Councilmember Warwick Introduces Legislation Permitting Pollinator Gardens in Pittsburgh
The bill would create a registry of managed natural landscapes to prevent overgrowth citations for native gardens.
Pittsburgh, PA – This Earth Day, Pittsburgh City Councilmember Barb Warwick (District 5) introduced a bill which would allow Pittsburgh residents to cultivate native and pollinator gardens.
The legislation, introduced at Council’s Tuesday morning meeting, exempts managed natural landscapes - defined as intentional plantings of vegetation native to Pennsylvania - from the property code’s prohibition of plant growth more than ten inches high on residential properties. The bill also requires managed natural landscapes, which include rain gardens, pollinator gardens, and native gardens, to be registered with the City.
“Cultivating native gardens in place of turfgrass lawns improves our local biodiversity, air quality, and water quality,” said Councilmember Warwick. “We as a city should allow and encourage residents to take actions which will protect our ecosystems from the effects of climate change.”
Growing native plants is a recommendation in the City’s 2019 Green Guide, a tool for residents to take action to help the City meet its sustainability goals.
“Cultivated flowers and gardens” are ostensibly already excluded in the property code’s prohibition on plant growth exceeding ten inches; however, in practice, City inspectors have not had a way to determine what plants more than ten inches tall have been purposefully planted and what is a weed. This has created an ad hoc process in which residents trying to create a healthier environment have had to challenge City citations of their native gardens.
Councilmember Warwick’s legislation creates a registry to curtail this confusion and ensure managed natural landscapes are responsibly maintained. Other municipalities such as Green Bay, Wisconsin use the same mechanism to allow and regulate planned natural landscapes.
Josh Koshar, a Lawrenceville resident with an Audobon Society-certified backyard, said, “It’s great to see the city encourage more people to cultivate native and pollinator gardens. People should be able to help our local environment without being afraid of incurring City penalties for their gardens.”
Jim Bonner, Executive Director of the Audobon Society of Western Pennsylvania also offered his support for the legislation: “Audubon Society of Western PA is very excited by this proposed ordinance change and strongly encourages its adoption. Allowing for natural landscapes in the City of Pittsburgh will enable people to connect with nature in their own back (and front) yards. Gardening is the most popular pastime in the country and the increasing using native plants has benefited individuals, neighborhoods, and native wildlife. Native plants require less fertilizer and less maintenance. Once established they require less water and will even help to manage stormwater runoff. As importantly, native plants provide the necessary conditions for beneficial and desirable insects, which in turn supports birds and other wildlife. What neighborhood wouldn’t be a little better off with a few more butterflies and fireflies!”
Councilmember Warwick introduced the legislation at Tuesday’s Regular Meeting of Council. It will be discussed at next Wednesday’s (4/30) Standing Committees Council meeting and, barring any holds on the legislation, will be finally voted on at the Tuesday, May 6 City Council meeting.
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