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Resident urges council to revise nuisance ordinance after native-gardening notice
Summary
Donna Maxwell told council she received a notice deeming her native-plant front yard a nuisance and asked the city to clarify the nuisance ordinance to avoid penalizing native landscaping and to allow time for plantings to establish.
Donna Maxwell told the council she and her husband converted their front yard to regionally appropriate native plants and received a 07/08/2026 notice from the city that their property was in violation of the cutting and clearing rules and had been deemed a nuisance.
Maxwell said the yard has no turf grass, is filled with native plants that support pollinators, and is maintained by hand without pesticides. She said drought and personal circumstances (a recent family death) delayed full establishment and that photos and documentation were included with her submission. "We received a notice…that clearly states that we are in violation of the cutting and clearing required, and our property has been deemed a nuisance," Maxwell said. She asked council to "please take a look at the nuisance ordinance" and to clarify gray areas that, in her view, allow for inconsistent or abusive enforcement.
Mayor Tim Pedro and other council members acknowledged receipt of her materials and said no immediate enforcement action would be taken while the matter is reviewed and staff follows up with the homeowner to clarify the process. Council members asked staff to discuss the complaint and return with options for whether and how the nuisance ordinance could recognize native landscaping or offer a compliance pathway that accommodates plant establishment periods.
The council did not vote on changes at the meeting; Maxwell requested the ordinance be revisited and offered to help the city identify best practices and resources.
