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In many communities, ordinances have been put in place which restrict the height of mowed lawns in private residential and commercial landscapes seen from the road. Known as “weed laws”, these were implemented in recent decades in response to community concern about property owners who would neglect their landscapes, leading to an influx of weeds and an appearance of poor care or absent owners which would reduce the property values of surrounding homes. The ordinances typically set a maximum height for lawns, and outlined a procedure for notifying the delinquent property owner, and for permitting the community government to remedy a longstanding noncompliant situation and bill the property owner for any services involved.

These ordinances typically evolved in communities with a number of standard postwar subdivisions, where the use of lawn was universal and lots were rather small. An unkempt lawn usually was the result of neglect and could indeed have a negative effect on surrounding property. However, in recent years lots have enlarged, and many landowners choose to maintain part or all of their lots in natural meadow. Interest in native plants has expanded among homeowners and there is a steadily increasing body of knowledge of native meadows and their culture and restoration. A parallel expansion in availability of many plants and seed mixes has added to this increasing sophistication. Furthermore, a new pattern of subdivision design (conservation development) has resulted in an increase of large open space areas held in common by homeowners’ associations. Many of these open spaces were specifically designed to be natural meadows. And yet, in many cases weed laws are still applied by the local community, resulting in the mowing of often carefully planned and tended native meadow areas, or missed opportunities in design.

While mowed lawn is often thought of as “soft space”, absorbent and natural, it is in fact a surface treatment that has many detrimental effects on the environment. As it often covers an area that was compacted during construction or through traffic over time, its runoff coefficient is similar to that of many types of paved areas. It also is often overtended with fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. The result is an impact to local waterways, with increased runoff quantity and increased pollutants in that runoff. Lawn has habitat impacts, as it creates a monoculture that supports large populations of plant pests and diseases, while providing no genetic diversity, and no cover, shelter or food for wildlife. In contrast, a natural meadow area absorbs a large percentage of the water that falls on it, and filters it before it hits local waterways. It is very low maintenance and the use of polluting substances is limited. Furthermore, natural meadow supports a huge diversity of wildlife, and can be managed to encourage wildlife habitat enhancement.

The expansion of natural meadow use in conservation development subdivisions and in large private lots is generally seen as an improvement to environmental quality, especially water quality. Many soil and water districts and park districts have active education programs to promote the use of native landscaping, including natural meadow. While problems with neglectful landowners will probably always exist, it is critical that weed laws be designed and applied not to prohibit the use of true, tended natural meadow. Weed laws are, however, not intended to permit noxious or invasive species to proliferate. State law requires communities, including townships, to control noxious weeds. In addition, there are many species not on the noxious weed list which are invasive and locally undesireable. A well-written ordinance will be no less restrictive than state law, and will prohibit additional species that are considered to be of local concern. Overall, a well-written ordinance will permit both true natural meadow and lawn in appropriate applications.

The Countryside Program Resource Manual contains a background sheet on Native Landscaping, including information on natural meadows. For more information contact Kirby Date at 216-295-0511, or k.date@csuohio.edu, or your local Soil and Water Conservation District.