River Heights family bristles at city's inspection of non-manicured garden

As the City of Winnipeg clamps down on unruly grass this summer, a River Heights family is questioning their tactics and priorities.

This summer the city is trying out a new, more streamlined way to enforceneighbourhood livability bylaws with hopes it will lead to grass being cut more quicklyeither by the homeowner or the city at the homeowner's expense.

Julie Michaudsays her family was visited three times by bylaw officerssince they received a formal letter warning that their boulevard grass was too long on June 26.

"I actually, personally, find a beauty in it," said Michaudof thegrass Friday."Think about all the butterflies. All the beautiful bugs that live in the grass. Moreover, we don't have to water our lawn."

Michaud and her spouse, Stavros Angelatos, saytall grass on the boulevard led to an inspection of their yard and a warning their garden a non-manicured area filled with primarily native, wild plants including nettle, strawberries andsome annuals in the front and rear of their housemay also be in violation of the bylaw.

Angelatossaid he complied with the order to mow the boulevard and a subsequent order to tidy up grass around hisfence,even though his family prefers the wild-looking plants, but he did not think the family should get rid of their garden.

"The line was drawn once they were in the front yard and when they were trying to determine [whether] our back yard, inside our fence where no one can see, was in compliance," he said.

"That's when I was like, 'You guys are pushing on your authority here.'"

A bylaw officer returned to the home Friday afternoon and gave the family a pass on thegarden,saidMichaud.

The City of Winnipeg says bylaw enforcement is prompted by complaints to 311.

So far this summer, the city has received3,182complaintsabout long grass and issued1,264 orders for owners to mow. As of Friday, 201 tickets had been issued, the City of Winnipeg said in an email.

Fines start at $75 but can rise to $250 for homeownerswho fail to act. Grass in Winnipeg cannot exceed 15 centimetres under the current bylaw.

Bylaw officers work with the city's naturalist to ensure weeds are identified correctly. If violations are found, property owners are warned and provided contact information for the bylaw officer if they have questions, the city said in an email Friday.

"Properties that citizens consider 'naturalized'are still expected to be in compliance with the bylaw, including long grass and weeds," a spokesperson said.