(A) Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum standards for lawn maintenance while recognizing that a variety of landscapes within a community adds diversity and richness to the quality of life for all residents. Turf grass lawns continue to be recognized as the dominant feature in the landscape; however, alternatives to this traditional type of lawn are recognized as important parts of a diverse and successful landscape. A parcel with proposed native vegetation, meadow or hayland will require a natural landscape permit.
(B) Definitions. For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
BOULEVARD. The area between the street and sidewalk or, in the absence of a public sidewalk, the area between the street and property line adjacent to all streets within the city limits.
BUFFER or BUFFER STRIP. A management area used to separate differing landscapes and land uses to minimize the impact from these adjacent land uses.
LANDSCAPING. The active involvement in the encouragement of selected plants to grow on a site.
MAINTENANCE PLAN. A document submitted with an application for a natural landscape permit demonstrating a precise course of maintenance for numerous individual plants in a landscape over months and seasons.
MEADOW VEGETATION. Grasses and flowering broad-leaf plants that are native to, or adapted to, the state and that are commonly found in meadow and prairie plant communities, except weeds.
NATIVE VEGETATION. Those indigenous trees, shrubs, wildflowers, flowering broad-leaf plants, grasses and other plants that have naturally adapted themselves to the climate and soils of the area, and are commonly found in meadow and prairie plant communities, and are not weeds.
NATURAL LANDSCAPE PERMIT. A permit issued by the city pursuant to this chapter allowing an owner or occupant to cultivate native vegetation upon his or her property. A NATURAL LANDSCAPE PERMIT exempts an owner or occupant from § 95.04(A) of this chapter.
NATURAL HABITAT. Especially uncultivated, valued and sensitive habitat whereupon native vegetation exists in a pristine state and provides habitat for a variety of species native to the area. The vegetation shall maintain itself in a stable condition with minimal human intervention.
NATIVE GRASSES. Grasses (beach grass, wood chess grass, sand reed grass, wheat grass, bluestem grass, grama grass, brome grass, buffalo grass, switch grass, Indian grass, wild rye) that existed in the area prior to European settlement.
NATIVE PLANTS. Plants that existed in the area prior to European settlement.
NATURAL LANDSCAPING. The use of groups of plants native to the area.
NATURALISTIC LANDSCAPING. The use of native and non-native plants.
NOXIOUS WEEDS. An annual, biennial or perennial plant that the Commissioner of Agriculture has designated to be injurious to public health, the environment, public roads, crops, livestock or other property pursuant to M.S. § 18.79, as it may be amended from time to time.
NUISANCE VEGETATION. Noxious weeds, prohibited plants and trees or shrubs impeding travel or sight lines on a roadway, trail or sidewalk.
PRAIRIE. A plant community dominated by a diversity of native perennial herbaceous plants and grasses.
PROHIBITED PLANTS. Articum minus (common burdock); amuranthus retroflexus (pigweed); rumex crispus (curly dock); abutilon theophrasti (velvetleaf); ambrosia spp (ragweed); kochia scoaria (kochia); melilotus officianalis (sweetclover); chenopodium album (lambs quarter); barbarea vulgaris (yellow rocket); erassica kaber (wild mustard). For the purposes of this chapter, taraxacum (common dandelion) or glechoma hederacea (creeping Charlie) are not considered to be PROHIBITED PLANTS.
RAIN GARDEN. A native plant garden that is designed not only to aesthetically improve properties, but also to reduce the amount of storm water and accompanying pollutants from entering streams, lakes and rivers.
RANK VEGETATION. Uncultivated vegetation growing at a rapid rate due to unplanned, unintentional or accidental circumstances.
REGULARLY CUT. Mowing or otherwise cutting vegetation so that it does not exceed six inches in height.
TEMPORARY EROSION CONTROL GRASSES. Grasses (winter wheat, oats, annual rye or regreen) that are used as single growing season cover or nurse crops to assist in the establishment of permanent vegetation.
TRADITIONAL LANDSCAPING. The use of turf grasses and woody plants (shrubbery and trees) with defined areas for cultivation of annual and perennial plants.
TRANSITIONAL PERIOD. The amount of time to change from one type of landscaping to another. The period should not extend beyond three growing seasons for any specific area.
TURF GRASSES. Bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass blends with non-woody vegetation interspersed with them commonly used in regularly cut lawns.
TURF GRASS, CULTIVATED VEGETATION. Consisting of a highly maintained surface of dense grass underlain by a thick root system.
WEEDS. All noxious weeds and any undesirable or troublesome plant that is horticulturally out of place, especially one that grows profusely where it is not wanted. For the purposes of this chapter, Taraxacum (common dandelion) or glechoma hederacea (creeping Charlie) are not considered a WEED.
WETLANDS.
(a) Lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is near the surface.
(b) The boundary of WETLANDS, for purposes of this chapter, shall be determined according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Wetland Delineation Manual (2010).
(2002 Code, § 6.23) (Ord. 31, Seventh Series, effective 7-25-2015; Ord. 48, effective 10-10-2016; Ord. 68, Seventh Series, effective 6-10-2018) Penalty, see § 95.99