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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Date: January 9, 2023 <br />Item No.: 10.l <br />Department Approval City Manager Approval <br />Item Description: Adopt Resolution in Support of Less Mow May <br />1 B ACKGROUND <br />2 At the November 28, 2022 City Council meeting, City staff presented information to the Council <br />3 about supporting No Mow May again, similar to 2022. In April 2022, the City Council supported a <br />4 council member-initiated item to support residents who wish to participate in No Mow May. Local <br />5 ordinances pertaining to lawn maintenance were temporarily suspended until June 1, 2022. City <br />6 Council also approved a resolution declaring Roseville as a Pollinator-Friendly Community on <br />7 June 19, 2017. <br />8 Some of the items discussed at the meeting included the following: <br />9 No Mow May is a conservation initiative first popularized by Plantlife, an organization based in <br />10 the United Kingdom, but which is gaining traction across North America. The goal of No Mow <br />11 May is to allow grass to grow unmown for the month of May, creating habitat and forage for <br />12 early season pollinators. <br />13 Benefits of not mowing in May: <br />14 o Lets early spring wildflowers bloom to provide food for emerging and migrating <br />15 pollinators. Most wildflower seed mixes don’t flower early enough to provide early <br />16 season nectar and pollen resources. <br />17 o Yards not treated by herbicides are more likely to foster “spontaneous growth” of <br />18 common flowers like dandelion and white clover. <br />19 o Reduces usage and emissions of gas lawn care equipment. <br />20 o Turf grass grows deeper roots and becomes more drought-resistant when mowed less <br />21 frequently. <br />22 With the environmental benefits of not mowing in May, Community Development staff saw an <br />23 increase in lawn driven complaints. A few of the issues they faced from No Mow May 2022: <br />24 o Complaints about yards not being mowed, and weeds spreading to neighboring <br />25 properties. <br />26 o Increased costs to mow properties in late June that were non-responsive after the end of <br />27 No Mow May. <br />28 Council discussed the program and was in support of the No Mow May concept, but recommended <br />29 staff update the resolution to reflect the less mow May concept that was presented. Council agreed <br />30 that the mowing ordinance should only be exempted during the month of May. Discussion was also <br />31 held on educating the public on best practices that can be used to support this initiative. <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />Qbhf!36!pg!264 <br /> <br />