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Eagan adopts ordinance to allow managed natural landscapes following 2023 state law
Summary
The council adopted revisions to City Code Chapter 10.21 to comply with 2023 Minnesota legislation allowing managed natural landscapes. The ordinance creates a registration and maintenance plan, requires a 3‑foot buffer at property lines and allows the city to inspect and revoke registrations that are not maintained.
Eagan, Minn. — The Eagan City Council on May 6 adopted an ordinance amending City Code Chapter 10.21 so property owners may register managed natural landscapes in compliance with 2023 Minnesota legislation.
Community Development Director Hootmeyer presented the draft changes, which add definitions for "managed natural landscape" and "maintenance plan," exempt certain undeveloped or environmentally constrained parcels and set a five‑year registration term. Registrations must include a planting diagram, common names of species, the property legal description and a maintenance plan. The ordinance requires a three‑foot buffer alongside property lines and buildings that be kept no higher than eight inches. The city may inspect properties, revoke registrations that require abatement two or more times in five years and declare properties ineligible for two years if maintenance lapses; the city may also assess costs to inspect or remove unmanaged vegetation.
Council debate focused on enforcement and the potential for invasive or pernicious plants to spread into neighboring yards. Councilor Bakken and others expressed concern that decking the ordinance with a buffer limits the likelihood of spillover into neighboring lawns; the city’s weed inspector noted that current enforcement already cannot act against common but undesirable plants such as dandelions, creeping Charlie and crabgrass unless they meet the state’s noxious‑weed definition.
Council members discussed whether to pursue statutory changes through the League of Minnesota Cities or Metro Cities; staff said such advocacy would be a council prerogative. After discussion, the council voted to adopt the ordinance as revised. Several council members said they reluctantly supported the change as necessary to comply with state law; others emphasized the importance of neighborly accommodation to avoid conflicts.
Ending: Registration and maintenance rules take effect under the revised code; property owners registering managed natural landscapes must supply planting diagrams and a maintenance plan and must maintain a three‑foot low buffer adjacent to buildings and property lines.
