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East Lansing residents have new guidelines for cultivating pollinator-friendly landscapes in their lawns.
East Lansing City Council members voted Tuesday night to provide an exemption in the city’s nuisance lawn ordinance for plants taller than six inches if they are part of a native garden.
The gardens have to be intentionally cultivated with species of grass and wildflowers native to southern Lower Michigan.
Noxious grasses and weeds are not allowed. Turf grass that is not native to the region is also not eligible for the exemption.
Some residents have reported receiving fines for having plants that exceed the height limit in the nuisance lawn ordinance.
Environmental Sustainability and Resiliency Manager Cliff Walls said the updated guidelines could serve as an off-ramp for “no mow May,” which he said has helped to get people talking but has a limited impact due to being constrained to one month and primarily leading to turf grass being grown.
“What makes up the majority of the forage that’s provided by no mow May is lower value than something like a curated native plant garden that has diversity that is native to the area,” Walls said.
In addition to supporting pollinator health, native plants can also aid with stormwater management and build healthier soils.
Visual guidance on the types of plants that are allowed will be created to aid with enforcement and community education.
