Landscape Architect Articles

Much Ado About Nothing‚Äö?Ñ?Æor‚Äö?Ñ?ÆNay More than 10 Inches a Grass Beith06-20-06 | News

Much Ado About Nothing?EUR??,,????'??+or?EUR??,,????'??+Nay More than 10 Inches a Grass Beith

Would the tall grass be sentenced to a clipping?

Jason Rohrer and his wife, Lauren, bought a home in the summer of 2004 in the village of Potsdam, New York and cultivated a natural meadow landscape around it. As the village ordinance prohibited grass taller than 10 inches, the landscape ?EUR??,,????'??police?EUR??,,????'?? got on his case. Rohrer decided not to knuckle or kneel but to fight for his wild grass. His case went to trial December 15, 2005.

In court, Rohrer brought along an expert witness, Richard Grover, who earned a BA in landscape architecture and environmental planning at Utah State. Grover is owner of Earthworks and president of the St. Lawrence Land Trust. Grover testified the defendant was caring for his lot as a ?EUR??,,????'??natural landscape.?EUR??,,????'??

In the decision, the courted noted that ?EUR??,,????'??many municipalities throughout the country have enacted ordinances that recognize this alternative to the traditional lawn.?EUR??,,????'?? Further, the court reviewed just such an ordinance enacted by Rochester, Minn.

The judge ruled that the 10-inch mowing restriction was never intended to apply to natural areas and that that the wording of the ordinance was vague. On June 12, 2006, the court declared Rohrer?EUR??,,????'???s meadow grasses “not guilty.”