(A) It is declared to be the purpose and intent of this subchapter to protect and preserve the city’s neighborhoods and the public health, safety and welfare of those who live there. The City Council determines that keeping the city free of tall grass and noxious weeds improves the quality of life of all residents by improving aesthetics, by eliminating harbor for rodents and insects, and by eliminating fire hazards. At the same time, the City Council recognizes that requiring the mowing of grasses and noxious weeds is sometimes unreasonable or impractical under certain circumstances.
(B) The City Council also determines that a variety of properly maintained landscaping treatment adds diversity and richness to the quality of life, and does not want to discourage the preservation, restoration and maintenance of diverse, biologically stable, and natural plant communities or environmentally sound practices. The City Council finds that the establishment of prairie, naturalistic and meadow plant communities are acceptable landscape treatments. However, as a protection for the larger community, these types of landscaping treatments must be properly planned, managed and maintained, and the length of transition period must be minimized or they are likely to cause a public nuisance.
(C) The City Council also determines that a variety of properly cultivated agricultural crops on vacant lands, including platted but vacant commercial, industrial and residential land within the city, is an acceptable interim use for property prior to its permanent development.
(Ord. 255, passed 3-19-12)