London seeks to end the annual turf war over naturalized front yards
![Yard - London A naturalized yard is seen in east London, Ont. in this undated image. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/2/21/yard---london-1-6777117-1708515017289.jpg)
Proposed changes to the Yard and Lot Maintenance By-law would clarify rules for growing wildflowers and plants as an alternative to grass lawns.
“There shouldn't be any legal question of whether someone is allowed to grow naturalized cover on their property, barring any health or safety concerns,” Brendon Samuels told the Community and Protective Services (CAPS) Committee on Tuesday.
Last year, Samuels urged city hall to modernize the by-law after receiving a complaint about his front yard of native plants, grasses and wildflowers.
After reviewing best practices from other municipalities, the updated by-law would permit naturalized yards to better reflect council’s goals and strategies around climate action, species diversification, and supporting pollinator habitats.
The report reads, “We sought to remove judgement from the regulation and enforcement of the by-law particularly around naturalized yards and to reduce the number of calls we receive regarding differences of opinion regarding yard aesthetics.”
Traditional turf grass lawns will have a maximum height of 20 centimetres (8 inches), but naturalized plantings will be permitted up to 0.9 metres (3 feet) within any corner visibility triangle or driveway visibility triangle.
All property owners must ensure the growth of their grassed or naturalized lawns do not create a public health and safety hazard, or a nuisance.
To provide clarity for enforcement staff and the public, and to reduce the bias toward traditional grassed yards, several definitions would be removed from the by-law including ‘naturalized areas’, ‘perennial gardens,’ and ‘wildflower meadows.’
In addition, a list of ‘prohibited plants’ would be developed that may differ from the Weed Control Act.
The list will provide local flexibility to define invasive and noxious plants.
“I would like to see greater guidance given to the garden centres,” said Coun. Sam Trosow. “They should not be selling things to the public that are detrimental to our city policy.”
The CAPS Committee recommended council approve the modernized by-law on March 5.
The city receives approximately 4,000 complaints each year about yard maintenance.
Penalties for violating the by-law would rise from $175 to $300.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
DEVELOPING Alberta's request for federal assistance approved after fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
BREAKING Loblaw, George Weston to settle class action over bread price-fixing for $500 million
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500-million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
EXCLUSIVE One address, 76 foreign currency dealers: Inside Canada's money service business 'clusters'
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'
U.K. police officer suspended after video appears to show a man being kicked in head
A British police officer was suspended from all duties Thursday after a video was posted on social media that appeared to show an officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying on the floor of a terminal at Manchester Airport.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jasper mayor says alert system to be reviewed after message 'glitch'
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
Unclaimed bodies are piling up in Newfoundland. A funeral director blames the government
A funeral director in St. John's says the bodies piling up in freezers at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest hospital likely belong to people whose loved ones couldn't get enough government help to pay for a funeral.