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Residents ask Hewitt board to clarify weed ordinance, seek native-plant exception
Summary
Residents Blake and Lisa Borchardt urged the Village of Hewitt to change wording in the weed ordinance to clarify what counts as a noxious weed and to allow native plants in ditches that prevent erosion; a resident, Wanda Routier, said the ordinance already allows native vegetation on private property.
President Marlene Stueland called the Village of Hewitt Board to order June 10, and members heard public comments on the Village weed ordinance from Blake and Lisa Borchardt and from resident Wanda Routier.
The Borchardts told the Board they "would like a change in the verbiage about which weeds are considered noxious" and asked the Village to define what constitutes a weed, where the Village will intervene, and to create an exception for native plants in ditches that prevent erosion and do not impede water flow. They also advocated for proper management of native plantings on Village property.
Wanda Routier said she recently became aware of the ordinance and was relieved to learn that native vegetation on a resident’s property is acceptable under the current rules. The Board did not take immediate action on the ordinance at the June 10 meeting; the topic was raised during announcements and public comment and may be placed on a future agenda for formal consideration.
The exchange provides the Board with several specific requests to consider if it moves forward with ordinance edits: clearer definitions of "noxious" versus native vegetation, geographic limits for enforcement, and a formal exemption for erosion-control plantings in roadside ditches. No formal motion or vote on ordinance language was recorded at this meeting.
