最新杏吧原创

Republican Councilman Dennis Hancock, of Fenton, said county inspectors complained to him recently, saying the law 鈥� intended to protect environmentally beneficial gardens 鈥� stops them from mowing overgrown, neglected lawns full of weeds.

The county public works director said Hancock misunderstood the inspectors鈥� complaints.

鈥淭he concern was related to the need for additional training on noxious and invasive plants, as opposed to problems with the enforcement of the existing ordinance,鈥� Stephanie Leon Streeter wrote in a letter dated Tuesday asking Hancock to reconsider.

And local conservationists said repealing the law, which permits 鈥渢he planting and maintenance of planned natural landscaping,鈥� is a step backward in supporting pollinators, sequestering carbon and managing water. Training is key to recognizing a native landscape, said Jean Ponzi, a manager for the EarthWays Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

鈥淚f you don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e looking for, how can you evaluate an intentional landscape versus someone who just isn鈥檛 keeping up their place?鈥� said Ponzi, adding that she鈥檇 be happy to provide training to inspectors.

Hancock said he has received a couple calls per week since the beginning of spring from constituents complaining about their neighbors鈥� overgrown yards. They鈥檙e not native gardeners, just people who 鈥渄on鈥檛 want to cut the grass,鈥� Hancock said. When homeowners complained to the county, code enforcers told them there was nothing they could do, Hancock said.

Terry and Sharon Ratliff are among homeowners who have complained to Hancock. The Ratliffs say their neighbor in their South County cul-de-sac lets his lawn grow uncontrolled for weeks at a time. The neighbor isn鈥檛 using the native plant law as an excuse, and the county has forced him to mow. But they鈥檇 like to see the county regularly mow the neighbor鈥檚 yard.

鈥淐learly, this guy is not going to do anything until he鈥檚 forced to do it,鈥� said Terry Ratliff. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 something that prevents them from mowing it, then I鈥檓 all for changing that.鈥�

Last month, Hancock met with three county inspectors. They were unequivocal, Hancock said: Repealing the law would help them enforce weed ordinances.

鈥淚t was just a well-intentioned bill that maybe had unintended consequences,鈥� said Hancock, who voted for the law when it came before the council last year.

The County Council passed the law in May last year. It changed the county鈥檚 noxious weed ordinance to allow for native plants that exceed the county鈥檚 former 8-inch height allowance. The revised ordinance clarified that native, environmentally beneficial gardens are protected under county law.

It also preserved the county鈥檚 ability to remove vegetation when it poses a public safety threat 鈥� such as if it juts out into a road or sidewalk 鈥� and if invasive plants or noxious weeds infiltrate a native garden. The law also mandates native gardens be at least five feet from a neighbor鈥檚 property.

The law only applies in unincorporated 最新杏吧原创 County, not in municipalities. Some communities here, including Creve Coeur and Kirkwood, already have similar ordinances.

Leon Streeter, the county public works director, said she wants to provide training to county inspectors on recognizing native landscapes.

鈥淲ith sufficient training, it should be obvious when a property has a managed natural landscape with native grasses and flower broad leaf plants,鈥� Leon Streeter wrote in her letter to the council.

At Tuesday night鈥檚 meeting, Hancock moved to advance the . Democratic Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, of Maplewood, asked him to consider holding off.

鈥淚 would actually suggest we take (Leon Streeter) up on those offers to have some collaboration and conversations with the department before we move forward on this,鈥� said Clancy, who鈥檚 part of Cool Cities STL, a group of elected officials advocating for environmentalism.

Democratic Councilwoman Shalonda Webb said she has heard complaints from constituents about overgrown lawns in her North County district.

鈥淪omeone in my community asked, 鈥楬ow come you all can鈥檛 just cut it down?鈥欌�� Webb said. 鈥淭his legislation prevents them from being able to just cut it down.鈥�

Only Clancy voted against advancing the bill. It could come up for a final vote as soon as Tuesday.

Jamie Hasemeier, a Webster Groves City Council member and chair of Cool Cities STL, said she hopes Hancock reconsiders before the next meeting.

鈥淚t feels like throwing the baby out with the bathwater,鈥� Hasemeier said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 iron out the wrinkles that are perhaps making people upset, or where there鈥檚 a lack of understanding.鈥�

Hancock said Wednesday he would consider other ideas if any come forward, such as tweaking the law to empower the county to deal with nuisance yards.

鈥淏ut I haven鈥檛 heard that yet,鈥� Hancock said.