Cut That Grass!

Living in a city comes with benefits and annoyances. Though many a city-dweller may be within walking distance of nightlife and urban excitement, they're also subject to any number of rules and regulations that are part and parcel of living close together -- lot occupancy limits, historic codes, etc. And since summer is upon us, so too are the rules governing how District residents must maintain their lawns. From a press release from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs:

Did you know uncut grass could cost you $500? Each year from May 1 through October 31 the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs enforces "seasonal grass-cutting" rules.

Grass and weeds that are more than 10 inches tall could lead to fines. During growing season, property owners (commercial and residential) are required to maintain their premises in a healthy and sanitary manner, free of trash and excessive vegetative growth.

Grass pollen is a common trigger for asthma and allergies. Keeping grass cut can be a part of an overall preventative strategy to control respiratory illness. Excessive growth can harbor rats and other vermin leading to serious public health implications.

While this may seem somewhat like a nanny-state controlling everything we do, we're rather the smell of freshly-cut lawns than allergies and rat attacks. Now if they could only establish a rule dictating when not to mow your lawn (read before 8 a.m. on a Saturday), we'd be happy campers.