Law enforcement and the lawn - the next installment

Haven't enough local governments been embarrassed by news stories ridiculing their enforcement of outdated weed control laws?  For the powers that be in Lansdale, PA, I guess not.

Thanks to Siobhan Nehin for the tip.

Comments

[Kitt]

Most cities do have weed-control ordinances and they're sensible if they specify that weeds shouldn't get over a certain height. You do want to control invasive species before they can go to seed, not to mention maintain property values.

But if the lawn they showed was the one being cited, it does seem like they're going a bit overboard. It just looked unkempt, not entirely neglected or abandoned. I'd be curious to know what their ordinance actually says about grass and weed heights.

[SJ]

This person could be elderly, disabled or an overwhelmed homeowner.

Where are the neighbors - this is supposed to be a community, like no one can go over and lend a friendly hand or have a friendly chat with homeowner it has to go to court instead? Really.

My husband and I, on occasion, have helped out our neighbor on yard chores (when the landscaping gets out of hand) when she's been out of town and her kids won't help out. Beats complaining about it.

[Rosella]

I don't know what the situation is in this property, but in some of the areas around here that have been hit hard by the foreclosure mess there are many problems with uncut grass, weeds, etc. The banks foreclose on the homes, or the homeowners walk away, and the property is left uncared-for. I believe that some jurisdictions have had to establish funds for mowing, trimming, etc., so that whole neighbourhoods don't go to pot and affect values for everyone.

[Gail]

How sad and ironic at a time when this country is too dependent upon petroleum and experiencing water shortages, that municipalities want you to mow more!

[Old Kim]

This must be an area of low crime and overstaffed local government. The community would be better off firing the dummies and voting for officials with more common sense.

[Barbara]

Come on, Anita, that lawn is long-over a week tall!

Since you had a week-long vacation, spending money is not the issue and you don't look frail. Get out there with a push mower, Anita! If you had just owned up to it and paid the initial fine, you wouldn't be in this self-created mess.

I'm on the Town's side! The law was known and she chose to ignore it. No sympathy. Maybe fines should go towards a "borrow a push mower" fund for the Town.

[luise h.]

Sure would'nt want that mess next door to me.It's not like it's a Wildflower Meadow,it's weedy,overgrown Lawn.All those weedseeds will spread to the neighbors.No thanks!Guess they should mow before they go on Vacation.The Township is doing what they are supposed to,protect Property values and keep down Rodent infestations.If she would live out in the Country she would have more freedom with the use of her property,in town rules and Laws are to protect everyone.

[Carolyn]

On my one-block street three homeowners have replaced their front lawns with crushed rock, one has replaced the lawn with a Mediterranean/southwest combo style, and I have a drought-tolerant cottage-style garden instead of lawn, with xeric plantings in the curb strips. One other neighbor just forgets the whole watering thing and mows his weeds a couple of times a year. Every year I get a letter from the city citing complaints from my neighbors about my "weeds" with a deadline for dealing with it, or face a stiff fine and threats that the city will bring in a crew and charge me for the cleanup. If the timing is right everything will then start to bloom. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to confess that I let my backyard become an overgrown and grass meadow before I mow, and that may be what is bugging my neighbors, one of whom stands on a ladder to see over my 6-ft tall fence.
You can see my horrible front yard, the one visibly offensive to all, on the posted link.
Bye, gotta go pull weeds now.