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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Date:November 28, 2022 <br />Item No.: 7.f <br />Department ApprovalCity Manager Approval <br />Item Description:No Mow/Less Mow May Discussion <br />1 B ACKGROUND <br />2 On April 25, 2022, City Council supported a council member-initiated item to support residents who <br />3 wish to participate in No Mow May. Local ordinances pertaining to lawn maintenance were <br />4 temporarily suspended until June 1, 2022. City Council also approved a resolution declaring <br />5 Roseville as a Pollinator-Friendly Community on June 19, 2017. <br />6 No Mow May is a conservation initiative first popularized by Plantlife, an organization based in the <br />7 United Kingdom, but which is gaining traction across North America. The goal of No Mow May is <br />8 to allow grass to grow unmown for the month of May, creating habitat and forage for early season <br />9 pollinators. <br />10 Benefits of not mowing in May: <br />11 Allows early spring wildflowerstobloom whichprovide food for emerging and migrating <br />12 pollinators. Most wildflower seed mixes don’t flower early enough to provide early season <br />13 nectar and pollen resources. <br />14 Yards not treated by herbicides are more likely to foster “spontaneous growth” of common <br />15 flowers like dandelion and white clover. <br />16 Reduces usage and emissions of gas lawn care equipment. <br />17 Turf grass grows deeper roots and becomes more drought-resistant when mowed less <br />18 frequently. <br />19 With the environmental benefits of not mowing in May, Community Development staff saw an <br />20 increase in lawn driven complaints. A few of the issues they faced from No Mow May 2022: <br />21 Complaints about yards not being mowed, and weeds spreading to neighboring properties. <br />22 Increased costs tomow properties in late June that were non-responsive after the end of No <br />23 Mow May. <br />24 Staff presented this topic to the Public Works Environment and Transportation Commission on <br />25 October 25, 2022, and requested that the commission recommend actions for No Mow May 2023. <br />26 Their recommendations and comments are: <br />27 Commission supports the program and would like to see it implemented again in 2023. <br />28 Members liked the inclusion of “Less” Mow May. This provides some options for property <br />29 owners to do minimal mowing to maintain yards while still providing habitat. <br />Page 1of 3 <br /> <br />