Council amends city code to exempt cover crops from 10-inch weed rule after debate over urban agriculture and rodent concerns

City Hall — The New Orleans City Council voted to amend the municipal code to exempt cover crops from the city’s 10-inch maximum weed-height requirement, after several hours of public comment from urban farmers, researchers and neighbors.

Councilmember Leslie Harris presented the ordinance, which the administration and urban-agriculture stakeholders described as a narrow change to protect responsible regenerative farming practices on vacant lots and community gardens. The change amends code sections 26-150, 26-160 and 66-312 to treat intentionally planted cover crops differently from unmanaged overgrowth.

Proponents — including representatives from Sprout, Recirculating Farms and the Newcomb Institute at Tulane — said cover crops improve soil health, prevent erosion, increase stormwater infiltration and support local food production. Dimitri Coles of Recirculating Farms said his group harvested more than 1,700 pounds of produce in under 1,100 square feet this year and argued that cover cropping improves drainage and reduces flooding.

The administration’s urban-agriculture liaison, Grace Scheffinger, told the council that many vacant lots are currently unmanaged and that cover cropping is an intentional stewardship practice; she said the Office of Resilience and Sustainability would coordinate with Code Enforcement to minimize misuse. Councilmembers and staff said they would distribute signage (e.g., “regenerative garden in progress”) to help neighbors distinguish active urban farms from unmanaged lots.

One neighbor, Catherine Prevost, urged caution and said cover crops could attract rodents and exacerbate blight near homes; Harris and Scheffinger responded that responsible growers suppress weeds and that the change is intended to support cultivated sites, not to excuse neglect.

After public testimony and council discussion, the ordinance passed (recorded vote 6 yeas, no nays). The council and administration said they will continue outreach to neighborhoods to explain the new rule and encourage best practices among growers.