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Homeowner in shock after 'pretentious' neighbors report lawn to city for hefty fine: 'I'm fuming'

"Find out if any plant species were protected …"

"Find out if any plant species were protected ..."

Photo Credit: iStock

Across the United States, homeowners are switching from traditional turf lawns to more biodiverse landscaping. Unfortunately, many homeowners associations and local governments have not caught up with these changes. One homeowner recently shared the steep fine they received for having a unique, native plant lawn.

Shared in the r/F***lawns subreddit, the post was titled, "Fined $500 by the city for my biodiverse lawn." The original poster shared that one of their wealthy and "pretentious" neighbors reported their lawn to the city, resulting in the fine.

The original poster explained that while their yard wasn't the most beautiful, all of the weeds they had were either flowering or leafy. The city gave the OP a 24-hour warning, which the OP claimed not to have received until their yard had already been chopped down. "I'm fuming," they wrote.

Other fans of biodiversity in place of monoculture lawns responded to the OP, sharing ideas for keeping the yard biodiverse while avoiding the fines.

Unfortunately, this is an issue that many homeowners have faced. In areas all over the country, HOAs and local governments have prevented homeowners from making these money-saving and eco-friendly updates to their own homes.

Planting a native plant garden, switching to a natural lawn, and installing solar panels are all great ways to cut down on monthly bills while also helping the environment. They're also all actions that have recently been blocked by HOAs.

Watch now: AITA for refusing to pay my HOA for destroying my garden?

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When authorities prevent homeowners from upgrading their homes in these and other similar ways, they're not only stopping consumers from saving cash, but they're also damaging the environment.

Native plants add critical biodiversity that creates healthier ecosystems for pollinators — which help protect our food supply. Increasing the energy efficiency of a home by installing solar panels or energy-efficient appliances like an induction stove reduce a home's pollution output.

If you're facing pushback from an HOA for eco-friendly home updates, check out TCD's HOA guide for helpful tips on changing bylaws.

Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?

Absolutely not 💯

Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝

Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️

We should ban HOAs 🚫

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Other Redditors had additional ideas to help the OP keep biodiversity in their lawn without getting fined. One user said: "Make beds full of wildflowers with small mowed walking paths between."

Another user suggested: "Find out if any plant species were protected, or if the fauna they attracted were (bees!)"

One Redditor wrote: "A couple in Ontario, Canada had some success with a lawyer fighting bylaw to maintain their 'native plant garden'."

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