September 9, 2009

City bans tall grass

A new city law bars most property owners from allowing their grass to grow higher than eight inches.
The ordinance, approved unanimously by city councilors this week, calls for the city to give property owners who violate the statute 10 days to mow their lawns or else a city-hired contractor will do it for them.
The property owner would have to pick up the tab, officials said.
The new law aims “to deal with tall grass,” said city Councilor Craig Minor, who chairs the Ordinance Committee.
It bars most property owners – farmers are one exception – from allowing grass or weeds to stretch more than eight inches toward the sky An exception is made for ornamental grasses used in gardens.
City Councilor Ken Cockayne said the law is “a great idea” but expressed concern that allowing ornamental grasses and weeds could wind up vexing enforcers.
Building Official Guy Morin, who is responsible for issuing warnings, said he’s not concerned about the exception for gardeners.
“We can tell the difference” between high, weedy lawns and gardens, Morin said.
Morin said the city opted not to impose fines for violators because its goal is simply to make sure people cut their grass.
City Councilor Mike Rimouski said he’s glad to see a crackdown in the offing.
Rimcoski complained about some tall grass mixed with garbage near the corner of Route 6 and North Main Street.
"That place is really to pot -- and I don't mean the kind that you smoke," he said.
Tall grass laws can be problematic.
Though many homeowners accept the logic of Frank Scott, an early landscape architect who once insisted “a smooth closely shaven surface is by far the most essential element of beauty on the grounds of a suburban house,” some have adopted later arguments by environmentalists who are pushing for more natural yards.
A 1993 John Marshall Law Review article took a stand in favor of those pushing for a more environmentally friendly approach.
It argued that local weed laws serve “to protect and proliferate exotic mono-turf” that are “the most obvious example of humankind’s disregard for nature.”
Localities that have taken a more eco-friendly route tend to refrain from passing laws dictating grass height or allow bigger exceptions for homeowners who are trying to have yards that fit their climate and natural culture, according to the law review piece.
Those who favor height restrictions mostly due so for the same reason that blight laws exist, because overgrown, unsightly yards tend to detract from nearby property values and can contribute to undermining neighborhoods.
Bristol used to have a law requiring that grass be cut, but it was accidentally knocked out of the statute book during a revision of blight and code enforcement laws a few years ago.
During a discussion of the issue in committee last year, Rimcoski asked his colleagues, "Did you know that bamboo is classified as grass?"
"And marijuana is not," responded Minor. "Go figure."

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does this include property also?

What about weeds?

Doesn't the city own virtually all tree borders?

Start with North Pond street!

Anonymous said...

I think Minor smokes weed or did last night.

Anonymous said...

Let's hope the city follows its own rules on the property it owns.

Anonymous said...

CITY HAS TO FIND WORK FOR DEPT HEADS. TO MUCH TIME ON THERE HANDS. JUST STOP IN CITY HALL LOOK AROUND.

Anonymous said...

Tree borders are the responsibility of the homeowner and is part of the ordinance, from my understanding. Weeds are also included as part of the tall grass. It's about time we had an ordinance like this because I'm tired of seeing tall grass especially on those houses where it's owned by landlords who aren't around. Another positive for code enforcement.

Anonymous said...

WASTE OF TIME. MR MORIN TRYING TO LOOK GOOD AFTER THE BIG COVER UP. HOW DID THAT SETTLE WITHOUT A DISCIPLINE. MUST BE INNERCIRCLE CRONIE.

Anonymous said...

James P.Casey, Maple, Burlington Ave---Nelson Field.

Church on School Street

Anonymous said...

The schools will definitely be in trouble on this one starting next June.

Anonymous said...

7:31

Big cover up.
What happened?

Anonymous said...

How about Jonathans Industrial Park??

An absolute disgrace (not surprising).

Lets get on the stick Artie!!!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Mayor, how about the corner of Woodland and Oakland?

Next call is to Mary A.

NOT mine said...

So much for Bristol becoming Eco-Friendly .

Screw the environment ..... let's all put some lipstick on that pig know as Bristol .

Anonymous said...

Screw the grass it's almost fall and the leave are getting ready to fall....i have one small tree in my yard and get all the leaves from rockwell park..(about 25 bags a year) the parks dept. wait's till mid december to cleanup the park so i get'em everytime the wind blows!!! Mr. Mayor maybe i should charge you for my late fall cleanup!!! can't believe the city is worried about tall grass when summer is just about over...

Anonymous said...

Heck, if Not Mine can put an ass in front of the keyboard...why not slap a little lipstick on our pig! Now that's what I call eco friendly!!! ;0)

Anonymous said...

SCREW THE GRASS. LETS START THE LAYOFFS.

Anonymous said...

yet again, bristol tackles the tough issues plaguing the city...

Anonymous said...

Where are the Republicans on all this?

Anonymous said...

This whole issue must be some kind of joke right? Come on......come on......Not a joke? Then we are in trouble here is Bristol when this becomes a topic that the Council even entertains.

Anonymous said...

No one us going to enforce the grass code on home oweners.they never enforced the blight code Morin fell down on the blight code.he has cases going back two or three years and never followed up.

Anonymous said...

121 Federal Street.

Take a look at it.

Anonymous said...

Bring back Couture!

Anonymous said...

The Ordinance Committee (Minor and McCauley) wants to send Public Works crews out on overtime pay to cut the grass of jerks who refuse to mow their lawns, and send them the bill.

But Glen Klocko (Bristol's City Manager) has told Ward not to do this, which must have been music to Ward's ears: thwart McCauley's efforts to clean up Bristol and screw public works employees out of the few bucks they could have made at no expense to the taxpayers, all by doing nothing. A three-fer!!!

Anonymous said...

Ward and Kloko: WHAT A PAIR!!!!

Anonymous said...

What about the empty lot on the corner of North Street and North Main Street. That has not been mowed once this year and ONLY once last year. They also never shovel the sidewalks there. The poor kids have to walk through the snow and ice to go to school in the winter.

Anonymous said...

1:06

Guess we are stuck with them.

Anonymous said...

Why not put a huge orange sign on any property that is in violation, with the name of the owner clearly displayed?

If being listed by a Real Estate Co., people should take notice ofthem too!

Anonymous said...

Property on Route 6 and N. Main owned by friend of Rosenthal.

Anonymous said...

Morin should have been fired. But hes friends with art and diane f. PLEASE look into the facts you will be in for a shock.

Anonymous said...

Art Diane and Morin are best of friends. No wrong can be done.

Anonymous said...

They all need each other to survive, while we bear the brunt of their ineptness.

Anonymous said...

How are we going to hide the snake in the grass?

Anonymous said...

12:41, Don't worry, they only need to keep it shorter than 8 inches. You should be safe!

Anonymous said...

Plant CORN!! They can't make you cut that.

Anonymous said...

Stevens Street: Western end, North side.

About two blocks from the mayors house.

Anonymous said...

If the city bans tall grass where are the cowardly republicans going to hide?

Anonymous said...

Is this not an unfunded mandate on the part of the city?

Anonymous said...

Rode by the Industrial Park.
Nothing that Bristol can be proud of.