One Reddit user's quest for a more sustainable yard sparked quite a discussion around navigating city regulations while creating a more environmentally friendly landscape.
Writing to an anti-lawns subreddit, the original poster asked, "How do others get around their city lawn codes in a way that avoids trouble?"
The post continued: "I hear everyone talking about ripping out lawns and putting in local species but nobody is talking about how they deal with their local city codes. I've been dinged before by the city when I let my natural yard go a little too natural because they have a code about not letting [the] lawn go above 10 inches."
Several commenters shared practical workarounds, like maintaining clear borders around the yard's foliage to demonstrate a calculated design.
"Pretty sure if you make it look intentional and planned out they won't say anything," one Redditor advised.
Others recommended contacting the city directly to better understand the rules and regulations.
"If you live in the United States having a garden in the front yard is considered a 'victory garden,'" another user wrote, referring to the World War I practice to save resources and contribute to the war effort. "You are probably safe from running afoul of the ordinances."
Another Redditor replied to comment on how self-gardening is becoming more valuable as home and grocery prices have increased in recent years.
"That is certainly in keeping with the current staggering cost of living!" they wrote. "Putting [our] garden up front also allowed us to utilize a tiny, mostly useless, space. We also get to take advantage of the all day sun because my town keeps cutting down everyone's front yard trees."
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Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely not 💯 It's no secret that local laws and HOAs aren't always very open-minded when it comes to sustainable landscaping practices. Despite the significant environmental and financial benefits of native plants and yards — including lower water bills, reduced maintenance costs, and support for local wildlife — many homeowners face pushback from outdated regulations that favor traditional grass lawns.
Perhaps one Redditor put it best: "America is the land of zoning and municipal, county, and state regulations … OP you have to figure out what is acceptable or not."
They went on to add, "You can do this by inquiring with the city if what you have is in compliance, by experimenting with things that appear to fit the language of the law but they might disagree then fighting them in court for it, organize people to protest and write the lawmaking body of your city to change the law."
For homeowners looking to work with their city or HOA to allow more eco-friendly touches, check out The Cool Down's comprehensive HOA guide — much of which can also apply to other types of community regulations — on challenging outdated laws to better their space and the environment.
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