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Council approves ordinance on weeds and natural landscaping; staff says permit aims to standardize native plantings
Summary
The council approved Ordinance No. 25-05 updating definitions for weeds and natural landscaping and establishing a permitting process intended to standardize native plantings; residents raised concerns about backyard restrictions and prescribed burning.
The Marion City Council on April 17 approved Ordinance No. 25-05 on second consideration, updating Chapter 324 of the city code to clarify the definition of weeds and to create a permitting pathway for natural landscaping and native plantings.
The ordinance’s supporters and staff said the permit is intended primarily as an educational and standardization tool to distinguish approved native species from invasive or unmanaged vegetation. "So the purpose of the permitting is in part an education effort to say here are the approved native plants that you can include," a city staff member said during council discussion.
At the public forum before the ordinance debate, resident Erin Erickson, who said she is a watershed coordinator and has created pocket prairies in her backyard, spoke against the amendment as she read it. "I am opposed to this ordinance," Erickson said, telling the council she was concerned the language could require a permit to plant natives in private yards and could limit residents’ ability to use prairie management techniques.
Councilmembers sought clarity from staff. The council was told the permit would not regulate bed design or layout but would rely on an approved species list to distinguish acceptable native plantings from other vegetation. Staff also told the council that prescribed burning — a common prairie maintenance technique — is not generally available to Marion residents because open burning within city limits is governed by Linn County Public Health and urban density raises safety concerns. "Given our urban density, we really want to be cognizant of the risk," a staff speaker said, adding that parks and public-safety considerations informed the proposal.
The council approved Ordinance No. 25-05 by voice vote; the transcript records the outcome as "Ordinance carries" but does not include a roll-call tally. The ordinance will attach a list of approved native species when it is published, staff said.
