S. 02-2026 - Amend 1775 Weeds to address front yard plantings

DocusignEnvelope ID: D7A65FC7- 56D1- 877A- 8006- 667FB8DB9B1JL- mead & referred to HPD 1/ 20/ 26; 2nd reading 2/ 2/ 26 Please substitute for the original Baker, Bixenstine, Bullock, ORDINANCE NO. 02- 2026 BY: Evans, Kepple, Steiner, Strebig AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, to amend Chapter 1775, Weeds, of the Codified Ordinancesof the City of Lakewoodfor the purpose of establishing regulations for front yard plantings. WHEREAS, Lakewood has a tall grass and weed ordinance which requires property owners to maintain their lawn at 6" high or lower; and WHEREAS, residents have requested to have lawns inclusive of wildflowers, ornamental plants and natural landscaping to support the environment; and WHEREAS, regulation of such plantings in a front yard are necessary to preserve sight lines for pedestrians, bicyclists and motor vehicles; and WHEREAS, as set forth in Section 2. 12 of the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood, this Council by a vote of at least two thirds of its members determines that this ordinance is an emergency measure and that it shall take effect immediately, and that it is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public property, health, and safety and to provide for the usual daily operation of municipal departments; now, therefore, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO: Section 1. That Section 1775.01 Weed, Tall Grass, Nuisance Vegetation or Growths over Sidewalks; Removal, of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood currently reading as follows: 1775. 01 WEED, TALL GRASS, NUISANCE VEGETATION OR GROWTHS OVER SIDEWALKS; REMOVAL. a) The owner, occupant or person having the charge or management of any lot or parcel of land situated within the City, whether the same be improved or unimproved, vacant or occupied, within forty- eight hours of notice to do so, shall cut or destroy, or cause to be cut or destroyed, the following: 1) Any tropical or semi - tropical grasses classified as " running bamboo" with monopodial leptomorph) rhizome (root) systems when the plant has spread from its original premise of planting or is not being maintained. 2) Apple of Peru (Nicandra physalodes). 3) Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense). 4) Columbus grass (Sorghum x almum). 5) Cressleaf groundsel (Senecio glabellus). 6) Field bindweed ( Convolvulus arvensis). 7) Forage Kochia (Bassia prostrata). 8) Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). 9) Grapevines ( Vitis spp.), when growing in groups of 100 or more and not pruned, sprayed, cultivated, or otherwise maintained for two consecutive years. 10) Hairy whitetop or ballcress ( Lepidium appelianum). 11) Heart - podded hoary cress (Lepidium draba sub. draba). 12) Hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium). 13) Japanese knotweed ( Polygonum cuspidatum).

Docusign Envelope ID: D7A65FC7- 56D1- 877A- 8006- 667FB8DB9B14 14) Johnsongrass ( Sorghum halepense). 15) Kochia ( Bassia scoparia). 16) Kudzu ( Pueraria montana var. lobata). 17) Leafy spurge ( Euphorbia esula). 18) Marestail ( Conyza canadensis) 19) Mile -A -Minute Weed ( Polygonum perfoliatum). 20) Musk thistle ( Carduus nutans). 21) Palmer amaranth ( Amaranthus palmeri). 22) Perennial sowthistle ( Sonchus arvensis). 23) Poison hemlock ( Conium maculatum). 24) Purple loosestrife ( Lythrum salicaria). 25) Russian knapweed ( Acroptilon repens). 26) Russian thistle ( Salsola Kali var. tenuifolia). 27) Serrated tussock ( Nassella trichotoma). 28) Shatter cane ( Sorghum bicolor). 29) Water Hemp ( Amaranthus tuberculatus). 30) Wild carrot (Daucus carota). 31) Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa). 32) Tall grasses or other undesirable vegetation blooming or going to seed, or exceeding a height of six inches ( excluding maintained ornamental grasses), or spreading pollen which may be harmful to human health, or creating a fire hazard, or refuge and breeding place for rodents and other vermin. is hereby repealed. Section 2. That new 1775. 01 Weed, Tall Grass, Nuisance Vegetation or Growths over Sidewalks; Removal, of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances is hereby enacted to read as follows: 1775. 01 WEED, TALL GRASS, NUISANCE VEGETATION OR GROWTHS OVER SIDEWALKS; REMOVAL. a) The owner, occupant or person having the charge or management of any lot or parcel of land situated within the City, whether the same be improved or unimproved, vacant or occupied, within forty- eight hours of notice to do so, shall cut or destroy, or cause to be cut or destroyed, the following: 1) Any tropical or semi -tropical grasses classified as " running bamboo" with monopodial leptomorph) rhizome ( root) systems when the plant has spread from its original premise of planting or is not being maintained. 2) Apple of Peru ( Nicandra physalodes). 3) Canada thistle ( Cirsium arvense). 4) Columbus grass ( Sorghum x almum). 5) Cressleaf groundsel ( Senecio glabellus). 6) Field bindweed ( Convolvulus arvensis). 7) Forage Kochia (Bassia prostrata). 8) Giant Hogweed ( Heracleum mantegazzianum). 9) Grapevines ( Vitis spp.), when growing in groups of 100 or more and not pruned, sprayed, cultivated, or otherwise maintained for two consecutive years. 10) Hairy whitetop or ballcress ( Lepidium appelianum). 11) Heart -podded hoary cress ( Lepidium draba sub. draba). 12) Hedge bindweed ( Calystegia sepium). 13) Japanese knotweed ( Polygonum cuspidatum). 14) Johnsongrass ( Sorghum halepense). 15) Kochia ( Bassia scoparia). 16) Kudzu ( Pueraria montana var. lobata). 17) Leafy spurge ( Euphorbia esula).

Docusign Envelope ID: D7A65FC7- 56D1- 877A-8006-667FB8DB9B14 18) Marestail ( Conyza canadensis) 19) Mile -A -Minute Weed ( Polygonum perfoliatum). 20) Musk thistle ( Carduus nutans). 21) Palmer amaranth ( Amaranthus palmeri). 22) Perennial sowthistle ( Sonchus arvensis). 23) Poison hemlock ( Conium maculatum). 24) Purple loosestrife ( Lythrum salicaria). 25) Russian knapweed ( Acroptilon repens). 26) Russian thistle ( Salsola Kali var. tenuifolia). 27) Serrated tussock ( Nassella t richotoma). 28) Shatter cane ( Sorghum bicolor). 29) Water Hemp ( Amaranthus tuberculatus). 30) Wild carrot ( Daucus carota). 31) Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa). 32) Tall grasses or other undesirable vegetation blooming or going to seed, or exceeding a height of six inches ( excluding maintained ornamental grasses and Managed Natural Landscape as defined in Section 1775. 03), or spreading pollen which may be harmful to human health, or creating a fire hazard, or refuge and breeding place for rodents and other vermin. Section 3. That new Section 1775. 03 Front Yard Planting, of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances, is hereby enacted to read as follows: 1775. 03 FRONT YARD PLANTINGS. a) Purpose and Definitions. The purpose of this section is to encourage the use of vegetation throughout the City to maximize ecological and aesthetic benefits while respecting existing community values regarding landscaping to include well -maintained yards, preservation of sight lines, compatibility with existing structures, and public safety. Ecological benefits of "Managed Natural Landscapes" include enhancement of pollinator support habitat, stormwater management, carbon sequestration, and preservation of biodiversity. The following defined terms are used in this Section: 1) " Managed Natural Landscape" means a planned, intentional, and maintained planting of native or non-native grasses, wildflowers, ferns, sedges, shrubs, or trees, including but not limited to Rain Gardens, Meadow Vegetation, and Ornamental Plants. 2) " Rain Garden" means planting designed not only to aesthetically improve an area, but also to reduce the amount of stormwater and accompanying pollutants from entering the watershed. 3) " Meadow Vegetation" means herbaceous ( non -woody) vegetation of grasses and flowering broad -leaf plants that are commonly found in meadow and prairie plant communities, excluding Noxious Weeds. 4) " Noxious Weed" means any plant that has been identified as being harmful to the local natural environment and included in the list promulgated by the Director ofPublic Safety or his or her designee; or as listed in Section 1775. 01( a). 5) " Ornamental Plant" means grasses, perennials, annuals, and groundcovers purposefully planted for aesthetic reasons. 6) " Turf -Grass Lawn" means a lawn comprised mostly of grasses commonly used in regularly cut lawns, intended to be maintained at a height of no more than six inches. b) Right to Install and Maintain a Managed Natural Landscape. 1) An owner, authorized agent, or authorized occupant of any privately owned lands may, consistent with this subsection and all other applicable laws, statutes, rules, and ordinances, install and maintain a Managed Natural Landscape, free of Noxious Weeds, in front of the building line as established in the Zoning Code. 2) On a corner lot, Managed Natural Landscapes shall have a setback of no less than 2' from the public right-of-way, 2' from a side property line. ( See Fig. 1, Corner Lot)

Docusign Envelope ID: D7A65FC7- 56D1- 877A- 8006- 667FB8DB9B14 3) On any other lot, managed natural landscapes shall have a setback of no less than 2' from the public right-of-way, 2' from a side property line. ( See Fig. 2, Interior Lot) 4) The setback from the public right-of-way and side property lines are to be comprised of Turf -Grass Lawn or low groundcover vegetation not exceeding six inches in height, managed natural landscape, meadow vegetation, rain garden, or ornamental plants so long as the compliance with Section 1775. 01( b) and 1775. 02 are maintained. 5) Managed natural landscapes shall not include exclusively Turf -Grass Lawns left unattended for the purpose of returning to a natural state without further management action. Figure 1 Figure 2 Section 4. It is found and determined that all formal actions of this Council concerning and relating to the passage of this ordinance were adopted in an open meeting of this Council, and that all such deliberations of this Council and of any of its committees that resulted in such formal action were in meetings open to the public in compliance with all legal requirements. Section 5. This ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, safety and welfare in the City and for the usual daily operation of the City for the reasons set forth and defined in the preamble to this ordinance, and provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, this ordinance shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its adoption by the Council and approval by the Mayor, or otherwise it shall take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law. DocuSlgned by; Adopted: March 16, 2026 Sara epp e, resident of Council DocuSlgned by: Maureen ach, Clerk of Council Approved: 3 /?'° 24 dYk- •,,• Meghan F. George, Mayor