"Lawn and Order."

10 years ago

Interesting article about how lawn care, or the lack therof, came to be something you could be arrested for.
http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/lawn-order/

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User
Original Author

10 years ago

Well, we aren't living in medieval or colonial times anymore, so there is no need for lawns at all. HOAs use lawns as a means of keeping the community looking uniform, and I agree that if you don't want to live that way, don't move into a deed-restricted community. Here in Gainesville, we have very few deed restricted communities, and are allowed to have front yard gardens and plant pretty much whatever we want in our own yards. The city does cite yards that get out of control, but honestly, that is a rarity here. Most of all, it has drawn people who love to garden and grow food and flowers, and hasn't been an impediment to decent looking neighborhoods at all.

HOAs and deed-restricted communities are throwbacks to the time of suburbia and white flight and don't have much of a place in this day and time. I honestly see a day (I hope I live to see it) when there will be no deed-restricted communities. I hear that one of the most strict ones in a city in SW FL now allows vegetable gardens, if they are in raised beds and kept looking neat and tidy. They are also allowing certain kinds of back-yard clothes lines. This is a HUGE leap from where they used to be, because a judge actually kicked them out of his court because they were clogging up his schedule with unnecessary law suits against residents for the most minor infraction.

There will always be one group of people who needs to control another, and there will always be people who are more comfortable with a controlled atmosphere. I don't think many gardeners fit that mold, though.

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Comments (7)

Michael AKA Leekle2ManE
10 years ago
I have not read this in its entirety, but the half I did read sounded good, but omitted certain things. First is in the case of HOAs. While I do not agree with this control HOAs have over how people should keep their lawns, the fact will always remain that when someone moves into an HOA, they agree to live by certain standards, usually including the condition and appearance of the lawn. The second thing that stood out to me was how the writer says that the lawn started from trying to emulate scenes in paintings, but it would be more accurate to say they started as a security feature. When clans were against clans or a lord had to worry about a rival, an expansive lawn was a way to keep from being snuck up on. Even during the colonization of North America, one of the first things every new homestead or community did was to clear a ring atound the establishments so that the shadowy woods weren't right on their doorsteps. Even today, security companies advise to keep the areas in front of windows free from shrubs and other things a burglar might use to hide behind (personally, I prefer using something that has big, nasty spines or thorns on it). I may read the rest later when I have more time, but felt I should point out those issues before I head out for errand running.

The problem with emotionally fueled articles like this one, is that they often fan the emotions in hopes that the reader ignores simple reason.
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writersblock (9b/10a)
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
They are also allowing certain kinds of back-yard clothes lines

This is the law in the state of FL. You can't restrict the use of solar clothes drying in any community, although I believe you can set rules for where they go.

Link to the statute:

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0100-0199/0163/Sections/0163.04.html
Patty Bee Port St. Lucie Zone 10A
10 years ago
>The problem with emotionally fueled articles like this one

I didn't find it emotionally fueled. 99% Invisible is a lovely, soothing (you have to listen to the voice of the host) podcast about design.

I was interested in the part about painting lawns green. Waay back when I was a child my father, sick of damage from chinch bugs and having to pull weeds, plugged our suburban lawn with zoysia grass which eventually grew into a lovely thick green carpet. It had only one drawback—it turned completely brown in the northeastern winter. To the best of my recollection no one complained about it, but my dad just hated the way it looked and found that one could buy a specially designed paint to spray the lawn green. The color looked quite artificial, but it seemed to ease his concern.
User
Original Author
10 years ago
writersblock, I see that didn't go into effect until 2008. I was not aware of it, but I do remember country clubs in my old city fighting it. I believe there is a loophole for some sorts of communities.
writersblock (9b/10a)
10 years ago
I believe there is a loophole for some sorts of communities.

? I'm not aware of any challenge that has stood--got an example?
User
Original Author
10 years ago
I can hardly remember what I had for supper last night, much less what happened in a town I no longer live in many years ago! LOL Sorry, but I have no time to look up stuff like that, but you are welcome to do it yourself and report back if it's that important to you.