For the Record:
On Saturday, April 19, 2008, I, like many homeowners in Ocean
Grove, received a letter dated April 16, 2008 from the Neptune
Township Office of Historical Preservation Commission, specifically
from its Chairwoman, Deborah Osepchuk.
To sum up the subject of the letter, Ms. Osepchuk has made
the little strip of land between your front sidewalk and the
curb (what we’ll simply refer to as the “grass
strip”) her crusade to regulate. While I understand
the motivation behind maintaining grass strips in Ocean Grove,
the tone of this letter was surprisingly hostile and inappropriate
(residents are threatened by court action should they not
have a “proper” grass strip). In addition, the
language in her letter does not conform to the language contained
within the actual ordinance. Thus, since Ms. Osepchuk took
so much time and paper (at least two large trees perished
in order to supply paper for her campaign if every housing
unit in Ocean Grove received a letter), I will likewise devote
this lengthy letter to picking apart the rationale of requiring
a grass strip, from an environmental standpoint.
For those of you reading this who were not fortunate enough
to have received Ms. Osepchuk’s letter, let me sum-up
some of her key points:
- “Ocean Grove has been designated a National Historic
District in part because of its pioneering original design.”
- “The design tended to use indigenous plants in somewhat
formal arrangements that framed, rather than hid, the beauty
of the homes’ details. Grass front yards and the grass
strip were used to set off this frame.”
- “It is a tribute to the foresight of the town’s
founders, that today the grass strip is recognized for its
important environmental function of filtering fertilizers,
pesticides and soil found in run off from properties into
the street gutters, storm drains, eventually the lakes, and
ocean with every rain storm.”
- “ “The Ocean Grove Historic District Architectural
Guidelines for Residential Structures” reflect the historical,
aesthetic, and functional significance of the traditional
Ocean Grove grass strips by clearly stating that only grass,
low-growing ground cover such as ivy or Bay Harbor Juniper,
and trees whose lowest branches are at least 8 feet above
grade are allowed in the grass strip. Paving materials, bricks,
loose stones, bushes/rose bushes, cornstalks, pumpkins, tomato
plants, tall ornamental grasses, vegetable and flowerbeds,
etc. are all inappropriate materials and are NOT permitted,
under the guideline.”
- “To remediate this situation, the Historic Preservation
Commission will now issue “Notice of Violations”
to homeowners who do not follow the Design Guidelines in regards
to plantings, surfaces, and hard landscape items placed in
the grass strips.”
- “Failure to address a Notice of Violation will result
in the issuance of a Municipal Court Summons. In addition
to the Design Guidelines, the Township of Neptune Land Development
Ordinance prohibits planting in the grass strip area [504
Curb Design Standard Para 5].”
The following is the ordinance being referred to:
504 CURB DESIGN STANDARDS
B. Design standards. The following standards shall be used
to prepare and review any development plan that involves the
construction of new curbs or repair of existing curbs
5. Planting strips. The area located between curbs and sidewalks
or walkways shall be either planted with grass or another
type of ground cover plant material. Planting strips located
in the public right-of-way may be paved with bricks or other
similar type decorative paving materials as specified by the
Township Engineer. In no instance, however, shall a planting
strip be permitted to be covered with asphalt or loose stones
of any variety.
Let me begin by stating that I have nothing against grass
strips, per se. It’s true that grass strips, like any
vegetation, do perform a valuable function by filtering fertilizers,
pesticides, and soil found in run-off. However, I don’t
believe residents should be required to have them, as opposed
to other forms of vegetation, for several reasons.
First of all, this is a beach town, and the types of grass
typical of a lawn or grass strip are not native to this area.
Furthermore, the fertilizers and pesticides which the grass
strip filters, most often originate by maintaining grass strips
and lawns. Maintaining a nice healthy grass strip or lawn
often involves the use of synthetic pesticides and other chemicals
which are harmful to the environment. Additionally, the use
of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, which require fossil
fuels to be manufactured, has been shown to be detrimental
to combating global warming.
And speaking of global warming, grass strips require mowing
or weed-whacking, both of which not only contribute to global
warming, but also create noise pollution and, in the case
of gasoline-powered lawnmowers, contribute to urban smog during
the summer. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, up to 5% of smog in some urban areas was due to pre-1997
small gasoline engines such as are typically used on lawnmowers.
Besides pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, grass also
requires great amounts of water, a resource which we should
be striving to conserve. Maintaining a green lawn with copious
amounts of water was not a problem in temperate Victorian
England where the concept of the lawn originated, as natural
rainfall was sufficient to maintain a lawn's health. However,
our climate differs from England (fortunately), thus making
reliance of rainfall for healthy lawns impractical.
As I stated earlier, the language contained within Ms. Ospechuk’s
letter does not conform to the language contained within the
actual ordinance included above. Ms. Ospechuk’s letter
states that only trees whose lowest branches are at least
8 feet above grade are allowed in the grass strip. No tree
limbs should be under a height of 8 feet?!?! That would mean
that no new trees can be planted in Ocean Grove!!!
When a person buys and plants a tree, they do not plant an
adult, mature tree whose lowest limb is not under 8-feet high.
Young trees may have limbs much lower than that. Thus, the
letter directly contradicts efforts of the Township’s
Environmental / Shade Tree Commission, which actively supports
the planting of new trees within Ocean Grove. Furthermore,
the Township’s ordinance makes absolutely no reference
whatsoever to this limb height requirement, nor does the Historic
District Architectural Guidelines for Residential Structures.
I would love to know where this 8-foot limb requirement came
from.
Ms. Ospechuk’s letter also specifies that paving materials,
bricks, loose stones, bushes/rose bushes, cornstalks, pumpkins,
tomato plants, tall ornamental grasses, vegetable and flowerbeds,
etc. are all inappropriate materials and are NOT permitted,
under the guideline.
Once again, however, the ordinance does not indicate that.
The ordinance merely states that the strips should be “planted
with grass or another type of ground cover plant material”.
Another type of ground cover plant material is not specific
and could include many items such as flowers, vegetables,
and even mulch. Yes, mulch is a ground cover plant material.
So long as it was made from a plant, which mulch normally
is, it qualifies as ground cover plant material.
Flowerbeds are inappropriate?!?! Well, from an environmental
standpoint, they are far more appropriate than are grass strips.
For one thing, grass strips are monocultures of non-indigenous
plants which require inordinate amounts of sunlight, fertilizers,
and water to maintain their vitality.
Flowerbeds, on the other hand, are composed of a variety of
plants, thereby increasing biodiversity, which provide not
only beauty but food for butterflies, honeybees, and birds,
as well as others. It may be quite difficult to grow grass
under or nearby a tree such as a maple, whereas flowers or
other plants may thrive and provide beauty to an otherwise
barren strip of soil.
I take exception to tomato plants and vegetables being deemed
inappropriate. I believe that such plantings are a very creative
and environmentally-conscious use of the grass strip area.
With fuel costs being as high as they are lately, as well
as the energy costs associated with the farming of commercially
available crops, anyone who is growing their own food should
be encouraged and not admonished.
Furthermore, has the Historical Preservation Commission never
heard of a “Victory Garden”? Victory Gardens (as
defined on Wikipedia) were “vegetable, fruit and herb
gardens planted at private residences in the United States,
Canada, and United Kingdom during World War I and World War
II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought
on by the war effort. In addition to indirectly aiding the
war effort these gardens were also considered a civil "morale
booster" — in that gardeners could feel empowered
by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce
grown. Making victory gardens became a part of daily life
on the home front.” Isn’t the United States currently
in the midst of a war? I thought we are, in which case the
planting of a Victory Garden certainly seems more than appropriate.
Where I do agree somewhat with Ms. Ospechuk, is with regards
to impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces such as concrete
or asphalt, result in greater water run-off, less infiltration
of water into the soil, and less opportunity for run-off to
be filtered by plants. Thus, an objective for grass strip
planning should be to have as little impervious surface as
possible.
As I walk throughout Ocean Grove, what I love to observe
is the uniqueness of the homes and plantings throughout town.
Whether it be with roses, cornstalks, ivy, or grass, I enjoy
the character and charm with which each homeowner expresses
their individuality.
To dictate what a resident may or may not plant as well as
threatening them with legal action, is NOT in the character
of Ocean Grove.
- Anonymous