[RP TownTalk] Changes to Lawn height code

[Euniverz at aol.com]

Hope you all don't mind, but I"m reposting this out of concern that it got  
buried in the illegal immigration debate, and I'm also sending it to each  
councilmember as well .....
Thanks, Adrianne
 
 
Hi Everybody....
 
Maybe I'm the last to know, but it's my understanding that the council is  
considering reducing the height your lawn can be before you are cited from 
the  current 10" to 6" or 8", depending on which councilman you ask.
 
I understand that we are trying to keep things tidy around here, but I  
don't think reducing the maximum height of one's lawn before you get cited is  
the way.  I believe the amount of time you get to abate the situation (once  
you've been cited for a too-long lawn) has been reduced, and that, I  
believe, is the way to promote that tidyness we are all looking for.
 
Here's why I think the code for grass height should remain as it is, at  
10".  Even when I mow my grass, I mow at the highest setting  (~4")because 
cutting too short is not healthy for the lawn.  Not only  that, but since I 
have dogs, if I mow it any lower, I won't have any grass by  summer.   I 
believe lowering the threshold is an unreasonable  burden to homeowners, 
especially this past week in which my grass grew six  inches in TWO DAYS.  It's 
unreasonable to expect a homeowner to mow  the lawn two or three times a week, 
and I can't afford to hire someone  to mow the lawn.  With the ten inch 
maximum threshold, mowing once a week  seemed to work just fine.  Reducing the 
maximum threshold to 6 or  8  inches doesn't sound like a lot, but I think it's 
the difference between having  to mow once a week or twice a week.   Or 
more.
 
Not only that, but the additional use of a lawnmower is a further detriment 
 to the ozone layer and increases greenhouse gases.  No, I'm not in the  
market for an electric mower anytime in the near future.  I just don't want  
to produce twice as much with the equipment I already have.
 
And finally, every year I have the cutest toads that live in my front  
yard.  I spend a goodly amount of time going over my front lawn foot by  foot to 
shoo them away before I mow.  If I have to mow more often to  satisfy an 
arbitrary reduction, I double or triple the chances I'm going to  mince my 
toads.  I know, it's a minor point, but not if you ask the  toads.
 
 
I ask that if other residents have the same concern about the council  
changing the ordinance that they contact their councilperson and let them  know 
immediately.  They might be voting on it next week.

 
You can go here to get the contact information for your  councilperson:
_http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/parkcouncil/index.cfm_ 
(http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/parkcouncil/index.cfm) 
 
I'm just asking our mayor and council to be reasonable.  Thanks.
 
Adrianne Lefkowitz



PS:   As an additional bit of information, I was told by  the mayor that it 
was doubtful that many citations are actually issued at 10",  so the law 
isn't even being enforced until the grass is higher than current  code.  I ask 
the town to start enforcing the law as written before we write  a more 
restrictive law over it.  

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