North Mankato declares “Monarch Wayfair” lawn a public nuisance from “infestation of the premises by plants, animals, and birds.”

About a year ago, we reported in Buzz kill: North Mankato Planning Commission not so much into lawns to legumes.

Friends of pollinators across the state are now sending us news of the City of North Mankato's latest chapter in the war against the natural world.

Too many wild animal and birds.

For the Mankato Free Press, Tim Krohn reports in North Mankato cites property as 'nuisance': Some support yard as "Monarch waystation":

. . . Borchardt, 80, is retired from Minnesota State University after decades as a professor teaching physics and botany. He and his wife, Ann, enjoyed a natural yard that had plants, shrubs and trees that attracted wildlife. The property is certified as a “Monarch Wayfair” by an organization that certifies properties that have plantings that attract Monarch butterflies and other pollinators.

But Borchardt has health issues, including a back surgery, that slowed his work outdoors and the city began receiving more complaints in recent years that the property had become an overgrown and messy nuisance. The city contacted Borchardt multiple times, telling him to correct a number of issues, including storing things such as wheelbarrows, grills and mowers out of sight of the street, to remove overgrown vegetation and dead trees and to remove vegetation other than grass within a few feet of the street.

With help, Borchardt cut down some trees, trimmed vegetation and shrubs, stored garden equipment out of sight, consolidated a wood pile to the back yard and tilled parts of the back yard and planted grass. But the city said it continued to receive complaints, leading the city to ask the City Council Monday night to declare the property a nuisance. . . .

Borchardt’s attorney, Karl O. Friedrichs, says the city’s current ordinance is riddled with problems because it doesn’t clearly state what is prohibited and is often ambiguous, such as a clause that says a property can be deemed a nuisance if “the rank growth of vegetation unreasonably annoys a considerable number of members of the public.”

Friedrichs and others have also mocked the city for saying the property is a nuisance in part because of an “infestation of the premises by plants, animals, and birds.”

“I never heard of an infestation of birds,” Friedrichs said. . . . 

But perhaps the neighborhood lawn police will continue to suffer from the plague of birds and butterflies. Krohn reports:

. . . the council vote gave Borchardt until June 1 of next year — rather than the 20 days listed in the original resolution — to come into compliance.

Mayor Mark Dehen told city staff that between now and June 1 he’d like them to fine-tune a pollinator ordinance while also ensuring the Borchardt property comes into compliance. But Dehen also said that the push for allowing pollinator gardens doesn’t mean people can let their property become overgrown and call it a “natural” yard.

“Pollinator garden and natural yard are two different things,” Dehen said.

Oh snap, Mr. Mayor. Too many monarchs and bluebirds? 

Photo: Welcome to North Mankato, except for critters and birds.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: Sally-Sorensen-6

 

Comments

[Leigh Pomeroy]

Thanks for posting this, Sally. Hopefully, the North Mankato city council will come up with a solution that isn't so onerous before June.

[Karen Sheppard]

This is the most backward facing thought process ever! I heard about this from a friend of mine and couldn't believe that in this time there are still people that think (or not) that ruling against birds and nature is an OK thing to do!!