Council to debate plan to force planting

By Bob Wilson   Valley Press Staff Writer  02/20/2001

PALMDALE - Property owners who fail to maintain the appearance of their front yards could be forced to plant grass and mow weeds under a proposal to be considered Wednesday by the City Council

If adopted, the proposal would address one of the greatest concerns voiced by residents, according to Mayor Jim Ledford.

“I would say this is the No. 1 issue that I’ve heard going throughout the city in neighborhood meetings: A concern for property owners who neglect their front yards; who have dirt (yards) or weeds that are a couple feet high,” Ledford said.

The effect of rundown yards on the values of neighboring properties “is substantial,” he said.

Ledford and the four other members of the City Council will debate adoption of the new regulations when they meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 21, in the council’s chambers, 708 East Palmdale Blvd.

While it may be impossible fro the city to force all owners to keep their lawns lush, it may be possible to penalize those who purposely neglect their yards to the detriment of their entire neighborhood, the mayor said.

If the measure - an amendment to an existing Palmdale ordinance - is adopted, the city probably would have to hire a new code enforcement officer to compel observance, according to a staff report.

In addition, the city may have to create a new program that would assist elderly and disabled residents who lack the funds to make the mandatory improvements.

The total cost of enforcement and assistance remains undetermined, but that cost potentially could be offset through the protection of tax-increment revenues for properties within municipal redevelopment area and reductions in spending for other neighborhood improvement programs.

Owners would have 18 months to bring their yards into compliance, and the city would undertake a campaign to make residents aware of the new regulation and assistance available.

“Property maintenance is part of property ownership,” Ledford maintained. “It goes with the territory - it’s like painting your house when it needs to be painted.”

Homes often are a family’s biggest investment, “and there is some very deep concern in the community that you’ve got certain negligent property owners who are affecting the values of  (those) investments,” he said.

The less-than-perfect conditions of some yards may be understandable, “but there are some yards that are inexcusable - it’s out of control,” Ledford said. “Our goal is to create a high-value, pleasant-looking environment for our residents. I think that’s what a majority of our residents move here for.”

Under the proposal, owners would be required to plant and maintain some combination of grass, trees, shrubs, vines, ground cover, flowers or other decorative features in their front yards.

Owners would not be permitted to allow their grass to exceed 8 inches in height or become infested with weeds, nor would they be allowed to let plants grow over windows, eaves, roof peaks, electric lines or property lines.

Decorative features could include rocks, stones, earthen berms, walkways, plazas, courtyards and structures such as fountains, reflecting pools, art works and benches.

Xeriscaping would be allowed for those concerned with conserving water or reducing lawn care costs. Xeriscaping would allow residents to use native plants and selected stones, boulders, decorative concrete or paving stones as well as bark, straw, gravel or decomposed granite in the landscape design.