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Granite Shoals codifies protections for native plants, wild spaces

Adobe Stock image for illustrative purposes.

Wildlife and native wildflowers have a safe haven in Granite Shoals after a recent overhaul of the city’s property maintenance ordinance. The updated rules allow “sanctuary” properties that serve as wildlife habitat as well mowing regulation accommodations so native wildflowers can go to seed.

After months of work and tweaks, the Granite Shoals City Council approved the ordinance on Dec. 10. The document lists the do’s and don’ts of maintaining residential property in the city and property code violations.

“We took out subjectiveness, aesthetics, or anything that would be personal,” Place 6 Councilor Catherine Bell told DailyTrib.com following the rule changes. “What I may consider clean and neat may not be what you consider clean and neat.”

Bell served on the property maintenance working group that was tasked with overhauling the ordinance for council approval. The group met weekly starting in June, mulled over every line of the document, listened to the concerns of city staff and residents, and toured the city looking at problem areas and points of interest before presenting the proposed changes to the council in November. 

The updated ordinance bounced back and forth between the group, council, and City Attorney Josh Katz before finally being approved Dec. 10. 

Changes include removing subjective descriptors, making language clearer, and allowing more wiggle room in communication between violators and code enforcement officers.

The group also defined “sanctuary lots” to accommodate wildlife habitat and amended the “weeds and grasses” height regulations to allow native wildflower growth until mid-summer so the plants can go to seed and return the following year. 

Residents whose property fits the definition of a sanctuary lot or who are intentionally encouraging wildflower growth now have protection against code violations under the updated ordinance. 

Sec. 8-132 of the document defines a sanctuary property as:

“An unimproved property allowed to grow and flourish in a natural state as a safe area for native plants and wildlife. The presence of construction materials, rubbish, litter, and junk as described herein shall be prohibited on Sanctuary Property.”

“You can leave cedars and brush and everything natural for wildlife to live in, but if you have trash or dead trees on there, then get it off,” Bell explained. “We kind of like the idea of Granite Shoals looking a little like wilderness.”

According to Bell, the working group also heard concerns from residents about having to mow their properties to meet the 12-inch height requirement put forth in the “weeds and grasses” portion of the ordinance, which would prevent many native flowers from going to seed.

The group included an exemption that would allow vegetation to exceed the 12-inch requirement until July 31, which is typically enough time for native plants to complete their lifecycle and drop seeds. Sanctuary properties are also exempt from the height requirement.

The new regulation, Sec. 8-135 Exterior grounds (g), reads:

“To promote the growth and survival of the native wildflowers on improved property, for any native wildflower in active growth, flowering, or bearing seed, the height and mowing requirements as set forth in this ordinance shall be suspended no later than July 31st of each year, and only in the area that the native wildflowers are actively growing and within a 3-foot perimeter around the wildflower(s) growing area.”

The updated property maintenance ordinance includes several species of wildflowers that are considered protected: bluebonnets, paintbrush, castilleja, Indian blanket, Drummond phlox, verbena, pink evening primrose, Texas bluebell, brown-eyed Susan, Mexican hat, winecup, spotted beebalm, gayfeather, blackfoot daisy, blue-eyed grass, white prickly poppy, basketflower, common sunflower, eryngo, beach morning glory, rain lily, and Texas thistle.

According to Bell, the recent updates are not set in stone and the ordinance is a living document that can be changed if needed.

“(The working group) said, ‘Let’s give code enforcement through the spring to see how the document is working,’” she said. “If they see something that isn’t working, then we will go back and look at that.”

dakota@thepicayune.com