02-06-2023 Council Work Session Packet

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WS – Item 3 WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item No. 3 Date: February 6th, 2023 To: City Council From: Andy Nelson, Environmental Coordinator Re: No Mow May Background Staff is requesting that the City Council consider supporting “No Mow May”. Council support of this initiative would include a directive to staff to suspend enforcement of tallgrass and weed violations which are described in Chapter 904 of the City Code. This would allow interested residents to voluntarily participate in “No Mow May” by delaying lawn care until June 1st. Also, staff would include information on the City website related to this initiative and the importance of pollinators in general. Pollinator species are essential components of ecosystems. Many species of bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, and other pollinators are struggling to survive due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and other factors. We can help these critical species persist by improving their habitat and forage opportunities. The best way to improve habitat and forage opportunities for pollinators is to plant native plants. This includes early-flowering native trees such as willows, red maples, and fruit trees, and native herbaceous plants such as asters, coneflowers, goldenrods, wild bergamot, milkweeds, and sunflowers. Another way to increase habitat and forage opportunities for pollinators is to let flowers grow in turf grass lawns by simply not mowing in the month of May. “No Mow May” is a conservation initiative first popularized by Plantlife, a conservation charity in the United Kingdom. Bee City USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society, an international invertebrate conservation organization, has been promoting “No Mow May” with the support of a growing number of cities throughout the country. New Brighton, Edina, Vadnais Heights, Mankato, Rochester, and others have passed resolutions in support of this effort. The City can support “No Mow May” through a resolution directing staff to not issue correction notices associated with Chapter 904 of the City Code for tall grass and weed violations for the month of May. Enforcement of Chapter 904, which in part sets a height limit of eight inches for grass and weeds, would then resume in June.