Council Encourages Property Owners Not to Mow in May, Acts on Lawsuits, Votes 3-1 on Park Plan

East Lansing has caught onto a national movement to observe “No Mow May.” City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday night to give property owners permission during the month of May to generally ignore city laws that otherwise specify how tidy grass must be kept.

Council also took action on two lawsuits, authorized $36.4 million in sewer and water treatment bonds, and split 3-1 on the question of whether to pave over open land at the Hannah Community Center to improve the parking and basketball courts, add a pavilion, and install an outdoor water fountain.

Noel Garcia was absent for the second time in a month. Moving to formally excuse Garcia for his absence – unexcused absences can eventually add up to automatic removal of a council member under the City Charter – Councilmember George Brookover said Garcia is “undergoing some minor medical situations.” 

Here’s your rundown from ELi.

“No Mow May” aims to help pollinators survive.

East Lansing’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission teamed up with the city’s Commission on the Environment to recommend the Council follow other cities in implementing a “No Mow May.” 

The resolution passed in a 4-0 vote on Tuesday night names many reasons not mowing is a good idea: it helps pollinators by preserving their habitat; it reduces emissions from fuel-based lawn mowers and leaf blowers; and it helps prevent soil compaction, which in turn helps prevent stormwater run-off.

The resolution formally “encourages [but does not require] property owners to participate in No Mow May by refraining from mowing the open spaces on their properties and refraining from lawn pesticide use for the month of May.”

During May, the city will generally not be ticketing property owners for tall grass or weeds. That said, where there’s a public safety concern, “vegetation management” is still required. For example, sidewalks must be kept clear for walkers, people in wheelchairs, and people walking bikes, and vegetation must not block visibility in a way that might cause an accident. Read more here.

Parks & Rec Commissioner Nichole Biber called into Council to declare the passing of the resolution a “glorious occasion” and to encourage people to support “the resurgence of life forms that are struggling” to survive.

Parks & Rec Director Cathy DeShambo told Council the city is “intending to participate as much as we possibly can” in No Mow May. Athletic fields will be mowed, but the city will let other open fields and parkways grow naturally.

East Lansing Environmental Specialist Cliff Walls told Council that, in the near future, staff will be asking property owners to register their participation just so the city can get some data about the success of the community-wide event. He said he’s especially hoping that neighborhood associations will promote the concept.

“That cross-pollination, so to speak, is really going to elevate this,” Walls said.

[UPDATE: Residents can now sign up and learn more at this city page.]

Council voted 3-1 to support a grant for changes to the Hannah Community Center’s parking and park land.

DeShambo came to Council requesting support for submission of an application to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for a $625,000 Spark Grant to make changes to the north side of the Hannah property. 

The proposed changes include removal of a planted berm and improvement of the parking lot/basketball court area, including installation of six more parking spots, erection of a new, small pavilion with electrical service, installation of a drinking fountain, walkway improvements and fresh landscaping.

Spark Grants are aimed at communities whose economic opportunities and health were hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. If the project is funded by the state, East Lansing will not have to provide matching funds. 

According to the memo provided to Council on the matter, to gauge local public interest in this plan, DeShambo’s unit sent out 805 surveys to residents and got 96 responses. An open house was also held “with limited attendance.” The Parks & Rec Advisory Commission unanimously supported the plan.

During discussion of the matter, Councilmember Brookover registered his objections. He said he respects the parks staff but “finds it ironic that on the same Council agenda that we’re voting on a No Mow May, we are once again taking up grass” and other unpaved land with new paving.

But DeShambo insisted that the loss will be only of a large planted berm that is not amenable to recreational activities  – that there will be no loss of the greenspace used for soccer and other games.

Mayor Pro Tem Jessy Gregg said she would vote for the grant application in part because of the shade the pavilion will provide to people playing in the park space and parents watching their children play. 

Gregg said she also appreciates the addition of a water fountain and electricity and noted it will support summer recreation programs that use the space. She called the proposal a “huge net gain.”

The vote went 3-1 with Gregg, Mayor Ron Bacon, and Councilmember Dana Watson in favor, and Brookover against.

Three resolutions were seen as celebrating “inclusion.”

Through a vote on the consent agenda, Council unanimously passed resolutions recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month, acknowledging the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan, and recognizing March 31 as International Transgender Day of Visibility.

“I smiled as I reviewed our consent agenda,” Councilmember Watson said, because “being part of the City of East Lansing is also being part of inclusion and belonging.”

 She said she loved the recognition of Ramadan, being an ally to the transgender community and recognizing neurodivergence.

Gregg “piggybacked” on Watson’s comment, noting she herself is “the proud mother of three transgender children,” saying she must also recognize her gender-conforming child who might otherwise “feel left out.”

Interim City Manager Randy Talifarro said he “takes great pride in this community” because it acknowledges diversity and seeks inclusion in this way.

Talifarro also used the portion of the meeting set aside for his remarks to speak to continued staff changes in the city. See ELi’s separate report on that. 

He also announced the Northern Tail dog park is back open, free mental health counseling is still available at the library, and April 15 will mark both the Spartan Green and White game and the Izzo 5K run/walk/roll, so the city will be packed with visitors that day.

Watson also announced the Independent Police Oversight Commission has several vacancies and will be interviewing applicants. She encouraged those interested to apply.

Council took action on two lawsuits.

With a unanimous vote, Council approved a resolution to participate in a new partial settlement of national prescription opiate legislation – a settlement expected to bring the city hundreds of thousands of dollars. ELi will be bringing a separate report on this.  

Following up on actions taken at its last meeting, Council also unanimously moved forward repeal of an ordinance that is at the center of a new federal lawsuit. The East Lansing ordinance has required landlords to provide new tenants with voter information and voter registration materials. 

City Attorney Tony Chubb told Council the repeal of the law means the recent lawsuit will be settled without further cost to the city. ELi will also be bringing a special report on this.

Council approved a new version of the contract for the city manager search.

On March 7, Council chose the Michigan Municipal League (MML) to handle its search for a new city manager. 

This Tuesday night, Council voted through changes to the contract that follow requests from Brookover. The changes specify that if the search is unsuccessful, the MML will redo the search and charge the city only for new advertising. The same will be true if a candidate brought forward by MML is given the job but vacates it within two years. See the materials here.

Council approved issuance of $36 million in bonds.

The bonds, if issued, will be used to fund more improvements to the city’s Water Resource Recovery Facility (the wastewater treatment plant) and the Sewer Collection System. 

According to a staff memo, “The purpose of these projects is to replace original equipment and buildings that are beyond [their] useful life, improve capacity for future need and to implement cost effective efficiency improvements that will reduce long term energy consumption.”

Outgoing Acting DPW Director McPherson presented this matter at Council. She was in charge of the city’s Department of Public Works during catastrophic flooding of Glencairn and other areas in recent years. 

Gregg took the opportunity of McPherson’s last presentation to wish her luck.

“I hope the next phase of your career is more relaxing,” Gregg said.

“It’s not going to be,” McPherson replied. “It’s raining outside, and I still have PTSD.”