here (main reason I bought this house). I pay a lawn service company monthly to manage it for me, because it's a huge pain otherwise due to the climate.

legitster 4y ago
Are you sure? Most places I have lived, the wording of the local ordinance says "IF you have a grass lawn, it must be maintained". I don't think many places would have issue with a nice xeriscaped native garden or even a cinder lawn.
- tristor 4y ago
  Depends on the place, for sure. Where I currently reside, the town is named after a particular species of tree, and it was required when all the homes were built that each property had one of this species of tree on the property. You are obligated to both maintain that tree (or replace it if it dies) and to have a lawn, this is actually the ordinance here. I agree it's kind of ridiculous, but I also live in an area known for its onerous HOAs, and these ordinances are basically just a subset of that writ large, but without the worst of it. I'll still take this over living in an HOA.
- phpisthebest 4y ago
  Even in cities that do not call out grass, combination of ordinances make grass the easiest and most economical, one could not replace it with say concrete. These are set in a variety of zoning, building, and maintenance ordinances For your "native garden" depending on your meaning could be banned because the city classifies all "unmaintained plants" to be weeds in violation of the ordinance. Various zoning and building codes outline ground coverings for run off, and flood control purposes. Then you have separate regulations about shrubs and trees, All of these combined make grass the easiest way to comply with the government even if the government does to implicitly require grass
  - legitster 4y ago
    Okay, but there's a difference in saying something is banned vs saying it is expensive/too much work.
    - phpisthebest 4y ago
      I disgree, at some point you have a functional ban even if you have not come right out and banned a thing If you put enough roadblocks, hurtles, etc in front of something it becomes a functional ban Case in point see the 2 most controversial subjects of today Abortion and Gun Rights, with each political side attempting functional bans with out actually "banning" the thing out right