HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2023-12 Support for No Mow May Initiative 2023RESOLUTION NO. 2023-12
A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT NO MOW MAY INITIATIVE 2023
WHEREAS, the Edina City Council approved Resolution No. 2020-42 endorsing pollinator friendly policies.
WHEREAS, the Edina City Council recognizes that bees and other pollinators are integral to pollination of
plants in order to grow a wide diversity of essential foods including fruit, nuts and vegetables; and
WHEREAS, pollinator populations are threatened due to habitat loss, neonicotinoid use, pathogens and
parasites; and
WHEREAS, the City of Edina passed in December 2021 a Climate Action Plan, that includes Greenspace and
Trees, with a specific strategy to increase pollinator supportiveness of lawns and grasslands; and
WHEREAS, recent research suggests that bee pollinators make use of no mow spaces as key floral resources
during early spring in the upper Midwest United States; and
WHEREAS, pollinators and floral resources have a positive relationship, where the increase in pollinators can
increase the amount of flora and vice versa; and
WHEREAS, the City of Edina approved Resolution No. 2022-34 to support No Mow May Initiative during 2022,
and the initiative had more than 1,200 households participants, and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds it is in the public interest and consistent with adopted City policy for the
City to keep demonstrating its commitment to a safe and healthy community environment through the
implementation of initiatives that help increase the pollinator population.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Edina, Hennepin County,
Minnesota,
To continue its efforts to become a pollinator friendly City by ensuring best management practices for
management of vegetation, and
To continue to identify actively maintained areas that could be converted back to vegetation favorable to
bees and other pollinators, or left natural to promote nesting areas for bees, and
To proclaim May 1st -31st, 2023 as "No Mow May", and encourage all residents of the city who wish to
participate in this initiative to register with the City and refrain from mowing their lawns in the month of May to
provide vital early spring flowers for bees that emerge from hibernation, and
To temporarily suspend enforcement for No Mow May registered participants of Edina City Code
requirements in Sec 30-118 and Sec 30-119, specifically that "Turf grasses shall be regularly cut such that no
individual plant shall exceed, at any time, ten inches in height or length" and "Weeds shall be regularly cut or
controlled such that no individual plant shall exceed, at any time, ten inches in height or length" from May I, 2023
to June 15, 2023, while continuing to enforce the Minnesota State Mandate regarding the management of noxious
weeds, and
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
7450 Metro Boulevard • Edina, Minnesota 55439
www.EdinaMN.gov • 952-826-0371 • Fax 952-826-0392
ADOPTED this 7 ruary, 2023
Attest:
Sharon • Ilison, City Clerk James B. Hovland, Mayor
To continue enforcement of the above City Code requirements for any properties not registered for No
Mow May, and
To develop a registration portal online for those interested in participating in this initiative, where
participants will be required to register and where interested parties can learn about the importance of creating
and maintaining a pollinator friendly landscape and additional green programs like "lawns to legumes", soil health,
raingardens, turf alternatives, and others.
STATE OF MINNESOTA)
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN)
CITY OF EDINA )
CERTIFICATE OF CITY CLERK
I, the undersigned duly appointed and acting City Clerk for the City of Edina do hereby certify that the attached
and foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Edina City Council at its Regular Meeting of February 7, 2023,
and as recorded in the Minutes of said Regular Meeting.
WITNESS my hand and seal of said City this 7th day of February, 202
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
7450 Metro Boulevard • Edina, Minnesota 55439
wwwEdinaMN.gov • 952-826-0371 • Fax 952-826-0392