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Examples of city ordinances regarding native plantings_ Examples of city ordinances regarding native plantings: Minneapolis. Section 227.90 of the Code of Ordinances establishes a “right to install and maintain a managed natural landscape”, which is exempted from public nuisance regulations. Note that the ordinance applies to private parcels, not to boulevards, which do have height limits for vegetation. (a) In general……Except as part of a managed natural landscape as defined in this section, any weeds or grass growing upon any lot or parcel of land in the city to a greater height than eight (8) inches or which have gone or are about to go to seed are hereby declared to be a nuisance condition and dangerous to the health, safety and good order of the city. (b) Right to install and maintain a managed natural landscape. An owner, authorized agent, or authorized occupant of any privately owned lands or premises may, consistent with this subsection and all other applicable laws, statutes, rules and ordinances, install and maintain a managed natural landscape. (1) Definitions. Managed natural landscape means a planned, intentional and maintained planting of native or non-native grasses, wildflowers, forbs, ferns, shrubs or trees, including but not limited to rain gardens, meadow vegetation, and ornamental plantings. Meadow vegetation means grasses and flowering broad-leaf plants that are native to, or adapted to, the State of Minnesota, and that are commonly found in meadow and prairie plant communities, not including noxious weeds. Noxious weed shall have the meaning assigned by Minnesota Statutes, Section 18.77, Subd. 8. Ornamental plants means grasses, perennials, annuals and groundcovers purposefully planted for aesthetic reasons. Rain garden means a native plant garden that is designed not only to aesthetically improve properties, but also to reduce the amount of stormwater and accompanying pollutants from entering streams, lakes and rivers. Turf-grass lawn means a lawn comprised mostly of grasses common used in regularly cut lawns or play areas (such as but not limited to bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass blends), intended to be maintained at a height of no more than eight (8) inches. (2) Findings. The city council finds that the installation and maintenance of managed natural landscapes is beneficial to the city's environment and its residents and serves to further adopted city goals in that managed natural landscapes require fewer potentially harmful and costly inputs, improve stormwater retention, increase water quality and biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide habitat for wildlife such as birds, butterflies and other beneficial insects and species. (3) Requirements. a. Managed natural landscapes may include plants and grasses in excess of eight (8) inches in height and which have gone to seed, but may not include any noxious weeds and must be maintained so as to not include unintended vegetation. b. Managed natural landscapes may not include any plantings, which due to location and manner of growth constitute a hazard to the public or may cause injury or damage to persons or property when such growth is in violation of sections 244.1580 or 427.280. c. Managed natural landscapes shall not include turf-grass lawns left unattended for the purpose of returning to a natural state. Rochester. Rochester’s ordinance includes specific requirements for a landscape permit and for a management and maintenance plan for the transition period to the natural landscape. Intent: The City Council also determines that a variety of properly maintained landscapes in the City add diversity and a richness to the quality of life, and does not want to discourage the preservation, restoration and maintenance of diverse biologically stable natural plant communities or environmentally sound practices. The City Council finds that the establishment of native or naturalistic plant communities is an acceptable landscape treatment in the City. However, as a protection for the larger community, this change in vegetation must be properly planned, managed and maintained, and the length of transition period must be minimized or the property is likely to create a public nuisance. Definitions: Subd. 5. “Native and Naturalistic Vegetation” shall mean grasses and flowering broad-leaf plants that are native to, or adapted to, the State of Minnesota, and that are commonly found in meadow and prairie plant communities, except weeds. Subd. 6. “Native grasses” shall mean grasses (Beach Grass, Wood Chess Grass, Sand Reed Grass, Wheat Grass, Bluestem Grass, Grama Grass, Brome Grass, Buffalo Grass, Switch Grass, Indian Grass, Wild Rye)) that existed in the area prior to European settlement. Subd. 7. “Native plants” shall mean plants that existed in the area prior to European settlement. Subd. 8. “Natural landscaping” shall mean the use of groups of plants native to the area. Subd. 9. “Naturalistic landscaping” shall mean the use of native and nonnative plants. Subd. 10. “Noxious weeds” shall mean plants so designated by the Commissioner of Agriculture pursuant to Minnesota Statute, those identified by Olmsted County, or USDA-APHIS. Subd. 11. “Prairie” shall mean a plant community dominated by a diversity of native perennial herbaceous plants and grasses. Subd. 12. “Regularly cut” shall mean mowing or otherwise cutting vegetation so that the dimension of the vegetation measured from the ground to the top of the vegetation(as extended upright) regardless if that is the blade of the vegetation or any other part of the plant does not exceed 12 inches in height. Subd. 13. “Temporary Erosion Control Grasses” shall mean grasses (winter wheat, oats, annual rye or regreen) that are used as single growing season cover or nurse crops to assist in the establishment of permanent vegetation. Subd. 14. “Traditional landscaping” shall mean the use of turf grasses and woody plants (shrubbery and trees) with defined areas for cultivation of annual and perennial plants. Subd. 15. “Transitional period” shall mean the amount of time to change from one type of landscaping to another. The period should not extend three growing seasons for any specific area. Subd. 16. “Turf grasses” shall mean bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass blends with non-woody vegetation interspersed with them commonly used in regularly cut lawns. Subd. 17. “Weeds” shall mean prohibited noxious weeds as identified by the State of Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Olmsted County, or USDAAPHIS and any undesirable or troublesome plant that is horticulturally out of place exceeding the height limitations in this chapter. For the purposes of this ordinance, Taraxacum spp (common dandelion) is not considered a weed. Exemption from nuisance regulation: Maintained and weeded prairie, or natural/naturalistic landscape vegetation that does not contain noxious weed growth provided that the property owner applies for and is issued a natural or naturalistic landscape permit, and maintains the property in a condition sufficient to maintain the permit. Permit requirements: 48.05. Natural or Naturalistic Landscape Permits. Natural or Naturalistic Landscape Permits are required if a proposed landscape includes grasses that exceed or are expected to exceed 12 inches in overall height. Permit applications shall be submitted to the Park Department. 48.06. Contents of Natural or Naturalistic Landscape Permit Application. The applications shall contain: A. The name and address of the applicant and the legal description of the property being permitted; B. A site plan for the area sought to be permitted. The scale of plan should be 1”=30’ and include all adjacent properties and public streets and alleys; C. A general description of the vegetation types, plants and plant succession to be used; and D. A specific management and maintenance plan which shall include: (1) The estimated transition period; (2) The elimination of non-native or invasive vegetation; (3) The replanting of the area by transplant or seeded by human or mechanical means; (4) The maintenance of the area to a height of 12 inches or less if weeds cover more than 25% of the landscaped area equaling in excess of 144 square feet; (5) The maintenance of all non-woody vegetation/grasses located in a buffer strip with a minimum distance of four feet from side and rear lot lines is to a height of 12 inches or less unless the adjacent property owner has consented in writing that the buffer strip is not required, a copy of which is filed with the permit application; and (6) Maintenance of all vegetation within 18 inches of any public street, walk, bikeway or alley to a height of 12 inches or less. 48.07. Issuance of Natural or Naturalistic Landscape Permit. The Park Department shall determine the completeness of the application and shall issue the Natural or Naturalistic Landscape Permit unless: A. The management and maintenance plan is incomplete or inconsistent with the application requirements; or B. The transition period for the area is longer than three growing seasons.