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<br /> <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Date: 2/10/2025 <br />Item No.: 7.c. <br />Department Approval City Manager Approval <br /> <br /> <br />Item Description: Less Mow May Discussion <br />1 <br />2 Background <br />3 Roseville City Council first advocated for supporting No Mow May efforts in April 2022. <br />4 After positive community feedback and discussions with City staff, Council later passed a <br />5 resolution in support of Less Mow May in January 2023. <br />6 <br />7 Since then, additional scientific information has emerged disputing the benefits of No/Less <br />8 Mow May. In Minnesota, May is typically a rainy month when turf grass sees significant <br />9 growth, followed by drier months in June and July. Leaving turf to grow in excess and <br />10 mowing it aggressively short can damage grass just as it enters a stressful season. For <br />11 pollinator benefits, pollinators need habitat and forage throughout the year, and if a lawn <br />12 lacks blooming plant species, it doesn’t provide any additional benefit when not mowed. <br />13 <br />14 Other Minnesota cities which have previously participated in No Mow May are shifting their <br />15 messaging and priorities to support year-round pollinator efforts, including Vadnais Heights, <br />16 Mendota Heights, and Eagan. <br />17 <br />18 Staff brought this topic to the Public Works, Environment, and Transportation Comission on <br />19 November 26, 2024 for discussion, recommending a similar pivot to focus on year-round <br />20 pollinator support efforts. Commissioners were supportive, looking to move beyond mowing <br />21 recommendations and promoting widespread planting of native flowering plants, shrubs, <br />22 and trees on private property. <br />23 <br />24 Policy Objectives <br />25 Chapter 9 of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan recognizes the importance of ecosystem <br />26 health, including tree canopy, removal of invasive species, restoring natural habitat, and <br />27 supporting pollinators. City Council passed a resolution on June 19, 2017, declaring <br />28 Roseville a Pollinator-Friendly Community. Roseville has a natural landscaping policy for <br />29 residents that allows residential landscaping to include native plantings and prairie <br />30 restoration. <br />31 <br />32 Equity Impact Summary <br />33 There are no equity impacts associated with this resolution. <br />34 <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />Qbhf!31!pg!264 <br /> <br />