One Florida homeowner was frustrated to have a run-in with code enforcement over its arbitrary standards for lawn care.
"I live in Florida and the area I moved in doesn't have a rule for how long your grass can grow (there is a code, but no specifications on height. It's based on the officer's judgement)," they explained on the r/NoLawns subreddit. "Code enforcement gives out violation notices based on how it looks compared to my neighbors."
According to the original poster, there are other neighbors with poorly kept yards, and most residents don't care. However, when they let their lawn grow a little longer than usual, some unknown person reported them to code enforcement.
Unfortunately, due to the OP's circumstances, it was their second violation. They said, "When the first violation happened my lawn mower was recalled, and the second, my health is declining so I just thought I could put it off as long as it's under a ruler length."
That wasn't good enough for the code enforcement officer, who said the grass should not be over eight inches.
Skipping mowing can actually be good for your wallet and the environment. Gas-powered lawn mowers use a lot of fuel, which costs money. They also create air pollution, and in some cases, they can destroy fall leaves that bugs rely on for shelter from the cold or slash spring flowers that feed pollinators. However, overly involved neighbors can prevent homeowners from making these money-saving and eco-friendly choices.
In this case, commenters came to the rescue.
"Try calling your UF Extension Office," suggested one user. "Florida law is supposed to protect 'Florida-friendly landscaping.'"
In a later comment, they added that UF IFAS can actually help gardeners convert to a native plant lawn through something called "Florida Friendly Landscaping."
"Local rules aren't allowed to prevent you from doing this," they said.
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Yes 💯 The original poster took that advice to heart. In an update, they said that someone else had recommended converting the lawn to a certified wildlife habitat through the state of Florida. This would provide them with support if anyone else complained about their garden.
"My plan is to get written/digital confirmation that the city is aware of my interest in transforming my yard into a native, edible garden as that is protected by the law SB 82 (2019)," they noted.
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