Council defers changes to Yards By-Law pertaining to naturalized lawns

By Christena Lawrie, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

At their meeting earlier this week, Council voted to defer changes to the Yards By-Law pertaining to naturalized lawns after community input.

Changes to the by-law were proposed in response to an increase in complaints relating to long grass and unmanaged vegetation on properties being represented as naturalized lawns.

The current Yards By-Law establishes some specific requirements, such as a maximum height for turf grass of 8 inches and prohibited plants, but does not define exactly what constitutes a naturalized lawn.

The report that came before council recommended amendments to the Yards By-Law to provide more clarity. Staff also recommended that a standardized Naturalized Lawn Assessment Framework be created to support consistent enforcement.

Joyce Hostyn with 1000 Islands Master Gardeners, a group of volunteers with horticultural expertise that were consulted on the current Yard By-Law in 2024, came before Council to request the motion be deferred. Hostyn argued that the proposed changes would create unnecessary barriers for residents who wish to maintain eco-friendly naturalized gardens.

In the end, Council voted unanimously to defer the motion to the final quarter of 2026 to allow for further consultation and revision.

Listen to the full story here.