Commissioners seek ordinance pausing mowing enforcement through Mother’s Day to protect pollinators

The Villa Park Parks Commission voted April 6 to forward to the village trustees a recommendation to ease lawn‑mowing code enforcement until Mother’s Day — a proposal the commission amended on the floor to seek an ordinance so the pause could be recurring.

Chair Commissioner Pete Sultz told the commission the intent was to protect early pollinator plants. “We want to make a formal recommendation to the board that we ease the code enforcement on that,” he said. Commissioners discussed whether to submit a one‑year recommendation or draft an ordinance to make the pause permanent; Commissioner Patrice Gallagher urged the latter, saying it would avoid repeating the same approval each year.

Commissioners agreed that a written recommendation or ordinance language must be submitted to the trustees for final approval. The commission identified a staff template that could be adapted and named a commissioner to lead paperwork and follow‑up. The motion to change the recommendation into an ordinance was seconded and the commission carried the measure.

Next steps set by the commission included drafting formal language for the trustees, arranging for a commissioner or a commissioner designee to speak at the trustees’ meeting, and preparing public outreach (social posts or notices) explaining the purpose of the no‑mow period to residents.

The discussion also clarified implementation options: the commission may present either a nonbinding recommendation to trustees or a proposed ordinance; if adopted as an ordinance it would make the pause recurring without a yearly return to the trustees. The commission asked staff for any supporting materials that explain the pollinator and native‑plant rationale before the trustees’ review.